Page 69 of Double Obsession

A switch flipped, and a second later, Arkansas’s pupils contained hellfire. “You made William Chester go away for too long, and you are having an affair with my fiance´. It’s your fault I had to hurt him—you and those perverts.”

Hunter extended a hand and stepped toward Arkansas. “I’m not having an affair, babe. I’m the Duke again. Jenna brought me back for you, and I love you.” Despite his deathly appearance, his movements were graceful. “Please give me the knife and let go of her.” His eyes locked with Jenna’s.

“Yes, Arkansas. Put down the knife and let go of my sister. We can all go upstairs, and I can give you the book. In this story, I made you and William fall in love and live happily ever after. It’s calledLady Buchanon and the Duke.”

Arkansas growled at the air beside her. “I know, Grandmommy. I’m not naive.”

A shiver so cold it felt as though hell had frozen over, shot up Jenna’s spine.

The piles of bricks moved, and her father moaned. As he scooched around, bricks clattered to the floor.

A mangy cat sitting on top of the furnace hissed and batted his paws as if boxing an imaginary opponent. The room stilled as all gazes landed on the animal. The cat looked at Hunter, meowed, and then leaped. Its legs extended as it flew through the air. With the grace of a leopard, it landed on Arkansas’ head.

Taking advantage of two against one, Stacie threw her hips backward, knocking Arkansas off balance and freeing herself.

While Arkansas stumbled around with a pissed-off cat batting at her face, Jenna’s father frantically moved bricks with his good hand. In an instant, Hunter was by his side, and the blocks flew as the men foraged for the gun.

Arkansas stabbed at the cat.

“Don’t hurt it!” Jenna searched for a weapon. A nearby chunk of two-by-four would have to do. She grasped it like a softball bat and slammed it into the flailing woman’s backside.

The cat scampered away, and Arkansas flew forward. Somehow she managed to catch herself. She turned and snarled.

Arkansas Buchanon had at least nine inches and a good seventy pounds over Jenna. But Jenna had the hunk of lumber. She flung herself forward, and the wood made contact with Arkansas’ shoulder.

The knife clattered to the floor, and Arkansas fell face-first onto the concrete.

“Stay down,” Jenna demanded as she shifted from one foot to the other.

Grabbing her weapon, Arkansas pushed onto her knees.

Fear and hesitation had been replaced with angry adrenaline. Jenna revved up, then slammed the wood into the hideous face. A rusty nail sliced the large purple birthmark. Arkansas lunged for Jenna, knocking her onto her butt.

Sitting on hard concrete added ignition to Jenna’s fury. She lifted the weapon over her head and smashed Arkansas in the face again. When she stumbled backward, Jenna popped onto her feet, andCrack!

The woman whimpered as her forearms shielded her torso.

Jenna aimed for the woman’s nose.

Wack!

Blood trickled from a nostril.

Although her stomach roiled with disgust, some part of Jenna wanted to let go and destroy. She needed to smash something. Matt. Her mother-in-law. The older boy who’d gotten Kayla drunk. The depression and worthlessness that had consumed her for the past year. Over and over again, the wood crashed into the woman.

“Jenna!”

“Jenna, stop.”

Ignoring the pleas from her loved ones, she lost all rational thought, and her inner animal took over. Screams ripped from her lungs, and tears dripped down her face as she pummeled the woman.

By the time Stacie disarmed Jenna, Arkansas huddled in the corner. “Please help me, Grandmommy,” she said as her tears mixed with blood.

“It’s over.” Sergeant Bob pointed his gun at a whimpering Arkansas.

Hunter pulled Jenna to him, held her close, and ran his fingers through her hair.

Once the wild pulsing heat of anger turned to steady breathing, she pulled back just enough to look into his eyes. Being as gentle as possible, she touched the gash on his cheek.