Three's A Crowd. (Now Published On Amazon)

Chapter Twenty-two.

Skye

I paused on the doorstep of the apartment to send a quick text to Cole, Taylor Swift's Blank Space putting me in a chipper mood.

Baby, please pick up some coffee on your way back. I forgot. -Skye.

Sighing, I fumbled for the key and stuck it in the keyhole, humming kind of breathlessly because I had just gotten back after my morning run. Cole and I had gone together but he always took a longer route and I just could not keep up. The guy had a runner's body; he was built for this kind of stuff. Me? Not so much.

A hand curled around my arm just as I opened the door and I turned around to frown at whoever was manhandling me but I could only let out a gasp as a bulky man sneered at me, growled something in Italian and then pushed me through the door. We both stumbled as we entered and my survival instincts kicked in causing me to scream and curse at him to get out while kicking out at him simultaneously.

He grabbed my slim body and pinned it on the floor beneath his, speaking in fluent Italian.

"Been waiting a long time for this," he rasped in my ear as he locked me into place with his knees and used one hand to tug my hoodie up over my stomach.

I screamed again, loudly, and struggled, realising this scary looking stranger was about to rape me in my own home.

"No, please! Get off me! No!"

He was stronger than me. So strong and merciless. I tried to scratch him but he pinned my wrists as well and I could not lift my knee to aim at his crotch.

Fear clutched at me and I sobbed at my helplessness when his hand groped at my breasts.

"So lovely." He grinned at me, the look in his dark eyes evil and greedy as he licked his lips.

Then he let out a cry when something hit him on the head, jolting him. I raised my eyes to find Jasper standing above us, clutching a wooden stool while hitting the man again and causing him to loosen his hold on me.

I scrambled free, pushing the intruder away with all my strength and looked for something to help Jasper with. The man was huge, taller than Jasper even and he blocked the next blow from Jasper clumsily before removing a knife from inside his coat.

I cried out a warning to Jasper but it was too late because my attacker had already lashed out and sliced a cut in Jasper's arm.

"Jasper!" I yelled as he winced with the pain and then barked at me to call the police while he continued to batter the stool at the man.

Crying in fear, I tried to do as he asked even though my hands shook and I could hardly remove my eyes off him.

The man lunged again but Jasper ducked this time and let out a kick, catching him in the knee.

"The police are on their way!" I suddenly screamed at the stranger just to give him a scare, hoping he had not noticed that I had not actually called anybody. I could not concentrate on anything but Jasper's bleeding arm in that horrendous moment.

The man had stumbled and dropped his knife when Jasper hit him and Jasper kicked the weapon away before launching himself at his weakened opponent and throwing multiple punches at him.

"Jasper, no!" I cried out, fearing for his life because he was fighting with an injured arm whereas the man was still stronger and more dangerous. "Stop! Please!"

Picking up the abandoned stool, I decided to hit the man's head hard enough to render him unconscious since he could not see me from his position.

I just hoped I wouldn't miss.