The Nature of Things

Chapter 13

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Molly had been at Brian's house for four days before she called Justin.

"Justin? Where are you?"

"I'm staying at Ted's. I stopped by the house last night but Mom said you are staying at a friend's house. Why?"

"I just needed somewhere I could be left alone. Besides I don't feel like dealing with Dad and he won't leave me alone at home."

"Who are you staying with?"

"Brian."

"Kinney?"

"Yes."

"Molly, why?"

"Because he's nice enough to let me and he leaves me alone. Besides his loft is nicer than our house."

"Just be careful, Brian has a lot of rules."

"He's been nothing but nice to me. Everything is fine, except this damn cat."

"What cat?"

"Oh, Brian got a cat."

"Brian has a cat? You mean they are making fur coats out of cat now?"

"No, a real life cat. It's kinda strange though."

"Maybe you being there is a good thing after all."

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Casey sat outside Brian's loft for the fourth time that week. He was getting tired of this cloak and dagger shit that Craig had him on. Keeping an eye on his daughter was getting boring. Molly hadn't left the loft in days now and Casey was getting restless.

He'd seen Brian leave hours earlier. He assumed he was going to the office since he was dressed in Armani. He dreamt of owning suits like that. Working for Craig had it's advantages but it didn't pay well enough for Armani.

He was just biting into a cheesesteak when Molly left the loft. Rather than follow her, Casey thought it was time to pay Mr. Kinney's lovely little loft a visit.

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Molly was almost to the diner when she realized she didn't have her cell or her History book. Deciding to meet with Cynthia and tell her that she had to go back to the loft was better than leaving and coming back late.

A few minutes after arriving, Cynthia sat across from her and Molly explained that she needed to go back by the loft before class. Hurrying through, she made it back to the loft an hour later, with just minutes to spare before she needed to be in class.

Pulling the door open, she thought it was strange that the alarm didn't beep. Thinking that Brian had come home and just forgotten to set it back, she ran up to his room to find her book. She was on the floor looking under the bed when she heard the footsteps on the stairs.

"Brian, where did you put my history book last night?"

When she got no answer she felt the fear the same as she did that awful night. "Brian?" she called out again. It was in that moment that she knew something was about to happen and she could either be a victim again or fight.

Molly chose to fight. She waited for him to grab her and she turned, catching him in the stomach with her fist. It wasn't enough to cause him to let go of her, but it stunned him enough to give her the chance to grab the lamp next to the bed.

She connected with a hit to the side of his head and blood immediately started to flow down his face. Shoving her, Casey knocked her back into the corner of Brian's bed, knocking the breath from her.

He grabbed a handful of her long blonde hair and dragged her across the room and down the steps. He chuckled at her trying to fight him. He knew that he outweighed her by at least sixty pounds and that she wasn't going to escape him.

Zoey meowed, causing him to turn towards her, giving Molly enough of a chance to hit him again. This time she swung a bottle of Beam at him and connected in the same spot that the lamp hit him. Letting go of her to wipe away the blood from his eye, Molly was given a moment to run.

She made it to the door and was almost out when he caught her. The scream was trapped in her throat and she feared the worst.

"Fuck!" She looked back to see Zoey clinging to her attacker's back. As much as he tried, the cat was not letting go. Molly took that opportunity to grab Brian's phone and dial 911 as fast as she could. She knew that even if he stopped her from actually talking to the operator, they would send help.

Finally getting the cat off his back, Casey held her by the throat as he grabbed the phone out of Molly's hands. Just as he was about to reach for her, Zoey reached out and scratched him in the eyes. He dropped the cat, Molly grabbed her and ran from the loft. She ran into a police officer as she ran out the front door and told him her story.

Calling for back up he told Molly to get in his car and lock the doors. Drawing his gun, he took the stairs two at at time after disabling the elevator. He caught Casey trying to escape out the window.

Molly and Zoey were still in the car thirty minutes later when Brian came running up. She unlocked the door and jumped into his arms. He held her close, trying to get the story of what happened out of her. Unsuccessful he found a police officer and was filled in on what was going on in his loft. Going back to Molly he knew he had to tell her what had happened.

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