Shattered Girl (Emmy)

Chapter 174 As the new year approached, I noticed the guys had many hushed conversations, huddled together, then quickly breaking apart, givingthe most innocent looks and assuringnothing was happening. I didn't believe them for a minute but decided to let them keep their secret. I'm sure I would find out soon enough anyway. Something was even more apparent when Patrick appeared in the library next to the overstuffed chair I had turned into mine, where I had gone to curl up with one of my new books after breakfast. I gave him a questioning look over the top of my book, thinking he had left to go into the city since it was a Monday.

"Love, would you like to go have lunch with me?" "Sure, do you still have to go into the city today?" "No, plans changed; that's why I thought you might enjoy a date with me." "Okay, just givefifteen minutes to change, and then we can go," I told him, setting my book aside and following him out of the room.

Fifteen minutes later, Patrick held my hand, leadingout to the car and opening the pasanger door. I smiled at him as he gavea quick kiss before shutting my door, going to the driver's side, and climbing in.

When we pulled into the parking lot of a sporting goods store, I gave him a curious look.

"I just need to run in and pick up something really quick. Do you mind waiting in the car? It will just take a minute." "Umm, sure, I don't mind; what are you picking up?" I asked, trying not to giggle at the look of panic on his face. "Oh, just sgolf balls that had been on backorder." "Since when do you golf?" Okay, maybe I should stop giving him a hard time, but watching him panic and try to cup with plausible reasons for this stop was fun. I was looking forward to whatever they had been planning and had no idea what a sporting goods store had to do with it.

I took pity on him and promised to wait in the car with the doors locked until he returned. With a relieved sigh and a quick kiss, he hurried into the store, and not even five minutes later, he cback out with two large bags. After he had stored everything in the trunk and climbed behind the wheel, I couldn't help it.

"Wow, two bags of golf balls," I said, grinning. Patrick completely ignored my comment.

"There's a little diner in town that's good. Are you okay with that for lunch?" "Sounds good to me," I said.

A few minutes later, he pulled into a parking spot in front of the diner and, taking my hand, ledinside. Entering the diner was like being transported back in time. A jukebox was in the corner, and a red vinal covered the stools along the long counter. Booths lined the wall, and tables were scattered in between. Waitresses in blue and white outfits hurried between the kitchen and tables, bringing out food trays. The smell of coffee and syrup hitin the face, and my stomach growled.

"Sit wherever you two," an older waitress called as she hurried by with a tray of burgers. Patrick nodded and ledthrough the tables, where he found an empty booth in the corner; we had just slid into our seats when a waitress around our age cover, handing us two menus and staring at Patrick like he was her next meal and she was starving. I smirked when he completely ignored her as he opened his menu.

"I will have the bacon cheeseburger, fries, and a coke," He said, closing his menu and handing it to her. The waitress huffed and began to turn away without taking my order, and when Patrick stopped her, she turned around all smiles again, making sure her ample breasts were right in front of him as she leaned toward him. "You didn't get my girlfriend's order," He said, ignoring her attempts to shove her breasts in his face. Huffing a put-upon sigh, she glanced at me.

"What do you want?" She asked in a bitchy voice.

"Cheeseburger, fries, and a chocolate shake," I told her, linking my hand with Patrick when he reached for me. After givinga dirty look, like was my fault, Patrick completely ignored her attempts at flirting, and she flounced off to the kitchen. "Bitch," I grumbled as Patrick squeezed my hand.

"My eyes are only for you, love," he said, and I couldn't help but smile.

Considering how busy they were, our food cout quickly, and I said a silent prayer that she hadn't spit in my food. The burger was amazing, and we both dug in.

"I'm going to run to the bathroom quickly before we leave," I told Patrick, kissing him and heading toward the back of the diner.

The hallway leading to the bathrooms was narrow and dim. I had to squeeze past a man standing near the men's room. Thankfully, no one was waiting for the women's bathroom, so I slipped inside. I had just finished washing my hands and reached for the door when it flew open and hitin the face. I cried out at the flash of pain as the room spun. The sman who had been standing in the hallway stepped inside. I was so dizzy from the door hittingthat I couldn't recognize his features. He had a ball cap pulled down low on his head and a hoodie on with the hood up, so I couldn't tell his hair color.

"You stupid bitch, I'm going to enjoy making you pay for what you did." He growled as he draggedfrom the bathroom. I knew I did not want this guy to getoutside and was е pretty sure I had a concussion, but in a last-ditch effort to stop him, I grabbed onto the doorframe. The stranger stopped and, swinging around, hitin the face hard enough to split my lip; I screamed at the pain, but it was just loud enough in the diner that no one noticed as the man draggedout the side door into the alley behind the diner. I tried as hard as I could to get away, screaming Patrick's name, but it did no good; no one noticed, and I got another hit to the face for my efforts. The world began to turn fuzzy as I was shoved into the back of a car. I heard the door slam, and I could feel the car moving.

"You're going to pay for all the trouble you have caused." The stranger growled from the driver's seat.

"I don't understand. Who are you? What do you want?" I tried to sit up but was so dizzy that everything hurt.

"My boss paid good money for you, and he's looking forward to his property being returned to him. But since I had to go to all this trouble to find you again, I decided to break you in before I bring you to him. He is unhappy with you killing off one of his best suppliers, and I can't wait to see how he makes you pay for it."

As he continued to describe all the horrible things he was planning on doing to me, I tried to get as far away from him as I could get, desperately trying the door handle. Pneeded to escape this guy, even if it meant jumping out of a moving car. Suddenly, I was thrown to the floor as a loud, crunching sound echoed around me. I felt like I was on a wild carnival ride as I was spun around. The sound of shattering glass was the last thing I heard as I blacked out.