Pierce

Chapter Nineteen

"I'm on my way. Do not leave the store," he instructed.

The man had followed her to the front of the store and was pretending to flip through a magazine rack with his dark, hateful eyes glued to her. He raised his phone slightly and she saw the flash of his camera aimed right at her.

Did he just take a picture of me?

The man's gaze left her only once as he shifted his sights toward a man who had just entered the store on the other side of her. They gave each other some kind of nonverbal hand signal which meant they were together. At that point, both men slowly started moving toward her, closing in on her from both sides.

No, no, no.

"He just took a picture of me and now I think there might be two of them." she said in a low shaky voice.

"Make a scene. Draw attention to yourself." Pierce's voice was even and commanding as he spoke and she was ready to do anything he asked of her.

"Did you just take a picture of me!" she screamed at the top of her lungs as she charged toward the man.

"You. Yeah you! Why are you taking pictures of me? This guy is taking pictures of me!" she hysterically screamed to anyone who would listen. All heads turned in her direction which is exactly what she wanted.

Both men started to slink down, trying to become invisible and avoid the attention that was now completely on them.

"Atta girl." she heard Pierce's praise through the phone as she carried on.

One of the scarier looking men was furious. He glared at Natalie and walked toward her, taking quick heavy footed steps.

"One of them is walking toward me, he's walking toward me fast." she said desperately into the phone knowing she was no physical match for his monstrous man.

"Say my name out loud, loud enough for him to hear and tell me every detail about him." Pierce ordered.

"Pierce! He's got short buzzed cut hair and a spider tattoo on his neck, he's got a scar across the left side of his forehead that goes down into his eyebrow and another on the bottom of his chin." she started spewing details about his appearance faster than she could register them in her brain.

The man froze as he realized who she was talking to and what she was telling him. He obviously knew exactly who Pierce was and the fear that flashed in his eyes briefly was noticeable and satisfying to watch. The man walked straight past her and toward the door, signaling his accomplice to join him as they moved to the exit. Before they were completely out of sight one of the men craned his neck toward her and pursed his lips as if he were blowing her a kiss which made her want to vomit.

"I think they're gone." she said blowing out a shaky breath of relief after watching them disappear through the doors.

"Do not leave the store. We are two minutes out."

Pierce and Caleb were a force to be reckoned with as they barged into the store with their heads on a swivel.

Pierce's eyes immediately searched for Natalie and softened a fraction once they finally landed on her. While Pierce's focus was solely on her, Caleb's eyes were ever-moving, cataloging every person in the store and taking in his surroundings.

Without speaking, Pierce wrapped her up in a tight hug, pressing his lips against the top of her forehead forcefully and leaving them there. It was less of a hug and kiss and more of a need to engulf her body completely in his, which was comforting to both of them.

He tilted her face up to look at him with an emotion that was difficult to read. He wasn't angry at her, but he was angry. His anger was evident in his inwardly drawn brows and tight jaw, but his eyes were full of concern and worry.