No Strings Attached

Part 25 : No Strings Attached

The hooded man walked towards me.

Kimberley.

I raised one fist and punched him square in the face. He stood up reeling from the blow. I grabbed his neck and pushed him against the wall.

"Who the hell are you? What the f*ck have you done to my wife? What the f*ck do you think you're doing you b*stard?!"

No reply.

I was slowly getting angrier.

"What the hell have you done to my wife?"

Still no reply.

"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE? Tell me who you are or I will be forced to do something I regret."

I ripped off the hood and the balaclava.

Oh my God.....

I gasped in shock.

Ryan. Ryan Drake.

I screamed, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY WIFE?!"

He laughed, "Ah. How the tables are turned Riccardo."

"You have no right to even –"

"I wanted her, I wanted her bad...." he said, "But you-" he pointed, "You ruined everything. You took her away from me. She was mine. Until you took her away from me with your fancy cars and fancy houses. You think you can impress her with your helicopters and mansions all over America? Please."

I choked him again, "She wanted me. Yes, me, not you Ryan, ME. It's hardly my fault. You were seeing her for 2 weeks at the most. You've... you've... what have you done to her? It's not my fault she found love with another man."

"That's where you're so wrong. She got what she deserved. You don't trade Ryan Drake in for a better model and get away with it. Not where I'm concerned...."

I pressed him close against the wall, my spit spraying his face, "Let's just make one thing perfectly... clear between the two of us. You come near me, my wife or my child again and so help me, I will kill you, I swear, I will kill you."

He raised one eyebrow, "What the hell are you talking about 'your child'?"

I let go of him and he fell to the ground, "She's pregnant. She's having my child. MY child. Look what you've done to her! I'll have you for this. I have contacts, contacts you couldn't even imagine. I would sleep with one eye open, if I were you.... no one threatens my wife and my child and gets away with it. NO ONE."

He stared at me for a few moments dumbfounded.

"I'm giving you one f*cking second head start to get the f*ck out of Dodge before I do something I regret. I'll have the police on your trail Drake and you can run now, but I'll have you for this, I swear it." I scoffed.

He turned, running down the alleyway, out on to the street and into the darkness.

I looked at Kimberley and my heart gave a sharp pull. Bending down, I swept her hair off her face. Blood was trickling down the side of her face, dripping to form a small pool on the ground. Her dress was ripped and in that moment I knew. I knew he'd r*ped her. I was disgusted. Not at her. At him. How dare he violate my wife, my precious, delicate, beautiful Kimberley?

My heart stopped seeing her lifeless on the ground. Was she dead?

My stomach lurched and I dry heaved to the side of her.

I glanced down at her tear-stained face and knew she was crying out for me... when he attacked her. I wasn't there... I wasn't there to help her... protect her. And that nearly killed me.

"Kimberley..." I cried, "Kimberley, speak to me, God, please Kimberley speak to me."

No reply.

I looked at her for a few moments. She looked so beautiful. Like a china doll. Perfect.

I tugged off my coat and tucked it around her body, she was so cold. Kimberley...

I held her close to me, rocking her back and forth in my arms. I could feel her steady heartbeat against my chest...

Rolling up my sleeves, I reached into my pocket and grabbed my cell, frantically. I couldn't even begin to describe the dread that coursed through my veins.

"911 Emergency. How can I help you?"

The voice reminded me of the lift attendant we heard on the day I met Kimberley.

My Kimberley. My wife. My best friend. My world.

"It's my wife," I whispered, "She's been attacked."

"Okay, sir. We're tracing your call now and will dispatch an ambulance as soon as we can."

"No." I insisted, "You'll attend to my request right now."

"Sir, it's a busy night tonight, we'll get an ambulance dispatched when it's possible. If you're impatient, you could see if you could get a ride?"

"Goddammit!" I screamed down the phone, "My wife has been attacked for God sake, I'm desperate here, please, she's not responding! Her pulse is weak - please, please get someone out here! I need her to be okay. Please."

She sighed down the phone and the silence seemed to stretch on for a lifetime.

"Yes, sir," she replied, "Our paramedics are being sent out as I speak. Please stay on the line."

"Good." I replied, grinding my teeth, "I'm glad we've got some ground rules sorted out."

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Author's Note:

Do you remember Ryan Drake from the Annual Attorney's Ball from earlier on in the book? The chapter where Rick and Kimberley shared their first kiss!? Did you see his return coming?

What's next for Kimberley? What do you think is going to happen?

B. xx

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