“It’s not,” I said, shifting my feet as he came closer. “It represents a life-long friendship. A timeless love.”
Rick’s jaw ticked as he stopped an inch away from me now. I held my ground despite the panic clawing at my heart. He was in the perfect position now, nothing to hide.
God, I hoped Roman had picked up when I’d dialed.
I hoped he could hear this.
Hoped he’d get the cops.
If not?
Well, fuck. Maybe this plan wasn’t as brilliant as I thought, but at least the truth would be out.
“That shit doesn’t matter,” he seethed. “And that piece of crap isn’t worth the gas money it took me to get here.”
“It’s worth more than anything you could ever buy,” I snapped, noting the fire in his eyes. The anger churning and boiling near the surface. It wouldn’t be long now.
“Because he is worth more,” I continued, knowing I was pushing him. Provoking him to show that monster, the one he’d kept behind closed doors and used to control me.
Not-so-fun side effect of being front row and center to the man behind the mask, I knew how to avoid a blow-up just as well as I knew how to incite one. I’d never had reason to before now.
“Don’t,” he warned, his fists curled at his sides as he towered over me.
I merely lifted my chin. “Roman is more of a man than you’ll ever be.”
I felt the crack of pain before I saw him move—a slice of heat across my left cheek that felt like the tip of a whip had split the skin.
“That’s one,” Rick spat, his hand still raised from the swing.
I cupped my cheek, my head zinging from the pain of the hit I’d intentionally not blocked. And I could’ve, now, thanks to Drew. Thanks to the personal lessons I’d continued to take even after I’d been forced to leave Roman. But tonight wasn’t about handing Rick his ass, even though I sure as fuck wanted to.
“Trust me when I say you won’t get another,” he continued.
My muscles trembled, but I knew how strong I was. I could survive this and in the end? The world would know the real Rick Baker.
“Coward,” I hissed, dropping my hand to reveal the blood I felt trickling down my skin. “You feel like a big man now? Hitting me?” I trailed my eyes below his waist and back up again, my lips a sneer. “Hitting me won’t lengthen your dick, you know?”
His eyes flared, his hands on my throat in an instant.
Fuck, why was it always the throat?
The strength in his hands was enough to draw a yelp from my lips as he squeezed. “Stupid, stupid girl,” he said, his spit spraying my face as his body shook with anger. “You’ll learn to keep your mouth shut, Teagan.” He nodded, tightening his grip for emphasis. “And you’ll remember what it’s like to love me. You’ll behave. You’ll be everything you were in the beginning. Everything you were supposed to be.”
I dug my fingers into his forearms, but he didn’t even flinch.
I tried to grab a breath, but it felt like sucking in air through a straw.
“If you don’t?” He said, his eyes flaring with rage. “It won’t be you that suffers, but Padilla. I’ll pull a block at the right time. I did it once, and I can do it again. The brain can only survive so many bad hits.”
I stopped clawing at his skin, my muscles weakening. I tried to channel Drew’s voice…how the hell did I get out of a forward assault? My mind was fuzzy as I tried and failed to remember the move, and my arms dropped, suddenly heavy. My knuckles grazed the edge of the stove, catching on the cast iron skillet I’d left out.
“Show me you understand!” He yelled.
I nodded to buy myself a few precious seconds, black spots sparkling at the edge of my vision. I gripped the handle of the cast iron and drew it up in one fast motion with a last burst of strength. A thunk sound snapped as it connected with the side of his head, and Rick instantly released me, dropping to his knees as he cradled his head.
“Stupid bitch!” He screamed.
“Teagan!” Roman yelled from my doorway, nothing but undiluted rage on his face as he all but sprinted toward Rick.
“Don’t!” I darted into his path, my voice breathless as I sucked in lungfuls of air. “Don’t touch him.”
Sirens blared from the door Roman had left open, and I sagged against his chest as his arms encircled me.
“Teagan,” he said, his fingers trembling as he took in my face. “Oh my god.” His voice was ice as he saw my bloody cheek and the no-doubt red rings around my throat.
I shook my head, trying like hell to stay grounded as I looked down at Rick. “Cops are on their way,” I said. “They’ll deal with you.”
“Good!” Rick said, hauling to his feet. He pointed at me. “They can take care of you, you crazy bitch! You tried to kill me with a frying pan!” He shook his head. “All I tried to do was return your things!”
“Oh yeah?” I snapped and reached for the iPad on my countertop. I turned it toward him, revealing the live feed I’d clicked open when he’d entered my home uninvited. “I knew the second you stepped onto my property,” I said. “I have cameras all over this place, but this here?” I pointed to my Instagram feed. “One-hundred thousand people just saw who you really are, Rick Baker. A fucking monster.”
Rick’s skin turned a sickly shade, his fists curling again.
Roman stepped in front of me, tilting his head in a challenge.
“Everyone,” a masculine voice hollered from the doorway. “Hands up!”
Two police officers entered, and Roman and I instantly put our hands up. Rick was slow to follow, shouting accusations of being attacked.
One cop checked out my cheek, then eyed my neck. “He do that to you?”
I nodded, the floor feeling like it was on a tilt beneath my feet.
“I hit him with the pan,” I admitted. “I couldn’t breathe.” I rubbed at the raw spots on my neck.
The police officer nodded, and the one near Rick cuffed him and recited him his rights. He hauled him out the door, Rick yelling about calling his lawyer the whole way out.
I sagged against Roman, my head spinning.
“We need to get you to the hospital,” he said, his arms holding most of my weight.
“We can take her statement there,” the remaining officer said.
Roman nodded, telling the officer which hospital we’d be at.
The last thing I remembered was him securing me in the passenger seat of his car, then everything swirled to black.
21
Roman
“I swear to God if you don’t let me back there—” My voice rose with each word, drawing the attention of everyone in the emergency department’s waiting room.
“Sir, I’m going to need you to calm down,” the nurse responded patiently, giving me a glare that might have gotten through my head if it wasn’t Teagan back there.
Teagan. Teagan, whom I’d brought in unconscious. With a police escort. And bruises around her throat. And a very likeable Rick Baker shouting that I’d been the one to assault her after she’d passed out in my front seat. That she’d been scared of me, which was why she’d said it was him.