Chapter 104: Running away II
"Oh, that?" Josh touched his chest mockingly, a fake expression of remorse crossing his features. "I’m sorry about that, flower, but I just couldn’t bear not knowing what you were doing. I’ve been eyeing you for so long, after all." he leered, his gaze zeroed on my chest while resisting the urge to cover my already covered chest.
As a wave of disgusted nausea hit me, and I wanted to gag the horrible churn in my stomach. "Please just leave me alone. My husband won’t like me being surrounded by a group of men."
Josh let out a loud, mocking scoff at the mention of the word. "Your husband? How much did that guy even pay you? I can easily match it. Just spread those legs for me once, Rosie, and I will forfeit everything your family owes."
Before the disgusting sentence could even leave his mouth, my hand flew out and a ringing slap collided with his cheek.
Josh stumbled back slightly, rubbing his reddening cheek before a twisted grin broke across his face. A glint flashed in his eyes. "Woah. I actually missed this," he murmured, his voice lowering into a creepy tone. "You really are the only person who could ever do that to me and get away with it."
I raised my hand, preparing to strike him a second time, but Joshe reached out and grabbed my wrist. "But there is a strict limit to my patience, Rosie."
He used his grip to yank me forcefully against his chest, and the rancid scent of his breath made me sick to my stomach.
"Let me go!" I screamed, struggling against his superior strength.
"No, Rosie. I’ve been patient enough with you."
Without thinking, I leaned forward and bit his hand as hard as I could, sinking my teeth into his flesh as Josh let out a loud yell of pain, his grip loosening just enough for me to drive my foot into his shin, and he dropped to his knees, clutching his crotch in agony.
"Chase her!" I heard him roar at his men.
I turned on my heel and bolted down the street, immediately kicking off the high heels I was wearing so I could run faster on the bare ground.
I had been running all my life. I ran the day we received the devastating phone call that my parents had died. I ran the day my older sister left Mia alone, telling me she was just going to the store to get something, only for me to find out days later that she had abandoned her one-month-old baby with me. And I ran the very first time Josh kicked my front door down, demanding I pay back the amounts of money my sister had borrowed using my name.
God, my heart was beating so loudly against my ribs, and my throat went dry from the sudden rush of panic. I couldn’t let his men catch up to me. Only God knew what would happen to me if they did or if the threats Josh had made all these years would finally come true. The first time he cornered me, he had threatened to rape me and throw me into a red room, claiming the only reason he hadn’t done it yet was because he liked me too much and wanted me to comply willingly. He used to chuckle, saying he loved it whenever I fought back against him.
As I sprinted blindly around a corner, I collided with a wall as strong arms instantly wrapped securely around my body, trapping me. Panic flared through my veins, and I began to thrash wildly, thinking one of Josh’s men had finally managed to cut me off, but a smooth, velvety, calming voice immediately cut through the terror and settled my nerves.
"Wifey."
Jude’s voice was soft, his dark eyes instantly scanning my frantic face while my heart pounded, adrenaline still coursing through my veins as I fisted my hands into the front of his shirt, clinging to him for dear life. I inhaled the deep, comforting scent of his musk cologne, my chest heaving. "I—I..." I panted, unable to form a coherent word as I looked back over my shoulder.
Jude’s hands never left my waist, holding me flush against his solid body. "What happened, my dear wifey?" he asked gently, his eyes shifting past me to look down the street.
I shook my head, unable to speak as Josh came walking closer, his face twisted in anger. "So this is where you ran off to," Josh hissed.
I clutched Jude’s arm tightly, terror seizing my throat, but Jude didn’t allow me to turn around and look at him. Instead, he brought his large hand up to firmly hold the back of my head, pressing my face protectively against his broad chest. The deep rumble of his voice vibrated through my entire body as he spoke.
"What is the meaning of this?" Jude asked, his tone dropping.
"Let the woman go," Josh demanded, stepping closer with his men behind him. "She belongs to me."
Jude let out a low, humorless laugh. "The last time I checked, she is married to me and happens to be my lawful wife."
Josh let out an angry grunt, but Jude wasn’t finished as he let out in a disdain voice. "And frankly, this is so disappointing," Jude’s voice leveled out. "Seven grown men ganging up on my wife in the middle of a street."
I didn’t know what else transpired between them after that, and honestly, I didn’t care. I just buried myself deeper into his chest, hungrily inhaling his scent as the steady rhythm of his heartbeat eased my frantic nerves and calmed me down.
I wanted to stay wrapped up in his protective embrace forever, and as if noticing how much I needed him right now, Jude didn’t pull away from me even once. The two of us just stood there securely wrapped around each other in the middle of the street.
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