pathetic existence devoid of anything real or good. So what emotions remained? Bitterness and lust.
Outstanding
.
He studied the field and street. On the next field over, a man stood off by himself, adjusting his jacket over thick shoulders and looking around with wide eyes. Only he wasn’t watching the game. Peter traced the direction of the man’s gaze.
Allie.
Peter’s spine went ramrod stiff.
His fists clenched.
Hell. The man in the leather jacket stared intently at her. Was this the guy outside her house? Peter grabbed the tree until bark shredded beneath his fingers as he kept the man in his sights. He wanted to race over and make the man stop … stop what? Watching a game? Watching spectators? Maybe Peter’s overprotective instincts blinded him to normal life. There was no way to prove that man did anything wrong. Peter would have to continue to observe.
After the game ended, the little girl ran over for an exuberant recap, judging by the clapping, high fives, and hugs all around. Searing acid boiled in his stomach. Family. Love. Two things he could never have.
Allie handed Ivy’s leash to the other woman and strode toward the sports complex’s bathroom near the road. Slinking behind a tree, Peter peered around. The bounce in Allie’s step radiated life and energy. The wiggle in her backside evoked more carnal feelings in him.
With effort, Peter dragged his eyes away from Allie’s trim form. Where was the man in the leather jacket? He searched again.
Right as Allie turned onto a concrete hallway between the restrooms, Peter caught a glimpse of the man dodging around the opposite side. Instincts screaming an alarm, Peter took off at his quickest human walk, trying not to draw attention but wanting to move faster.
Allie’s pain exploded inside his mind, staggering him forward two steps.
Her scream reverberated inside his head, turning his blood to ice.
No longer caring if anyone saw him, Peter covered the distance in mere seconds. As he skidded around the corner, Allie cried out, her shriek muffled by the cinderblock walls and cheering crowds nearby. His vision went red, and he heard only a howl of air in his ears.
The stocky man with the buzz cut gripped Allie’s hand in what would appear to an observer as an amiable handshake, but her pain echoed through the mental connection, staggering Peter backwards a few steps. Stark, desperate terror clear in her wide eyes, Allie pulled at her hand, but it remained trapped in the man’s grip. Her pupils constricted. Swirls of gold in her green, bulging eyes redefined horror as she gasped for air with a strangled gurgle.
The man shot Peter a nasty grin, and his thin lips curled in feral pleasure. “She’s interesting, this innocent. She’ll be a tasty, tasty treat. Yummy, yummy, yummy.” Spittle formed at the corners of his snarling mouth as the man pulled her toward him, his tongue darting out.
Peter couldn’t think straight over the roar of rage in his mind. “Get away from her!”
He leapt.
The man sneered and shoved Allie forward. She would have hit her head on the concrete if Peter hadn’t grabbed her shoulders to slow her fall. Tight wheezes escaped past pursed lips as she crumpled forward onto hands and knees. When Peter looked up again, there was no trace of the gaunt-faced man. Torn, he fought between his impulse to run after the man and kill him and the instinct to help Allie.
“Allie?” He eased her into a sitting position in the open walkway. She sagged against the rough wall.
Her choked sob tore him in two.
Peter ran his hands over her, searching for injuries. “What did he do to you? Are you hurt?”
Her skin was the color of paper ash. She recoiled until she finally focused on him. “I’m going to be sick.” Struggling to her feet, she staggered into the women’s bathroom.
Peter helped her into a stall, supporting her as she knelt and vomited, her lithe frame shaking. He brushed her long hair back and handed her a paper
Outstanding
.
He studied the field and street. On the next field over, a man stood off by himself, adjusting his jacket over thick shoulders and looking around with wide eyes. Only he wasn’t watching the game. Peter traced the direction of the man’s gaze.
Allie.
Peter’s spine went ramrod stiff.
His fists clenched.
Hell. The man in the leather jacket stared intently at her. Was this the guy outside her house? Peter grabbed the tree until bark shredded beneath his fingers as he kept the man in his sights. He wanted to race over and make the man stop … stop what? Watching a game? Watching spectators? Maybe Peter’s overprotective instincts blinded him to normal life. There was no way to prove that man did anything wrong. Peter would have to continue to observe.
After the game ended, the little girl ran over for an exuberant recap, judging by the clapping, high fives, and hugs all around. Searing acid boiled in his stomach. Family. Love. Two things he could never have.
Allie handed Ivy’s leash to the other woman and strode toward the sports complex’s bathroom near the road. Slinking behind a tree, Peter peered around. The bounce in Allie’s step radiated life and energy. The wiggle in her backside evoked more carnal feelings in him.
With effort, Peter dragged his eyes away from Allie’s trim form. Where was the man in the leather jacket? He searched again.
Right as Allie turned onto a concrete hallway between the restrooms, Peter caught a glimpse of the man dodging around the opposite side. Instincts screaming an alarm, Peter took off at his quickest human walk, trying not to draw attention but wanting to move faster.
Allie’s pain exploded inside his mind, staggering him forward two steps.
Her scream reverberated inside his head, turning his blood to ice.
No longer caring if anyone saw him, Peter covered the distance in mere seconds. As he skidded around the corner, Allie cried out, her shriek muffled by the cinderblock walls and cheering crowds nearby. His vision went red, and he heard only a howl of air in his ears.
The stocky man with the buzz cut gripped Allie’s hand in what would appear to an observer as an amiable handshake, but her pain echoed through the mental connection, staggering Peter backwards a few steps. Stark, desperate terror clear in her wide eyes, Allie pulled at her hand, but it remained trapped in the man’s grip. Her pupils constricted. Swirls of gold in her green, bulging eyes redefined horror as she gasped for air with a strangled gurgle.
The man shot Peter a nasty grin, and his thin lips curled in feral pleasure. “She’s interesting, this innocent. She’ll be a tasty, tasty treat. Yummy, yummy, yummy.” Spittle formed at the corners of his snarling mouth as the man pulled her toward him, his tongue darting out.
Peter couldn’t think straight over the roar of rage in his mind. “Get away from her!”
He leapt.
The man sneered and shoved Allie forward. She would have hit her head on the concrete if Peter hadn’t grabbed her shoulders to slow her fall. Tight wheezes escaped past pursed lips as she crumpled forward onto hands and knees. When Peter looked up again, there was no trace of the gaunt-faced man. Torn, he fought between his impulse to run after the man and kill him and the instinct to help Allie.
“Allie?” He eased her into a sitting position in the open walkway. She sagged against the rough wall.
Her choked sob tore him in two.
Peter ran his hands over her, searching for injuries. “What did he do to you? Are you hurt?”
Her skin was the color of paper ash. She recoiled until she finally focused on him. “I’m going to be sick.” Struggling to her feet, she staggered into the women’s bathroom.
Peter helped her into a stall, supporting her as she knelt and vomited, her lithe frame shaking. He brushed her long hair back and handed her a paper
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