Chapter 14 Unhinged
Melissa’s pov
“I didn’t kidnap you—”
“Then what do you call this?”
His eyes darkened, jaw tightening. “Who was that man you were running after?” He asked to change the discussion..
He stepped closer until my back hit the wall.
“It’s none of your concern.” My voice was cold. “Ever since I saw you shoving your tongue down someone else’s throat, nothing about my life concerns you.”
“Everything about you is my concern.”
I rolled my eyes, reaching for the door handle behind him. “Move.”
His hand shot out, grabbing both my wrists. In one swift motion, he yanked my arms up, pinning them above my head against the wall.
“Don’t play with me.” His voice dropped to something dangerous, and unrecognizable. His face was inches from mine. “You are mine, Melissa. Mine.”
Fear spiked through my chest. “Let me go.” My voice came out quieter than I wanted. “Troy, let me go.”
“Not until you understand.” His grip tightened on my wrists. It hurt. “You don’t get to just walk away from us. From me. I made a mistake—”
“Multiple mistakes.”
“—and I’m trying to fix it. But you won’t even give me a chance.”
“Because you don’t deserve one!”
His free hand came up to my face. I flinched, but he only brushed his thumb across my cheek. The gentleness was somehow worse than the aggression.
“I miss you,” he whispered. “Every single day. Don’t you miss me?”
“No.”
The word came out firm, final.
Something snapped in his expression. The mask of pleading desperation cracked, revealing something uglier underneath.
“Liar.” His thumb pressed harder against my cheek. “I know everything about you.” His other hand released my wrists, but before I could move, it was at my waist, pulling me closer. “I know that you touch yourself thinking about—”
“Stop.” Panic was rising in my throat, hot and suffocating.
“—that you need someone to take control because you’re too afraid to admit what you really want—”
“I said stop!”
I tried to shove him away, but he was stronger. His face came closer, his breath hot against my skin. “Just admit that you still feel something.”
“The only thing I feel is disgust.”
His jaw clenched as anger flashed across his face.“Is that what he makes you feel?” The question was acid. “That bastard you kissed does he make you feel better than I did?”
“What are you—”
“His hand at my waist moved higher,his fingers pressing into my ribs just below my breast. “Tell me, Mel. Are you fucking him? Is that why you moved? So you could spread your legs for—”
“Get off me!” I thrashed against him, genuine terror flooding through me now.
“Not until you tell me the truth!”
“There is no truth! You’re insane!”
His eyes were wild now,looking very unhinged. He lunged at me.
“You’re mine,” he said again, his voice breaking. “You’ll always be mine.”
His mouth crashed against my neck as his teeth sank into my skin.
Pain exploded through me, sharp and shocking. I screamed, the sound tearing from my throat.
He bit down harder.
Hot tears spilled down my cheeks as I squeezed my eyes shut, my hands were pressed against his chest . The pain was blinding. I could feel his teeth breaking skin, as warm blood trickled down my neck.
“Please.” The word came out broken. “Please stop.”
The door exploded open.
Light flooded in from the hallway. Troy’s head snapped up, his mouth still wet with my blood.
A figure filled the doorway.
Ethan.
His eyes took in the scene—me pressed against the wall, tears streaming down my face, blood on my neck. Troy’s hands on my body, his mouth stained red.
Something deadly crossed Ethan’s face.
He moved faster than I’d ever seen anyone move.
One second he was at the door. The next, his hand was fisted in Troy’s shirt, yanking him backward with brutal force.
Troy stumbled, released me. I collapsed against the wall, my hand flying to my neck. It was red.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Ethan’s voice was quiet. It made me shiver with fright.
Troy straightened, wiping his mouth. “This doesn’t concern you.”
“The hell it doesn’t.” Ethan moved between us, blocking Troy from reaching me again. “Touch her again and I’ll break every bone in your hand.”
“Who the fuck are you?”
“Someone who will make you regret ever being born.”
His fist connected with Troy’s jaw with a sickening crack. Troy’s head snapped back. He stumbled, hit the shelves behind him. Paint cans clattered to the ground.
Ethan turned to me, his expression shifting immediately from cold fury to gentle concern. “Are you okay?”
I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t move. My hand was still pressed against my neck, blood seeping between my fingers.
“Melissa.” He stepped closer, careful not to crowd me. “Can I see?”
I lowered my hand slowly.
His jaw clenched when he saw the bite mark. “We need to get you to a hospital, it’s not that bad but it could get infected by this dog.”
“No.” The word came out panicked. “No hospitals. Please.”
“Melissa—”
“Please.” Tears were still falling. I couldn’t make them stop. “I just… I need to leave. I need to get out of here.”
He studied my face for a long moment. Then he nodded.
“Okay. Can you walk?”
I nodded, but when I tried to step forward, my legs buckled.
Ethan caught me before I hit the ground. His arms were steady, solid, safe.
“I’ve got you,” he said quietly.
Behind us, Troy groaned, starting to stir.
He kept one arm around me as we moved toward the door. My whole body was shaking—shock, adrenaline, everything hitting at once.
As we stepped into the hallway, I heard Troy’s voice behind us, slurred but venomous.
“This isn’t over, Mel. You hear me? This isn’t over.”
Ethan’s arm tightened around me protectively.
But he didn’t look back.
And neither did I.