“Leave me alone.” She kept her eyes on the road ahead. That prickling sensation at the back of her neck. He was watching. How long had he been staked out outside her house?

“Stop being a child and get in the car.” He sounded irritated.

“Leave me the hell alone.” She glanced his way.

His jaw was set. His eyes hard. Damn! He wasn’t going to let her go.

“I don’t want anything to do with you. Please, Ellis.” She hated to beg but she didn’t feel like she had a choice. They were in public, a residential area. Surely he wouldn’t hurt her out here. “I told you that I want out. I meant it. Let me go.”

“You’re my best girl.” His voice had a mocking edge. “Why would I do a stupid thing like that? Get in the damn car.”

“No.” She picked up the pace. Maybe she should head down one of the drives. Too risky, she would cut off her escape route if no one was home.

Ellis huffed out a breath and slammed his hand against the steering wheel. She noticed that his other wrist was in a brace of some kind. “Get your fucking ass in the car.”

To hell with it. She dropped the bag and began to run, going in the opposite direction. Her key was still in her pocket. Maybe if she made it back to her house.

Her whole body shook from both the exertion and the fear that coursed through her. Ellis was a big guy. He was well muscled and he was a psycho. He didn’t give two shits about her. He would pump her full of drugs and not give it a second thought. Or he would find a way to coerce and threaten her into doing exactly what he wanted.

Her hand shook as she pushed the key into the lock. Please. Please. The hairs stood up on the back of her neck. She yanked the door open and closed it in his face. It was contorted in rage. She just turned the lock in time. Not even a split second to spare.

She sank to her knees. Tears coursed down her face.

Shards of glass flew in through the window and there was a loud crash and the sound of something else breaking. It took her a second or two to register that Ellis had thrown something through her window.

Her mouth fell open. He was crazier than she had first thought. She jumped to her feet and ran for the bathroom. Maybe if she could lock herself in there. The window was too small for him to get in through. She screamed as she ran. Hopefully one of her neighbors would hear the commotion and call the police. She tripped over her own feet and almost fell. Candy staggered and pushed on.