Free The Haunting by Nicole Garcia

couldn't. One hand was covering her mouth while the other was ripping off her delicate undergarments.     
         A loud bang came from outside the door. Lance jumped up as another brutal thud against the door caused it to come off its hinges and Kelly saw Jace through blurred vision.    
        He stormed at Lance like a bull charging a red cape. Jace's fist made contact with his face hard enough that Kelly heard the sound of bones crush. Lance fell to the floor with Jace right on top of him. Pummeling him. Punch after punch Lance begged him to stop until there was no sound.     
         Kelly screamed at Jace. "Stop, you're going to kill him!" She could have very easily allowed Jace to kill the bastard, but she didn't want to watch someone die right in front of her eyes. She couldn't have that on her conscience. She suddenly realized she was half naked. Her panties were down at her ankles.  She scrambled to pull them back up along with her pants.  She ran to the bathroom across the hall and locked the door behind her feeling embarrassed.    
         "Kelly wait!"     
         She heard Jace close the door and lock Lance in the office. His footsteps got louder as he came closer to the bathroom until they stopped at the door. "Go away!"     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Nine
     
         Jace listened to Kelly crying on the other side of the door and wanted to do something for her. That beating he gave that perverted piece of shit prosecutor wasn't enough. "Kelly, please. Let me help you."    
         "Go away!"    
         "I can't do that. Just open the door."    
          "No! You killed him!"     
          Jace placed his head against the door and closed his eyes. "No, I didn't. I only knocked him out. Kelly he was going to rape you. I had to do something. Now, please just open the door so I can have a look at you."     
         Her crying was agonizing to him. He couldn’t stand to see her hurt. He wished he could take her pain away. That son of a bitch Smith was lucky he didn't kill him. When he saw him on top of her he went ballistic. If it weren’t for Kelly telling him to stop he would have beat him to death.     
         "No. Please just go away. I want to be left alone."     
          "I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to sit by this door until you come out. You don't have to be afraid. I won't let anyone else hurt you."     
          A few moments passed and he heard the sound of the door unlocking. He stood and turned the knob to open it. He whispered as he entered the bathroom. "Kelly?" She was sitting on the edge of the bathtub sobbing. He put the toilet seat lid down and sat next to her. "Are you okay?"     
          Kelly held her head down looking at the floor. "I think so."     
         "He didn't, I mean, did he...?"     
          She shook her head no and broke down. His heart was breaking for the woman in front of him. All he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and tell her it was going to be okay.     
         Jace moved closer to her attempting to wipe her tear stricken face, but she pulled away from him. "Kelly, I promise I'm not going to hurt you. Please. Trust me."     
         Kelly looked up at him and wiped her face with her t-shirt. "I'm sorry."     
         Jace was confused. "Why are you apologizing? You did nothing wrong."     
         "I have a hard time trusting men."     
         "Well, I don't blame you. I've seen the assholes you have to deal with on a daily basis." Jace cursed under his breath and wished he could take back what he said as soon as it left his mouth.     
         "What do you mean you've seen the assholes I have to deal with?"     
         Jace sighed and inhaled a deep breath before he spoke. "Look, I haven't been completely honest with you. We have met before. Well, not technically