Rubble (Riders of Apollo #7)

Chapter Twenty-One: Juniper Channing

I collapse onto the couch with a loud groan, work today was long and I've been sore all day after last night. I haven't been home for long, about fifteen minutes and I'm already bored. I choose some random channel on the TV and watch it in silence.

Someone knocks on the door and I hurry to open it, knowing Asa is on the other side. I tug open the door, ready to squeeze him to death only to find Doctor Carmichael on the doorstep looking extremely pissed off. My heart stops as fear sweeps across my body and seizes my muscles. He shoves me in and slams the door behind him, I take a step back for every step he takes forward as I try and keep the distance between us.

"Do you know how embarrassing it is to have to chase your own fiancée across the fucking country? After our wedding is perfectly planned, RSVPs sent out and our house decorated for us to raise our children but here you are, wasting your life." He growls out, grabbing my throat with his hand and tugging me closer to him.

He's holding me tight enough to bruise and I grip his wrist as he glares down at me. "You are mine. I paid a large amount of money to get you and now I've wasted even more hunting you down." He throws me away from him and I land on the coffee table, pain shocking across my back and making my chest tight.

I try to heave in breaths as I shuffle away from him, I'm too weak to move much and he gains on me easily. He kicks me in the stomach before yanking me off the floor and slamming me into the wall. "Please let me go." I wheeze, his hand tightening on my throat again to cut off my circulation. I start to feel dizzy and lightheaded as I claw at his hand and face but find no purchase.

God, I'm going to die here.

"You rich whores all think you're too good for me. I am a neurosurgeon, these hands save lives." And coincidentally take them by the looks of things. He eases his grip and I manage to take a small breath, every move aching in my chest. "I have money, sex appeal, and a nice care but no, it's never good enough for women like you."

He backhands me and I fight the urge to cry out. I'm not screaming for this bitch, he's not worth it. "You think you're all that but your father is a cunt," finally something we agree on, "and he reneged on our deal. Letting you flee across the country was not part of it. I also paid for your virginity but after seeing that biker leave this morning, I assume I'm no longer getting my money's worth."

"I am not an item that can be bought." I choke out, his face contorting into fury. He throws me away from him again and I catch myself on my feet before I fall into one of the kitchen chairs.

"Everything can be bought, you are mine."

"I was never yours." I hiss back, inching towards the kitchen to grab the frying pan. I've never tried it before but it works in all the movies so hopefully, it'll save me this time.

"You are mine. You will be my wife. You will not embarrass me in front of our friends, my darling." His tone changes to condescend to me, he gives me a sarcastic smile as he continues to advance on me. I lean back against the counter, my body weakening the longer we go at it. It hurts to breathe, my ribs ache, and my face is bruised.

I have a concussion, I'm sure of it, and a broken rib or two. I reach behind me to grab the frying pan, my heart picking up speed as I wrap my hand around the cool handle. Just one well-aimed hit will save me, that's all. He gets close enough to me and I swing it at him, every iota of strength I possess going into it.

It wounds him, he wobbles on his feet but remains standing. He glares at me, ready to murder me probably but the sound of a motorcycle stops him. "I'll be back to get you." He storms out the back door and I slide down the cabinet with the frying pan still in my hand. I start crying, both in shock and in pain, as I reach the floor.

The cool tile eases the pain in my back as I lean my head back against the cupboard. "Juniper!" Asa looks terrified as he spots me bleeding on the floor. "Oh God, what happened to you?"

I reach out for him to comfort me and he brings me into his embrace. "Where are your car keys?" I point towards the front door and he grabs them on the way out. I force myself to stay conscious as he drives us to the clubhouse but I find it really hard as the pain threatens to overwhelm me. My dad used to smack me around but never to this extent, it's a strange feeling but it gets worse as the adrenaline begins to wear off.

I groan in pain as he slides me into his arms and carries me inside. I hear a flurry of noise but all I see are the lights as I'm shuffled between people. Raphael is worried, his hand gripping mine intermittently, Asa's doing the same. "Hi, honey." Saviour greets, brushing my hair back from my face to see the bruising on my cheek and the bleeding in my mouth. "Do you feel tired? Dizzy?"

I nod my head but wince at the movement, my neck and head aching incredibly. "It's okay, Doc and I have got you." I squeeze whoever's hand is in mine as Saviour and Doc, who I have yet to meet, start work on my ribs and back. I only hear snippets of the conversation, broken ribs, concussion, acute bruising across the back and torso.

That is until I pass out from exhaustion and can no longer hear a thing.