Off Sides

too but I was just so wild for you. I'm not sure I really knew what I was doing."
    She gives off that low, smoky laugh of hers that shoots lust straight through my body. "Oh, you knew what you were doing. And it was freakin' fantastic."
    I wrap her in my arms and squeeze her. "I love you so much, Danny. Please don't ever leave me."
    She's quiet for a minute then she says in a small voice, "I'm always afraid you'll leave me. That one day I won't be enough for you."
    Needing to drown out her doubts, I lean over her and kiss her hard. She responds and our hands seek out the other's body, laying claim...branding. I make love to her again, slowly this time, whispering all of my feelings for her the entire time, making sure she understands that my dreams of the future can only come to fruition if she's by my side.
    When Danny finally tumbles with me into oblivion, she's whispering to me that she loves me, too.

CHAPTER 14

    Danny

    It's Saturday and I've pulled a double shift at Sally's. I'm so tired and my feet are killing me. I was supposed to go to a party tonight with Ryan but I begged off, telling him to spend some quality guy time with his friends. A night of relaxation with a good book is what I need.
    It's almost 11:00 p.m. when I finish my shift. I'm just getting ready to walk out the door when I get a text. It's from Ryan.
    Didn't go to party. Sick. Just woke up. Think food poisoning. Can u come over?
    I don't hesitate when I fire off a quick text.
    Of course. Be there in 30 min with soup.
    I head back into the kitchen and get some chicken noodle soup and crackers to take with me. Putting cash in the register to cover it, I walk out the door and head over to Ryan's frat house.
    When I'm about a block from his house, I remember that Ryan was supposed to meet Mike over at the party. Realizing that Ryan was probably too sick to let Mike know what was going on, I fire off a quick text to Mike to let him know why Ryan didn't show
    Ryan texted me he is sick. Won't make party. I'm on my way over there now. I'll take good care of him. :)
    I hit send and walk up the steps. The front door is open, as it usually always is. Walking in, I can't see anyone around. They are all probably at the party. I jog up the steps to Ryan's room and open the door.
    The room is empty and I look around in confusion. His bed is perfectly made, which doesn't make sense. I walk over to it and see his iPhone on the nightstand. Setting the soup down, I pick his phone up and turn it on. There are his texts to me and my responses. Maybe he's in the bathroom.
    My phone chimes and I look down to see a text from Mike.
    Ryan's here with me. R U okay?
    A sick feeling begins in my stomach and before I can reply, something hard slams into the back my head. I crumple to Ryan's bed and my vision winks in and out. Someone grabs my hair from behind and pushes me face down onto the mattress, then a pillowcase is thrown over my head and I am now in full blown panic. I try to scream but only a warbled sound comes out. I take a deep breath and try again, getting out a somewhat loud shriek.
    I'm rewarded with another hit to my head, this time to the side of my face and it catches the corner of my eye and my cheekbone. Pain explodes and fear for my life is now coursing through me. I'm dizzy from the blows to my head. I'm suffocating from the pillowcase pulled tight over my face and the weight of someone on my back.
    And then my worst nightmares come true. Whoever is at my back reaches to my front and undoes my jeans quicker than I can react. I start struggling with all my might but my captor now has put a large hand around the back of my neck, pinning my face into the mattress. I can't breathe and I know I'm going to pass out.
    I can feel my jeans and underwear being roughly jerked down my legs and cold air hits my bottom. I start thrashing again, trying to get free and my attacker pushes my face harder in the mattress and says, "Quit moving, bitch, and I'll make this fast."
    Terrified, I start crying and I'm tiring out from the struggle. I'm weakly flailing my legs but he just laughs at my efforts. I feel one of hands his reach roughly between my legs and I start sobbing uncontrollably.
    And then he's gone...as if he's been ripped away from my body. I hear Ryan bellow in rage and scream, "Get the fuck away from her." Something slams into the opposite wall.
    I scramble to pull up my jeans and jerk the pillowcase off my head. Ryan is on top of a guy...I can't tell