the lock.
Why won’t it unlock, goddam it?
Fuck it.
I give up and push my hands into Joe’s chest as hard as I can.
He’s almost unmovable, but I do manage to force him back a couple of steps. I take the opportunity to scramble up the gate. If I can’t fucking go through it, I’ll go over it.
I’m almost at the top when Joe’s hand latches around my foot. I kick out, trying to dislodge his hand, and I succeed, but not for long. Joe’s hands grip my calves and he yanks me down with every bit of strength he possesses.
My body slides down the gate, smacking my chin in the rush, and I land on the cement path with a loud crack.
The pain that shoots through my body is what I imagine an earthquake to be like. Radiating waves of agony and terror.
Reaching to touch my head where it hurts the most, I find sticky liquid, which I confirm is blood when I pull my hand back.
I don’t have time to think about this, though, because Joe steps over my body and bends over me to bring his face to mine. The pure rage I see in his eyes makes me shudder.
“I will teach you how to be a wife if it’s the last fucking thing I do.”
He raises his hand and brings it down on my face and I see black.
32
Gunnar
“I haven’t seen you for a couple of weeks,” Louise says at Scott’s place on Sunday when I rock up for the barbecue lunch Scott invited me to. “How was your trip?”
I take the seat next to her. “Let’s just say I’m glad it’s fucking over. How have you been?”
She smiles. “I’ve been good. Busy with work, but good.” She pauses. “How are you going with getting that girl out of your system?”
I know what she’s asking, and I’ll give her a straight-up answer because she needs to know there’s no chance at anything happening between us. “It turns out she’s in their for life.”
She keeps smiling and surprises me when she says, “I’m glad you’ve figured that out. I mean, I’m disappointed for me, but happy for you. I hope I get to meet her one day.”
“You know what? I think you two’ll get on well.”
“Who’ll get on well?” Harlow asks, sitting next to me.
“Louise and Chelsea.”
Harlow’s eyes widen a little. “I thought Chelsea was out of your life.”
“She was, but now she’s not.” I lean towards her. “So I no longer require your matchmaking services.” I eye Wilder across the table and grin. “Maybe move on to Wilder. He needs all the help he can get.”
Harlow appears confused, like her brain is taking its sweet time accepting what I’ve told her. She looks at Wilder, though, and waves her hand as she says, “Oh he’s already sorted. We all know who he’s going to end up with.”
I frown. “I’m out of the loop on that.”
She looks back at me. “So you and Chelsea are back together?”
“We’re working on it, but let’s go back to Wilder. Who’s he gonna end up with?”
Harlow looks at me like I’m an idiot, but before she can answer my question, Scott calls out from the other end of the table, “Gunnar, need you for a minute.”
He pushes his chair out and walks inside. I follow him, more than happy to put an end to the conversation with Harlow. I’m not ready for her interrogation over what’s happening between Chelsea and me. Once I’ve made Chelsea mine again, I’ll fucking talk about that as much as Harlow wants, but not until then.
Griff is with Scott inside. “The cops have started an investigation into that guy’s death last night,” he says. “We’re keeping an eye on it and may need to pay Novak another visit.”
Scott looks at me. “Watch your back at all times, brother. It looks like the cops have stepped up their efforts.”
“How?” I ask.
“I woke up to their eyes on my house this morning,” Scott says. “And they were watching Griff too. You notice anything today?”
“No, and I checked.” I’m always fucking checking.
Scott nods. “Okay, well stay vigilant. I don’t know what the fuck’s going on, but it doesn’t feel good.”
Griff receives a text and says to Scott, “I’ve gotta take care of something.”
“You coming back after?” Scott asks.
“Yeah. Even if this takes longer than I think it will, I’ll swing back and pick Sophia up.”
After he leaves us, Scott eyes me. “You still good working the jobs Hearst gives us?”
I know