Page 26 of Dancing for the Minotaur

For a moment Terra could only stare at him. Then Orlov reached into the inside pocket of his suit coat. Every instinct she had screamed at her to run, but she froze as he pulled out his phone.

He tapped the screen several times, then he held it up.

Terra nearly stopped breathing.

It was a photograph of her. She was standing in the front yard of her mother's little bungalow wearing shorts, an old USF T-shirt and flip-flops. Her real brown hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, and she had no makeup on. Lisa was beside her holding a pink watering can while Cody stood behind them with the garden hose.

Terra remembered the day. It had been Sunday afternoon, three days ago and her mother had asked the kids to help water her flowers. The photograph had obviously been taken from across the street.

“Oh my God,” she whispered.

Orlov lowered the phone.

“Beautiful, isn't it? No wig, no makeup–the real you.”

Terra stared at him and the satisfied smirk she saw in his face made anger overwhelm her fear.

“You've been watching my house, you crazy bastard.” She still couldn’t quite believe it. She’d known that Orlov had a preference for her over any of the other girls, but she’d never dreamed he would go this far.

“I've been learning about you, my Bunny,” he purred.

Terra shook her head.

“You're fucking insane.”

His expression changed. It was subtle, but the amusement vanished from his eyes.

“Careful, Bunny,” he said warningly. “I’ll only tolerate so much sass from you before I lose my temper.”

Terra didn't care anymore about trying to make nice with him to keep her manager happy. She just wanted him out of her life forever.

“You stay away from me, and you stay the hell away from my family,” she said, wishing her voice wouldn’t tremble so much. “I never want to see you ever again!”

She turned toward the curtain, but Orlov caught her again. This time he grabbed her around the waist and dragged her against him.

Terra gasped and shoved at his chest, but she couldn’t get free. His body was hard against hers and she could feel the disgusting ridge of his erection pressing against her hip.

“Let me go!” she shouted, hoping someone would hear her. “Help!”

His eyes narrowed warningly.

“Don't behave like a child. I have been very patient with you, but my patience is at an end.”

“Get off me!”

Terra shoved against his chest, but he tightened his arm around her. His other hand slid down over her ass and squeezed hard.

Revulsion surged through her.

“Stop it! Help!” she shouted again. But it did no good–no one came. If anything, her manager was probably ignoring her cries for help on purpose since Orlov was a High Roller.

“My naughty Bunny,” he murmured in her ear, his breath hot against the side of her neck. It smelled like sour wine and cigars.

Then his hand slipped under the back of her tiny skirt and Terra reacted without thinking. She brought one knee up as hard as she could, aiming to do some real damage.

Orlov twisted at the last second and she missed his balls, but her knee struck the inside of his thigh hard enough to make him curse and loosen his grip.

Terra tore herself free.