“What is happening?” I croaked out before I regained control of my body and sprinted toward the living room and my phone. This was not good. Not good at all.
I lunged over the back of the couch and my fingers grazed the phone before I was pulled back. My head hit the edge of the table, momentarily stunning me. My arm was on fire from hitting the couch, and I moaned in pain.
The guy grabbed me around the waist and helped me stand up but didn’t let go once I was upright again. “Ms. Connor, I need you to pack your bag.”
“Are you kidding me right now?” I wheezed, holding my arm.
He looked at me like we were having Sunday lunch and he hadn’t just broken into an apartment. “No, I’m not kidding. If you don’t want to take anything with you, we can leave right away.”
I tried to roll out of his tight grip, but he didn’t budge. He was a hulk of a man, and I was not.
“I am not going to pack anything. Because I’m not coming with you!”
He sighed like I was the most annoying thing he’d encountered in a while. Which I probably was. I imagined people just did whatever the hell he told them to.
I felt myself being dragged to the front door and my impending doom. Back to being the good daughter that wasn’t allowed to think for herself. Back to a colorless existence.
“Let’s just get this over with,” he said and pushed me out into the hallway.
“Hell no. Get your hands off me,” I yelled, now hoping that I would wake someone up. I needed help and I needed it soon.
My salvation came in the form of Nora. “Get your hands off her,” she yelled out of nowhere and swung a pillow at the guy.
He loosened his hold, and I dropped to the floor and crawled away. At least I tried to. The pillow attack wasn’t very successful and he picked me back up, ignoring Nora who was still hitting him.
“Just kick him,” I called out.
At least she listened and swung for his balls but only ended up grazing his shins.
“Let her go,” she yelled and held onto his shirt. It was like a flea fighting a cockroach. Utterly pointless.
“Nora, caw da cups.” My voice was muffled by the giant’s hand that was now over my mouth. His other hand was around my waist in an iron grip, and he was shuffling us down the hall.
“What do you take me for? An amateur? I made a call before I came out here,” Nora wheezed, not willing to let go.
“Wa da ya ma yoi afeady mai da ca?”
I wasn’t sure if she could understand what I was saying since I was still talking into a hand.
“Why do you think it took me so long to get out here?” she asked. I guess listening to a toddler made her an expert in deciphering words.
“Beca ya didna hea mmm?”
“Nonsense. Of course I heard you. I have two kids. I’m a light sleeper.”
We reached the stairs, and I renewed my efforts of getting away. Nora dug in her heels to help me, but we made no progress at all. It was pointless really. Maybe I should have saved my efforts for when he had to release me to get into the car. I figured that would be my best chance at escape.
Or I could make him hold all my weight. After all, I was no wilting wallflower, despite my recent weight loss. My ass hadn’t lost any of its size, so there was still plenty to work with.
My thoughts of escape disappeared, and my eyes went wide when I saw Mason and Landon charging up the stairs.
“Than gah ya hea,” I mumbled, my struggle momentarily forgotten.
“This better be a joke,” Landon called out when he saw us.
“Took you long enough to get here,” Nora complained. She let go of the hulk and stepped back with a smirk on her face.
“Let her the fuck go,” Mason growled. He looked downright murderous. I had made him plenty mad over the last few days, but this was on another level.
Hulk man didn’t read his clues too well, and even though he no longer covered my mouth with his hand, he was still gripping me to his side.
Mason charged forward, Landon right behind him. Hulk man finally loosened his hold enough so I could slip out and put some distance between us. I still wasn’t sure what happened next, but all I could see was limbs flying every which way, and all three guys were on the floor. It didn’t take Mason long to gain the upper hand, and he was soon smashing his fist in Hulk’s face with a sickening crunch.
Guess the steroids must have fried Hulk man’s brain because he didn’t give up. He punched Mason in the side hard enough for him to let go. Hulk man rolled over, somehow kicking Landon on the way.
I backed up farther, reaching out for Nora. She took my hand and squeezed, shuffling as close as she could get, short of melting her body to mine.
Mason was back up before Hulk man got a chance to stand up, and this time Mason didn’t look like he was going to go down as easily. His fists came down in quick succession, and I was sure something was broken by now. Landon got back on his feet and instead of helping Mason, he tried to pull him away.
“Stop, Mason, he’s out,” Landon said, but Mason ignored him. He looked like he was in a rage, his eyes focused on Hulk man, his body strung
