Nothing that stood a chance against an attack.
So my only option was to run.
My body moved automatically, turning toward the edge of the shelves, ready to throw myself on the other side, put it between us, then either find a weapon or make a mad dash toward the front door.
But before I could do more than turn my toes to run, hands were slamming into my shoulders, knocking me off balance and sending me falling forward.
My arms shot out, making the drive fly from my hands, shooting off across the floor as I tried to break my fall as the cold, hard cement floor came at me with a sickening speed.
My hands landed first, the pain shooting up from my wrists so strongly that I worried something might have snapped.
A shocked gasp escaped me as my gaze frantically searched the floor, looking for the drive.
But I couldn’t see it anywhere.
Did he find it?
Take it?
Turn to run?
Even as I thought that, though, a hand closed around my hair, twisting, and tugging back so hard that I saw stars, the pain splicing across my scalp and shooting down my neck as it was pulled back at an unnatural angle.
“Where is it?”
He didn’t have it then.
Good.
I wasn’t going to let him get it.
This is the part where the average person would think that if they just gave the guy what he wanted, he would leave them alone.
I was not the average person.
I knew a lot more about how criminals operated.
He was never going to let me go.
Because I saw his face.
Granted, there wasn’t much to write home about: white, twenties, blue eyes, brown brows and lashes. His hood was up, casting part of his face in shadow and concealing his hair.
But it was enough.
And I had a working camera again.
He’d have to kill me.
So there was no way in hell, if there was any chance of me dying, that I was going to give him what he wanted first.
That said, I wasn’t going out without a fight.
I reached back, grabbing hold of my own hair closer to the scalp to reduce his ability to pull.
“Eat shit,” I snapped.
The awkward position made it hard for him to strike, but he did his best—cocking his arm and sending his fist flying toward the side of my face. I ducked my chin and turned my head, making the punch land on my ear instead of my cheek.
