Page 65 of Devoured By Peace

Lachlan panted heavily. “Did he touch you?”

I nodded.

He started hitting and kicking Mike again. Mike held his gut, whimpering.

“Stop it! Just call the cops.”

Lachlan picked up Mike as though he were a child, pushed him against a wall to hold him still, and wiped his forehead.

I bent down and gathered the things that had spilled from my bag. “I’m leaving.”

He turned to me. “Don’t go. I’ll call the police. I would have killed the fucker if you hadn’t stopped me.” Lachlan’s eyes darkened with alarming intensity.

I didn’t recognize him, the way he was acting. All of a sudden, I wanted to be alone, to wash the anxiety and the rapist’s stench from my skin.

Lachlan pulled out his cell. “Here, I’m calling them now.” He placed his weight against Mike’s writhing body and dialed.