Justice Read Online Free PDF Page A

Stone.”
    “I’m your man, Macey Gilbert.”
    She giggled. “That you are.”
    “I should get back to it. I just needed to hear your voice,” he said. “Are you at my place yet?”
    “No, honey. Remember I’m heading out to meet Payton? But I promise, I’ll go to your place after dinner. Don’t worry so much. I’m totally fine.”
    “Okay. I’ll get back to it. Love you, baby.”
    “Love you too.”
    Macey had no sooner hung up when her phone rang again. “What did you forget?”
    “Nothing,” Payton said.
    “Sorry, thought you were Dallas.”
    “Figured.” Payton giggled. “I’m running a few minutes late, just thought I’d let you know.”
    “Aw, thanks buddy… although, you know I’m probably still going to be ten minutes behind you.”
    “Okay, then I’ll wait for a bit.”
    “Probably a good—”
    “Well, hi there, pretty,” a low, male voice said.
    Macey gasped and whipped around to find a strange man standing in her doorway, dropping her phone in the process.
    Short, fat, bearded and dead eyes, she couldn’t tell how old he was, but he was overly tan. He kind of rang a bell, but for the life of her, she didn’t know how.
    Shit! She forgot to lock the downstairs window.
    “Mase?” Payton’s voice was muffled since the phone was too far away.
    “What do you want?” she asked, trying to reach for her phone which was sticking out from under her bed.
    The man got to it first and threw it across the room. Macey used the distraction to make a run for the door, but he caught her, pulling her back inside. She tried to kick, tried to punch, screamed at the top of her lungs, but he was just too strong. “Payton!” she yelled, hoping her friend was still on the line.
    Her phone buzzed as her head hit the floor. Stars danced behind her eyes and her shoulder exploded in pain. She tasted copper in her mouth and then she choked on what she knew must be her own blood. Darkness closed in, blurring her vision. A loud bang. Smoke. Then blissful nothingness embraced her.
    * * *
    Hushed voices, intermingled with crying forced Macey from her “nothing.” She groaned when the first wave of pain hit her and then Payton’s voice broke through the fog. “Mase. Hey. Wake up, hon.”
    “Everything hurts,” Macey whispered. Her words were barely out of her mouth before the pain eased and she sighed in relief.
    “Can you open your eyes?” The unmistakable deep voice of Dr. Alec Stone sounded.
    Macey blinked open her eyes and stared into the concerned face of her co-worker and Dallas’s brother. “Hi.”
    “Hi,” he said, smiling gently.
    “Where am I?”
    “Hospital,” Alec said.
    “Are you thirsty?” Payton asked.
    Macey turned to look at her best friend, who held a cup with a straw close to her. “Yes.”
    Payton guided the straw to Macey’s lips and she took a deep draw from it.
    “Do you remember what happened?” Alec asked.
    “Um…" As she thought back, Macey’s breath came in shallow gasps. “I… he… no kilt.” Macey dissolved into sobs as memories of horror flooded her mind. The sound of a zipper. His body on top of hers. The pain. “Make it stop!”
    “Everyone out,” Alec demanded.
    Macey slid back into unconsciousness.
    * * *
    Dallas ran down the halls toward recovery where Macey had been moved after surgery. He knew nothing other than she was rushed to emergency and had to have surgery. He’d left his seminar a day early and sped from Salem to Portland, utilizing the lights and sirens on his undercover vehicle.
    He arrived to find Brock with his arms wrapped around Payton, Macey’s grandparents sitting with Brock and Payton’s parents, and Jaxon Quinn speaking with a few local uniforms just off to the side of the group.
    Bruce Daniels was also there… alone. He looked surprised to see Dallas, but gave him a chin lift in greeting. Dallas didn’t respond.
    “What happened?” Dallas demanded to no one in particular.
    Brock separated himself from Payton and walked