Barefoot in the Rain - Roxanne St. Claire Page 0,3
her zipper. “Tell me you love me.”
“I will.” When he was inside her. When they were one. Then she would tell him. “Just don’t stop.”
“Not a chance.” He slipped his hand into her panties and she almost screamed when his finger touched her. “I love you so much, Jossie.” Inside. “I love you.” Deeper. “I love you. You have no idea how much… oh, damn, you feel good.”
Heat coursed through her as she rolled into his palm, lost in his words, his hands, his beautiful, beautiful—
“You goddamn fucking bastard!”
The whole room vibrated with the shout as Jocelyn screamed and Will leaped off her, both turning to meet the blazing gray eyes of Guy Bloom.
“Get off her!” Guy’s barrel chest heaved with fury, stretching his sheriff’s uniform as he marched closer, already lifting his arm to a position she knew all too well.
“No, Dad, no!” Jocelyn screamed, jumping up, grabbing at her bra to pull it down.
But it was too late. Her father glowered at her, his face red, spittle at the corners of his mouth. “I’m going to fucking kill you.”
“No!” She got the cups over her breasts just as Will stepped in front of her, arms outstretched.
“Deputy Bloom, please, I’m really sorry—”
Guy shoved him to the side to get to Jocelyn. “You whore! You cheap, trashy whore!”
“No, Dad, I’m not—” The crack of his palm snapped her head back.
“Stop it!” Will pushed him, hard enough to make the older man stumble.
He dropped his head, nostrils flaring like a bull as he stared at Will. “You touching an officer of the law, young man?”
“Don’t hit her.”
Guy wiped some sweat from his upper lip, his attention fully on Will now as they stared each other down. Will’s fists pumped, his jaw clenched.
Oh, God. Oh, God. “Don’t, Will, please.”
He never even looked at her. “Don’t you touch her.” Will’s voice was little more than a growl.
“You want to take me, boy?”
Will just stared.
Guy took a step closer, highlighting the fact that he was a good four inches shorter and thirty years older than his enemy. Will could kill him.
“Please, Will.” She started to stand and Guy shoved her back on the bed.
It was all Will needed. He lunged at Guy, who ducked fast and whipped out his pistol.
Jocelyn screamed. “No, no!”
Thick fingers curled around the trigger of a gun she’d seen a million times on the counter. A gun even he never had the nerve to pull out when he lost his temper.
Will froze.
“There will be no skin off my back if I shoot the boy who attacked my daughter.”
“He didn’t—”
“Shut up, you little whore!” The words echoed through the loft, so wrong in this place of safety, like a curse screamed in a church.
“Or better yet, why don’t I just put an end to that superstar baseball career of yours? One phone call.” He snorted as if he liked the idea. “One phone call from the sheriff’s office to the University of Miami and you can hang up your cleats, you little prick.” Guy broke into an evil, ugly smile. “Rapists don’t get scholarships. Rapists don’t get drafted to the big leagues. Rapists go to jail.”
Will still didn’t move. Not even his eyes. Only his chest rose and fell with slow, pained breaths as he surely realized who had the real power in this room.
That was something Jocelyn had known since the first time her dad had what she and her mother called “an episode.” But they learned that the only thing to do, the only thing, was to stay calm until it ended. And take what he dished out.
“Get out, Joss,” her father ordered.
She looked down for her T-shirt and suddenly his big hand was on her arm.
“Never mind clothes, just get out.” He yanked her off the bed.
“Hey!” Will stepped closer, inches from the gun still aimed at her. “Don’t hurt her.”
“I could say the same thing to you, Palmer.” He gave Jocelyn a solid push, still looking at Will. “And believe me, nothing would give me more pleasure than to take you off the fucking pedestal this town has you on and see you rot in jail for raping my daughter.”
“He didn’t rape me!”
The back of Guy’s hand cracked across Jocelyn’s face, his wedding ring making contact with her tooth.
Jocelyn slammed her hand over her mouth to fight a sob.
“Stop it!” Will cried. “You’re a goddamn animal!”
Guy shoved the gun right into Will’s gut, making him double forward with a grunt, his eyes popping in horror.