Chapter 303 - Claimed By My Stepbrother (Cadell Security Series)
Seona's POV
‘Hi Babe’ he drawls, looking me over possessively as I shrink back into the worktop, thankful that the display cabinet stands between us, and that if he walked around it, he’d be easily seen from the kitchen.
I glance toward the register where my phone is currently sitting, I placed it there after Mark sent me a text, asking how I was getting on earlier. I had replied eagerly, and we'd exchanged a few messages before I had to take over from Mackenzie in the store. I curse myself silently, for not placing it back in my pocket instead, but I stupidly hadn’t wanted to put it away in case the soldier messaged again and I didn’t realise, I had hoped that Mark would send me another message, so I knew he was thinking about me, like I was thinking about him.
My gaze sweeps from my cellphone, to the other side of me, toward the back room only feet away from where I stand, where Benny is still hiding, looking for that damn first aid kit. I desperately wonder if I can run for it, reach the protection of the kitchen and Benny before Davis can get around the counter and reach me. Maybe I should scream, that would alert the military man in the next room, but my husband, no doubt reading my mind, cuts off all of those thoughts.
‘I wouldn’t do that if I were you’ he murmurs, walking closer and leaning on the counter. ‘We don’t want your new toy boy to get into an altercation with the law now do you? What happened to the other one? Got fed up of you? Tossed you aside so they had to give that one in there your sorry ass? You f.ucked him too?’ he asks, his voice turning venomous, ‘you spread your w.hore legs for him? Just how much time have you spent on your back to keep these men beside you?’
‘I . . I haven’t’ I manage to stutter, staring at him in fear.
Davis snorts, ‘please, you always were a s.lut, you don’t have money babe, and men like that don’t hang around b.itches like you without getting something for it.’
I can hear banging as Benny moves things around, looking for the first aid kit and I silently pray for him to come back quickly.
My husband’s face morphs from one of anger to a smoothed affection, ‘I’d forgive you, you know’ he tells me, reaching a hand toward me as I flinch further away from him. ‘Come on babe, how long are you going to punish me for a mistake? You know I love you’ he tells me coaxingly, that smile that used to melt me tugging at his lips. ‘It was a mistake, you just . . ‘ he sighs wearily, ‘you just sometimes upset me so much that I can’t help but react. I try to swallow it down babe, I really do, I don’t want to hurt you, but then you just push too far . . . ‘
I swallow hard, taking in his face that I’d found so handsome at the beginning. I’d been so shocked when he asked me out, the shy, arty nerd approached by one of the hottest guys in school. I’d been in awe of him, wanted to please him because I was lucky, lucky that he’d picked me out of everyone he could have.
As I look at him now though, I don’t see the handsome eighteen year old who asked me on a date, held my hand across the table over milkshakes or kissed me softly as a movie played at the theatre. Now I see a monster, a liar, a man who took pleasure from my pain.
‘NO’ I growl loudly, my sudden word making my husband blink in surprise as his eyes widen.
‘Babe . . ‘ he starts again, reaching further toward me, as though I’m going to reach out too, take his hand. Once upon a time, I would have, I would have taken his hand, believed his words and I’d have apologised! I’d have said I was sorry to him, for him hitting ME!
‘No’ I snap again, glaring at him, anger filling me, as I straighten slightly, moving closer to him but only so I can release the serviettes long enough to slap at his hand. ‘It wasn’t my fault’ I state loudly, my voice rising with each word. ‘I didn’t make you hit me Davis, you decided to do that all on your own, and you damn well enjoyed it. You liked seeing me broken, crying, begging you to stop and you looked for any opportunity to use your fists on me.
I didn’t do anything wrong, I did more than any woman should have to do to try and be perfect, in fact. I was a good wife! I cooked, cleaned, prepared your lunches each day, I was LOYAL, I never even looked at another man the entire time I was with you and yet you beat me for YOUR friends checking ME out! It was never the fault of your lecherous friends, was it? No, it was me somehow drawing attention.’
Davis’ eyes narrow as his hands curl into fists, ‘you didn’t do anything?’ he spits, his nice guy persona completely obliterated as his true self shines through, the face I can see clearly now. ‘You were a damn c.ock tease and you know it, you loved the attention you little f.ucking w.hore . . ‘
He doesn’t get any further as the kitchen door slams against the wall, Benny appearing beside us, his eyes pinned to Davis as he strides toward him.
‘Get out’ he orders sharply.
My husband raises an eyebrow, his mask falling back into place.
‘What, I just came in here to say hello to my wife’ he replies smoothly, ‘buy a few cupcakes for the boys back at the station.’
‘You don’t need anything here, get the f.uck out’ Benny repeats, his jovial self now replaced by a stone-cold protector as he places himself between Davis and the counter, effectively blocking me from view.
I dive toward the register, grabbing a hold of my cellphone, and pulling up Mark’s contact number, my fingers flying over the screen as I send him a message.
‘I’m allowed to shop here’ Davis snarls, not liking the soldier standing up to him.
‘And we have the right to refuse service to anyone’ Benny retorts, ‘and we are refusing you, now leave before I call the cops and tell them that one of their own is harassing a member of staff.’
The two men eyeball each other for a long moment before Davis steps back, glaring at me over Benny’s shoulder.
‘This isn’t over Seona’ he bites out at me, ‘not by a long f.ucking shot, remember, everything that happens from now on is all on you, you did this.’
He turns on his heel, storming out of Mackenzie’s store, the door slamming behind him as my knees buckle and I slide to the ground, a sob ripping from my throat.