Page 45 of Retribution
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Cobra
“The fuckin’ sonofabitch,”Cobra muttered, unable to ignore the white-hot anger that had both his hands clenched into tight fists at his sides.
Every protective bone in his body tensed from thoughts of killing the bastard with his bare hands—to retroactively taking out payment on Taylor’s flesh over a month to two-month span, solely keeping him alive to endure more torture, pain, and Cobra’s wrath. The well-planned fantasy flashed through his mind in less than a nanosecond.
“What’s his last name, Dakota?” he gritted out through clenched teeth.
“It’s not important. Don’t worry about it.”
“Are you fuckin’ kidding me, sweetheart? There’s nothing more important than what you just told me. No wonder …”
Cobra trailed off remembering how troubled her sleep had been the night before. The nightmares were flashbacks and that fucking-excuse-for-a-man created them. What kind of fucking piece of trash raped a fourteen-year-old girl? Cobra had done some fucked up things in his life, but never anything that violated a woman. It took every ounce of willpower for him to curb the urge to crush her to his chest and never let her go, to always keep her safe. But now wasn’t a good time to go all possessive on her, he could pick up on it by the tense, frail lines of her body.
“Is there anything else you want to tell me, darlin’?”
“This is, uh, this is the first time I’ve talked about it—with anyone.”
“I’m honored you shared it with me.”
His words didn’t even fucking cover the emotions bubbling up inside his chest. Cobra’s insides seethed, and he was so sad for her and what she must’ve gone through that night.And to hold all that shit in for all these years? Fuck!On the outside, Cobra tried to be her rock.
“Afterward, he smiled at me and acted like nothing had happened and dropped me off about a block from my house. He tried to kiss me again, but I pulled back and somehow jumped out of the car and ran toward my house. Everything was such a hazy blur. I know when I came to again, I was in the shower washing myself over and over again. I wrapped my underwear in a plastic bag and threw it out … so my parents wouldn’t see … the evidence.”
“He didn’t try—” Cobra let the words hang between them. She would pick up on what he was putting down and he sure as shit didn’t want to retraumatize her by saying them out loud.
She shook her head. “No, Taylor didn’t touch me again. But it was awful. I still saw him all the time. He and my brother were still best friends, and Luke had no idea what had happened—I just couldn’t tell him, or anyone. The worst part was that we went to the same high school. Whenever I’d see Taylor, I’d try to ignore him, but he’d leer at me whenever we crossed paths.”
“Is that why you moved away?”
“Not exactly.” She seemed to fold into herself even tighter. “The reason I left home was because he tried to do it again. After he got out of high school, he went away to college and I was so damn relieved. I tried to move on, got a job at a tattoo parlor, and was feeling better than I had in a long time, but … Taylor,” Dakota’s voice seemed to scrape out the motherfucker’s name, and Cobra could barely stop himself from punching the nearest rock, “came back to town and found me one night at the tattoo shop and booked an appointment. I had no ideahewas the client, and when I saw him I freaked-out and started having a panic attack, so he left. Later that night … he tried to attack me again—in the alley behind the shop where I worked. He was waiting.” Her voice hitched.
Cobra held her tight. “It’s okay—I’m here. Get it out.”
For several seconds Dakota just stared out into the distance, then she sighed and her shoulders slumped. “He grabbed me and called me so many horrible names, but this time I reacted. I sprayed mace in his eyes and ran like hell. When I got home, I didn’t tell anyone. But I couldn’t stay in Pocatello anymore. I didn’t feel safe. He’d made every second of my life a waking nightmare. I had no doubt that it would happen again if I didn’t leave, so I bolted. Since I left, my family and my whole life was ripped off its axis.”
“So you ended up in Idaho Falls?”
She nodded.
“Then what got you running again?”
“The bastard …again.” Cobra growled and she patted his hand. “I’d been living in the city for about a year, and one night while I was at a bar with some friends, I sawhim.He didn’t see me because he was too busy groping a girl he was with. Of course, I started to panic, so I made up some BS to my friends and left. For the next few months, I was living like a hermit: I’d go to work then head straight home. I was scared to death to do anything else. Then, he called me one day and left a message saying that he’d just found out I lived in the city too. The SOB wanted to ‘get together’ for a drink. After I heard the message, I took out a map, closed my eyes, and let my finger fall down. It landed on Philipsburg. Since the town’s so small, I was pretty sure he’d never heard of it or would ever move there. I packed up my stuff, loaded up my now-busted car, and met you.”
“I’m glad we were on the road at the same time,” Cobra said in a low voice.
Dakota took a deep and shaky breath in front of him. It wasn’t until then that Cobra realized she was quietly sobbing, curled into herself as she used her forearms to wipe under her nose. He’d been so consumed with vengeance that he hadn’t noticed her obvious pain.
“Oh, sweetheart.” He tugged her up and peppered the side of her face with feathery kisses. “Normally when there’s a problem, I fight my way through that shit. I tear apart whatever caused me pain until it’s no longer a threat, but fuckin’ hell, I don’t know how to do that for you, sweetheart. I’m so damn sorry.”
“It is what it is. I shouldn’t have told you … you must think—”
“Don’t even fuckin’ say it. I don’t think anything bad about you, little one. So don’t even think for one fuckin’ second I would judge you for what some scumbag did to you.”
Cobra watched as Dakota snuggled closer to him. He wrapped his arms tighter around her; more than ever, he wanted to be her safe haven, protect her from everyone and everything.
“How can I comfort you, sweetheart? Tell me. Anything.”
