A Cross to Bear Read Online Free Page A

mess. She was pretty sure Derek had pulled some of it out during the assault. She was in desperate need of a hot shower, but she didn’t dare put herself in such a defenseless position.
    In the kitchen, the empty wine bottle on the counter distracted her from thoughts of soap and warm water. She went down to the cellar quickly and grabbed the first bottle of wine she saw before running back up again and checking the windows.
    In the kitchen, she popped the cork and poured herself a tall glass of Spanish wine. The vodka was in the cupboard. Two shots helped calm her nerves. She glanced at the clock. Still not even noon. When was Maggy supposed to get home?
    Then she remembered the police.
    She should have already called them. Why hadn’t she? Her phone was in her pocket, along with her mother’s pendant. They were the only possessions she had. Aside from a soiled sweat suit and her car. But she just couldn’t go through all that right now: the bright lights, the forms, getting checked at the hospital, and answering questions for hours. Then the court hearings and tension . . . having to see him again and being forced to talk to a bunch of strangers about being violated . . . in detail.
    When her glass was empty, she poured another one.
    It was going to be a long day.
    Her laptop was at the apartment, but Maggy’s sat in the living room by the big bay window, where Gabby would be able to watch the street. She sat her glass on the desk and logged into Gabby Gabby, hoping to pass the time until her sister got home.

Chapter 6
    There was a knock at the door that made Gabby jump. She clicked out of her blog like she was doing something wrong and whirled around in the swivel chair with her gun held by two hands.
    The knocking came again.
    She ducked down and peered out the window—a red Jaguar she didn’t recognize was parked in the driveway. It was dark outside, and the light above the door cast a long shadow on the steps.
    “Hey, Gabby, it’s me. Uh, the guy from yesterday. Name’s Victor. Maggy sent me. Said you might be stopping by and might have some crazy dick after you.”
    Maggy was a lifesaver.
    Gabby ran to the door and threw it open, ushering him in quickly. She glanced up and down the street and closed the door.
    He threw up his arms when she turned toward him. “Hey! You mind pointing that thing somewhere else?”
    “Oh. Sorry,” she said, putting the gun away. “I’m just a little tense.”
    “I’ll say. You look like you could use someone to talk to.” Victor walked into the kitchen like he owned the place. He noticed the open wine bottle and gave her a mischievous smirk. “You’ve got the right idea already.”
    “Look, have you talked to Maggy? I can’t get her on her cell.”
    He shook his head and pulled the cork from the bottle—she couldn’t help but notice how his biceps bulged with the quick effort.
    “She won’t answer it until her little date is through. Says it kills the mood.”
    “You don’t mind that she’s . . .”
    “What? Screwing some dude for money? Babe, if I could make money with my cock, I sure as hell would be.” He poured himself a glass of the good stuff and topped her off.
    She didn’t doubt that he could make money with his . . . goods, but she wasn’t about to tell him that.
    “So what happened?”
    “Huh?” She snapped herself out of her ponderings.
    His smile was award winning.
    “Maggy said you might be in some sort of trouble.”
    “I don’t want to talk about it.” She moved to the window and glanced out nervously.
    “You can chill. Nobody’s going to get through Sven.”
    She turned to him, puzzled. “Sven?”
    He stood beside her at the window and pulled back the curtains all the way. Gabby craned her neck to see the front of the house. There was a big-muscled guy in black pants and a white tank top standing on the walkway. Gabby turned to Victor slowly.
    “Who the hell are you?”
    He laughed and sauntered back to the kitchen to