To Hate Adam Connor

Oh, hell no.

I tried to slow down my heartbeat and jerked my knee up; since he’d lifted my dress up, it was easier this time and hit the bull’s eye. He grunted and let go of my face, doubling in front of me, his hands covering his useless jewels. I pushed my hair out of my face and opened and closed my mouth to relieve the ache.

“You son of a bitch, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” I hissed at him. When he straightened up, I noticed he looked familiar, but I couldn’t place him. Had I given him permission to paw me? I couldn’t remember doing something like that, definitely not on such a special night for Olive. That being said, I did remember some harmless, playful flirting with a few guys, but it had all been in fun. After Jameson’s text, I’d just needed that little self-esteem boost. I wasn’t looking to get laid.

I hurriedly pulled my dress down and glared at the guy. His face had reddened, but he was sporting a big grin on his face.

Great…

“Look,” I said slowly. “I’m sorry about your balls.” I huffed a breath and continued. “Actually, I take it back. I’m not. You deserved it. I’m just gonna leave, okay?”

He lifted an eyebrow and kept grinning creepily. I started scooting away and lifted my hands, palms out. “I’m leaving. No harm done.”

He licked his lower lip and stalked toward me. I tried to run past him, but he was too strong for me and slammed me against the door, yet again. This time he kept me in place with his shoulders. With quick hands, he had my dress almost up to my waist when I started screaming in his ear.

It’s frightening how fast you can sober up.

And how fast you can turn homicidal.

The music was really loud, but I was sure somebody would hear me.

I squirmed, kicked, and screamed, but he still managed to push one of his hands up my dress and was squeezing the shit out of my breast. I was going to bruise for sure. However, considering what was happening, a bruise or two was the least of my worries.

“Fight me,” he said. “Make me work for it.”

That’s when I started to panic.

He was crazy.

When my screams got too loud for him, he cupped my mouth with his hand and continued his assault on my body. I still thought he would stop.

I still thought it was a nightmare.

I still screamed against his hand.

When his fingers edged closer to my underwear, I stilled. Completely.

I stopped breathing.

My eyes welled with tears, and I swallowed.

Stupid stupid tears.

Oh, he was definitely going to die as soon as…

“Oh, you like that, don’t you?” he whispered as his fingertips traveled over my panties.

The world stopped spinning.

He pulled his hand away from my mouth, and I screamed bloody murder with everything I had left in me.

Chapter Ten

Adam

After my argument with Adeline, I headed toward the back door of the venue so I could escape and go home. I had known going there wouldn’t change anything, but I had still needed to talk to her. Taking her to court for full custody of Aiden was the last thing I wanted to do, but Adeline…she was forcing my hand. She had no business being Aiden’s mom.

The paparazzi were lying in wait at the front of the venue, so leaving that way was out of the question. It was already bad that they had taken shots of me and Adeline in a heated conversation—God knew how they would spin those shots—and the last thing I wanted was them capturing me storming out of the place.

I headed toward the back of the loft, rounded the corner, and found a couple going at it at the mouth of the hallway. Keeping my head down, I walked past them. Turning right, I pushed open the steel doors and felt the fresh air on my face. Right as I took my first step out, I heard someone scream.

My head snapped back, and I saw another couple in a compromising position. The way the guy was towering over the girl, I couldn’t see anything, but I thought I saw something…

I glanced outside. Maybe I had just misinterpreted the scream? Adeline wasn’t a screamer in bed; she barely moved under me. Maybe I’d forgotten what a pleasure-filled scream sounded like?

Still, my feet took me toward the couple, and the closer I got to their cozy little hidden spot, the more I felt like a creeper intruding on something.

I saw a flash of a nude fabric, similar to the one Lucy had on when I had last seen her then another muffled scream and my steps quickened.

“Hey,” I yelled so I could be heard over the music, and the guy looked at me over his shoulder, giving me a glassy stare. I frowned and my gaze strayed to the girl trapped between him and the door.

The first thing I noticed was the tears; then I realized it was Lucy with her stormy gray eyes, the blue completely gone. Her fear-stricken eyes lifted up to mine and something loosened inside me.

Call it a release of anger; it was to be expected after the night I’d had.

“Adam Connor,” the guy said with a big smile. “Welcome to our private little party. Care to join in on the fun?” It was Jake Callum, an up-and-coming actor, a douche who thought he was the shit just because one of his movies had done okay at the box offices.

I noticed Lucy trying to push him off and my scowl deepened.

Prying him off her by gripping the back of his shirt, I slammed him against the wall.

“Easy, dude.” He laughed, lifting his hands up between us. “I have a contract. Take it easy.”

I looked down at his pants and sighed in relief when I saw he was all buttoned up, but then I noticed Lucy trying to wipe off her tears at the same time she was pulling down her skirt and my anger came back tenfold.

“Care to tell me what was going on here?” I asked, getting in his face and pushing at him.

Jake shrugged with a smirk. “Just having a good time with the lady, dude. Relax.” His eyes slid to Lucy, and I tightened my hand on his shirt to get his attention.

“Don’t look at her! I asked you—”

I didn’t have time to finish my sentence because the little pain in my ass who was dressed as every guy’s wet dream was pushing on me to move away. I looked down at her over my shoulder. When I didn’t budge, her frown deepened, and she gave it another try. “What the hell are you doing?” I asked, glaring at her.

She quit trying to push me away. “Get out of my way,” she growled.

“I’m trying to help you, for fuck’s sake!” I bit out.

“I said,” she growled. “Get. Out. Of. My. Way.”

Well, I thought, she’s already proven she’s a lunatic, so maybe I misunderstood the situation? Maybe they were in the middle of a lover’s quarrel? Apparently I knew nothing anymore.

I let go of Jake and took a step back. “My mistake then. Excuse me for interrupting.” Lucy’s eyes narrowed on me, but as soon as I was out of her way, her focus was on Jake. My eyes dropped to her chest, just momentarily, and I saw how sharp her breathing was.

I nodded at her, raked my hand through my hair, and reluctantly took a step back as she leaned toward Jake and crooked her finger at him as if she was about to whisper something in his ear. Why did that simple move make me even angrier? I was about to turn around and leave when out of nowhere her little fist flew in the air and landed squarely on Jake’s nose. Cupping his nose, he groaned in pain.

“You bitch!”

Without any pause, Lucy kneed him in the balls.

I winced. Ouch.

She was about to get in another punch when I caught her hand before it could land.