“I-I’m outside. He s-sent me pictures, Asher. H-he was in my room.”
I try to get my breathing under control. I feel panic setting in. The last thing I need to do is pass out from lack of oxygen.
I hear his huffs and a loud bang on his end as I race across the street. I have no idea where I’m going, but there’s no way I’m staying in that house.
“There’s a big black truck across the street at the empty house. It’s Rex and another of his men. Go to them and tell them what’s going on. Stay on the phone with me. I’m on my way.”
I feel like I’m going to be sick again, but I force the bile back down my throat. I spy the truck Asher’s talking about and run toward it. The door opens before I’m all the way across the street. I stumble to a stop in front of a huge man. His face is hard as he takes in my frantic expression. He’s huge. Like, really huge. His white shirt, a contrast against his deeply tanned skin, stretches across a massive chest. His long hair is pulled back into a loose ponytail. His face is covered in a full beard and mustache.
“What happened?” he grunts.
The passenger side door opens and out steps another man. This one is black and no less big. His head is shaved bald. They both look scary as hell, but Asher trusts them with my safety, so that means I do too.
“Poppy, talk to me.” Asher’s frantic voice comes over the line. “Did you make it to Rex and Dante?”
“Yes,” I tell him breathlessly. I don’t know if I’m out of breath from running or if it’s my fear that’s making it impossible to breathe.
“Put the speaker on and tell us what happened,” he says in my ear.
I do as he says and turn the speaker on.
My voice quivers as I relay what happened.
“I was lying in bed when I received a text from him. It was pictures of you standing at my window.” Even though I’m looking at who I assume is Rex, I’m talking to Asher. “I think it was before I knew who you were. There were others of me sitting outside on my back porch, and one of me sitting at the park. Even some of us in Dallas.” I don’t tell him of the one of him at my window with me naked. I shiver in revulsion, knowing this guy saw me bare. “Then he sent more of me rubbing lotion on my legs and me lying in bed. I was wearing the same outfit as tonight.
“Fuck,” Rex growls, and starts to storm off toward the house.
“Rex!” Asher calls, confirming my suspicions. “She isn’t to be left alone. I’m five minutes out.”
Rex turns to Dante. “Stay with her,” he commands and turns without waiting for a reply. He pulls something from the back of his pants as he jogs away into the darkness.
Icy fear holds me captive as I stand there with my phone gripped tightly in my hand. I hear Asher’s rapid breathing in my ear and it thaws some of the coldness from my bones. A hand grabs my elbow, and I jump. Dante’s expression is fierce, but underneath the hard edges is a gentleness I wouldn’t have expected from someone in his position.
“Let’s get you in the truck.” His voice comes out rough.
I nod and follow him. He holds the door open for me, and I climb inside.
“Poppy, you okay?” Asher asks, worry and anger coating his voice.
“Yes. I’m in the truck,” I assure him, my voice coming stronger now that I feel somewhat safer.
“I’m only a couple minutes away, baby,” he soothes, calming me down further.
My eyes stay glued to the dark house across the street. I don’t remember all the lights being off. My room is on the back side, but I could have sworn the living room light was on. It’s not now. My knees bounce with nerves.
Headlights appear out of nowhere, the owner of the car swerving to a stop in front of the truck. I jump out of my side when the door of the car jerks open.
“Poppy!” Asher yells, running to meet me halfway between the two vehicles. His arms go around me and I take my first full breath since I realized someone was in the house. His warmth seeps into my bones, and I sag against him, his arms the only thing holding me up. Tears soak his shirt as I sob against his chest. His hands rub up and down my back while he murmurs in my ear.
“I’m here. Everything is going to be okay.”
I dig my nails into his shoulders as I grip him tighter. He picks me up underneath my knees, pulling me to his chest and carries me back to the truck. Dante is standing close by.
“Where in the fuck is Brice?” Asher asks him over my head. Brice is the man that Sam put on the house. I’m not surprised that Asher knows about him.
“I was thinking the same thing,” Dante answers darkly.
“Rex?” Asher grunts.