Her Guardians: Her Guardians Trilogy Book 1 (20 page)

“So,” he said
, breaking our stare. “What will the lovely Twinkles have for lunch?”

“A ham sandwich
, if they’ve got one.”

“Coming right up.”
He rose to join the queue, leaving me flustered. It really didn’t take much.

Chapter 11

A couple of fretful, sleepless nights later, knowing Stephen was mere feet away from my bed every night, I was back at work. Things had been awkward as every time I saw Daniel, I made a run for it. I was starting to think that if he wasn’t suspicious before, he certainly was now.

Mark Richards still hadn’t been
charged with anything and I was starting to lose patience with that. Witnesses were getting scared and kept changing their stories. It was almost as though he was getting to them somehow, but I suppose that’s what it was like when everyone lived so close to one another.

I was a little intrigued to know more about Mark Richards.
I only saw what was shown in my head, but not the full picture. By early afternoon, I decided I needed to know more, and the only way I could find out what I needed would be to go over to the archives room. This was where they stored all records of crime reports that have been made over the last ten years. I was sure there must be a lot on Mark Richards in there.

I make
my way there and, sure enough, it was full of files and very little else. There seemed to be some sort of organised chaos going on.

I stoo
d there going through the years, then the names. I find the letter “R” and proceeded to go through the pile. I was so lost in what I was doing that I didn’t even notice someone else walk in.

“What are you doing in here?”

I jumped. I knew I shouldn’t be in here. I was just curious. The only problem was, everyone knew what curiosity did.

I
had already made up a good excuse for coming here. Nadia in Crime Division had a broken leg. I was just looking for some case files for her. Not the truth, but I thought it would get me off the hook.

I felt calm about my answer
…until I turned and saw who was standing there. Daniel.

I immediately froze and he sensed my unease.
I had been trying to avoid him these last couple of days and I could sense that he knew there was something wrong.

“I’m just getting something for Nadia.
She has a broken leg, you see, and—.”

“Why have you been trying to avoid me?”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard
me.” His face was menacing as he took a step closer.

I tr
ied stepping back, but there was nowhere I could go. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Do you fancy me or something, Cassie?
You know I’m married, don’t you?”

“No, no, of cours
e not.” I was shaking my head violently.

He edged
closer. “You seem frightened of me. I got attacked on Friday night. Did you know about that?”

“I did hear,
yes. I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Are you?”

“Of course. Daniel, what’s the matter?” I was trying to steer the attention back to him. I was getting more and more flustered and intimidated by the second.

“I don’t know.
I’m a police officer, and you know as well as I do that we’re naturally suspicious. It all just seems a bit weird to me. You seemed to freak out on Friday night, then I get attacked and, since then, you have been acting strange around me. Tell me I’m delusional, but I don’t think I am. What gives?”

I could feel my breathing
keeping time with my rapid heartbeat. I knew I was giving myself away, but I just couldn’t help it. I knew of what he was capable. I could see the monster behind those steely blue eyes.

“It’
s nothing, Daniel. I just haven’t been feeling too well. You can ask Kali. She will tell you the same. I wasn’t feeling well all weekend.”

I tried
calming myself, but the more I tried, the more it got worse. I could see him studying me, watching my every move.

He stepped
even closer until we were inches apart. I didn’t know why he was here or what he wanted. I wondered what he could possibly do to me. He would be mad to try anything here—in a police station, of all places. I tried to remember that so I didn’t look too frightened. On the other hand, I didn’t know why he felt the need to follow me in here and get so up close and personal.

“A
re you okay now?” He raised his hand to my cheek and stroked my flushed skin.

I hiss
ed a little, trying to get as far away from him as possible. “Yes, thank you.”

He studied me for a moment, tilting his head to the side.
The look almost made me shudder. “Why do I think you’re lying to me, Cassie?”

“Why aren
’t you in uniform?” I needed to change the subject.

He
smiled. “I’m not working today.”

“Then
why are you here?”

“I wanted to see you.
Lisa left me, you know. Last night, she took her things and went. I’m a free man now.”

His finger began
to wander a bit more, hovering around my chest area. It was very close to my breast without actually touching it. I knew he was doing this on purpose. He wanted to frighten me. He liked that. It made him excited to think he had this enormous power over a woman.

“Daniel, I don’t think of you that way.
Besides, you’re still married to Lisa. Maybe you will be able to patch things up?” I secretly hoped not. I had a feeling I knew why Lisa had left him and I was glad she took that plunge. No woman should ever have to endure that kind of abuse.

“I don’t think so, Cassie.
I like you anyway. Always have. I thought maybe you never went out with anyone else because you secretly liked me. It turned me on to think so.”

Finally
, he decided to go for the kill. His finger moved towards my breast. Instinctively, I grabbed hold of his hand and held onto it tightly.

“Ca
ssie, don’t fight me.” He smiled. “You know you want this. All women want it. You’re no different than the rest of them. Maybe you like to pretend you don’t want it, is that it? I can pretend, too, if you’d like? It would make the whole experience more pleasurable.”

“Daniel, why are you doing this?
We’re in a police station.”

“I have nothing to lose anymore, Cassie.”

“What does that mean?”

I thought I could give
myself more time, but he was way too turned on for that now.

He grabbed both my wrists and held
on tight. I cried out from the pain, but that seemed to spur him on even more. He started kissing and biting the side of my neck. I began crying and screaming for him to get off me, but I knew he wouldn’t let me go.

“I’ve got to have you, Cassie.
Just one time. I need this. I’ll go away a happier man.”

“What are you talking about?
Please, get off me. It’s not too late. I won’t say anything, but you have to stop—now!”

“I’m not stopping for anyone.
I’ve wanted this for far too long.”

I
didn’t know where they came from but, the next minute, he had the handcuffs out. I tried to struggle, but he was way too strong. He cuffed me, and once he knew I was at his mercy, he pulled my skirt up and ripped my knickers from my body.

“Please, Daniel.
You can’t do this. Please. I’m a virgin.”

That seemed to stop him momentar
ily. I hoped that he had some mercy for me. I didn’t know why I told him this, but I hoped beyond hope it would make him stop.

Instead
, he smiled and whispered in my ear, “So I will be your first. I promise to make it memorable for you.”

I scream
ed as loud as I could, but Daniel hit me and placed his hand over my mouth. With his other hand, he unbuckled his belt and unzipped his trousers.

The tears began
rolling down my face. I thought my world was about to end. I tried making my mind go blank. That’s what I thought would be best. I was hoping that if I did that, I wouldn’t be able to feel what he was about to do. I wanted my mind to leave my body. It was no use, though. I could feel every tweak of his fingers, every force of his hands on me. He was exploring my body, but I could also tell he was in a hurry to get to me.

I tr
ied in vain to fight back, but this just had him gripping even harder. I cried out, but his hand was practically covering my nose as well as my mouth. I couldn’t breathe. I was trying in vain to gasp for air. My lungs were crying out in agony, and it didn’t help that my nose was now blocked from all the crying.

Placing his arm around me, Daniel
tried to raise me from the floor, but my legs were rooted. I even attempted to cross my legs so that he couldn’t get to me. I had to do something to avoid what I knew was inevitable.

“Cassie, don’t fucking play with me.
I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if I have to.”

With one quick
shove, he forced my head back into the wall with such force, I saw stars. This was just enough time for him to carry on with his assault.

Pushing me up against the wall
, I knew at any second that he would enter me. With the tears flowing, the only thought in my head was that I wished I had given into Stephen. At least then I could have known what it felt like to lose my virginity to someone I loved. Someone who would have been gentle and kind. Someone who would have given anything to see me happy.

More and more tears came.
My heart was beating loudly, and my lungs were still crying out for air. I was starting to wish I would pass out so that I didn’t have to live through what I knew was coming.

As he positioned me just within his reach
, I could feel him about to enter when the door slammed open.

“D
aniel, get the fuck off her…now!”

Dan
iel complied immediately and I collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath.

“She wanted it,” he protested
. “This is how she wanted it.”

In an instant
, I had a set of arms around me. Dazed, I looked up and saw it was Callum.

Straight away
, he pulled my skirt down and timidly smiled at me. He was trying his best to be as gentle as possible and to hide my modesty. I instantly felt safe again. I could have broken down then and there, but there was a ruckus going on. Stephen was laying into Daniel and, at first, the others were letting him—until they realised they could only let him go so far before they were all in the shit for letting Stephen kill him.

“That’s enough, Stephen.
” Paul grasped him by the shoulder. “Let’s get this scumbag in a cell.”

They le
t Daniel pull his trousers up before he was led by two other police officers out of the archives room.

It was then that I sob
bed. I leaned into Callum’s chest and cried. I felt my hands being freed from the handcuffs and another set of arms around me. Stephen.

“I tried to fight him.
I tried to get him to stop.”

“It’s ok
ay, Cassie. He can’t harm you anymore.”

“Why did he do it, Stephen?
Why would he be that crazy?”

“H
e’s a wanted man.” Paul looked towards me. “His wife reported him to the police this morning. She’s pressing charges of rape and grievous bodily harm. Apparently, he beat her quite badly. Maybe he thought he had nothing else to lose.”

“How did you know I was here?”

“We were looking for Daniel. A couple of people said they noticed him in the station today. Then someone said they had seen you and then, shortly after, Daniel entering the archives room. They made quite a snarky comment about it until they saw how serious we were. We didn’t waste any time, though. We were over here as quick as a flash.”

“Thank
god you came when you did.”

Pulling me away for a moment, Stephen
checked me for any signs of injury. My face felt like it was on fire from the slap, and my head immediately began throbbing. Stephen put his hands at the back of my head and I instantly winced.

“Call an ambulance!”
he shouted to Paul.

Pau
l didn’t hesitate. He clicked on his radio and asked for an ambulance to be called to the station.