Janelle Denison - Too Wilde to Tame

"If you're looking for Gina, she's still at work," she said with as much calm and directness as she could manage. "She doesn't get off until seven tonight."

"I'm not here to see Gina. I'm here to see you." He stepped closer, invading her personal space and leaving her no where to retreat. "It seems you've been putting ideas in her head that I don't appreciate."

A chill slithered down her spine, and she recognized the sensation as fear. Refusing to let any kind of weakness show or allow him to intimidate her in any way, she boldly met his gaze. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

The corners of his mouth curved into a smile that was more sinister than pleasant "She's got it in her head that she needs to leave me, and I'm thinking you put those thoughts there."

Finally, Gina was standing up for herself! Mia felt a rush of relief that Gina was at least trying to get away from Ray. Judging by her boyfriend's ominous expression, though, he wasn't happy about her attempts, and he wasn't about to make it easy on Gina, either.

"Gina's a big girl who can make up her own mind about you and your relationship," she said with a shrug. "And if she wants to break up with you, there's probably a reason for it."

His gaze narrowed on her, and her heart raced in her chest as he clenched his fists at his sides. "Well, I suggest you stay out of it, unless a slut like you would rather take her place. You're putting out for that guy you picked up at The Electric Blue, and I certainly don't mind sharing."

Slut . The familiar word reverberated in her head, a slur that had been scrawled across those pictures someone had sent her. Her mind spun, and she had struggled to keep her thoughts focused on her response to Ray.

"I'm sure Gina would mind sharing." You deranged freak .

His eyes slid down to the V of her blouse and then back up again, his gaze heating with a depraved kind of lust. "Gina wouldn't have to know."

Her stomach churned. "You're sick," she spat, though she was trembling deep inside.

Finished with the conversation, she tried to move around him but instead found herself trapped between the door and Ray. He braced his hands next to her shoulders, and though he wasn't physically touching her in any way, her skin still crawled. She mentally prepared herself to fight back if that's what it came down to-ready to drive her knee as hard as she could against his balls and slam the heel of her palm against the base of his nose.

"I suggest you back off right now," she said, hating the slight quiver in her voice. "Or I'm calling the police."

"And tell them what?" he sneered, looking ugly and mean. "Nobody has seen me here, I didn't touch you, and as far as I'm concerned, I was never here."

Her heart beat so frantically she feared it would burst from her chest. " Back off ," she said angrily, her final warning before she hit him where it hurt the most and crippled him.

As if sensing she meant business, he shoved away from her and then pointed a finger at her. "Keep your nose out of Gina's business," he said and turned and walked away.

Quickly, Mia scooped up her keys, but her fingers were trembling so badly it took her a few tries to get the door unlocked. Once she managed the feat, she bolted into the apartment, secured herself inside, and slumped against the nearest wall.

She forced herself to breathe deeply, to try and calm the racing of her heart and the adrenaline that was making her entire body shake. As soon as she could walk steadily, she went to the phone in the living room and immediately called Cameron's cell number.

As soon as he answered the phone, she didn't waste any time in telling him what had happened. "Ray was just here," she said, her voice raw and raspy.

"With Gina?" he asked, and she heard the confusion in his tone.

She lowered herself to the sofa and swallowed to ease the dryness in her throat. "No. He was alone, and he caught me right outside the apartment by myself. He confronted me about telling Gina to leave him and threatened me to stay out of it." She left the more crude parts of their conversation to herself.

"I'm going to fucking kill the bastard," Cameron growled into the phone, his fury nearly tangible.

As much as she'd enjoy seeing Cameron beat the crap out of Ray, she knew they had to be more level-headed about the situation. "Look, I'm okay physically," she reassured him. "He never touched me, and he didn't hurt me in any way. And if you go after him, chances are he'll take it out on Gina, and I just don't want to take that chance, okay?"

Cameron was breathing hard into the phone, a testament to just how pissed off he was.

"Promise me you won't do anything," she said, practically begging him. Not only for Gina's sake, but for his own welfare, too. "You don't know what Ray is capable of doing, and until you find out more about him, or something you can use against him, we can't risk setting him off."

"Fine," he said tightly, though she knew he wasn't happy about the decision.

She dragged her fingers through her hair, feeling weary and sapped of energy. But there was something she knew she had to do tonight, no matter how unpleasant the task. "I'm going to tell Gina what happened with Ray when she gets home from work."

"Good. She needs to know just what kind of unstable psychopath she's dealing with," he bit out angrily. "Do you want me to be there when you talk to her? I'll leave this surveillance I'm on right now if you want me there."

"No, it's okay." She appreciated the offer, but there was no sense in overwhelming Gina with Cameron's presence. "I can handle it on my own. I'm guessing by what Ray said to me that Gina wants out of the relationship, so hopefully what I have to tell her will prompt her to end it for good."

"We can hope." He exhaled a long, harsh breath, as if that helped to release his pent-up tension and frustration. "Call me if you need anything at all."

"I will." Feeling so much calmer now, she smiled into the phone. "Thanks. I'll talk to you later."

Mia disconnected the phone and then went into her bedroom to change out of her work outfit and into a pair of comfortable drawstring pants and a cotton top. She didn't expect Gina home from her job as a clothing store manager for at least a half an hour, and during that time she welcomed the distraction of working on her latest stained-glass design. Finally, just a few minutes before seven, she heard the front door open and close, and she made her way out to the front of the apartment.

She found Gina in the kitchen, where she was grabbing a small bottle of iced tea from the refrigerator. "Hey, Gina," Mia said in greeting. "Do you have a few minutes to talk?"

Her friend's expression immediately turned wary, but much to Mia's surprise, Gina didn't try to evade the conversation like she would have in the recent past. "Sure. What's up?"

Mia didn't beat around the bush and got right to the point. "Ray came by to see me today."

"You?" Gina's eyes widened in startled surprise. "Why?"

Leaning casually against the counter, Mia crossed her arms over her chest. "Because he said you want to leave him, and he's certain I'm the one who's encouraging it."

"Oh, God, Mia. I'm so sorry." Gina's voice was choked with remorse. "I never meant to drag you into all this."

"First of all, you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for," Mia said, reassuring her friend. "There is nothing I want more than to see you out of your relationship with Ray, and I've never made a secret of that fact."

Gina hung her head as she set her iced tea aside. "I know," she said quietly.

"So is it true what Ray said?" Mia persisted gently, needing answers. "That you want to end things?"

"Yes," Gina nodded and met her gaze. "I finally realized I can't keep going on like this."