Page 1 of Depraved

1

KAROLINA

Strong arms cage me from behind, and a cold blade nips at my throat. My assailant could open my neck and end my life with one cruel swipe of his hand.

Pure terror thrums through my veins, and my precious lifeblood pounds in my ears. The world goes fuzzy around the edges. All I can see is Rand’s face—pale and drawn tight with his own fear.

My mind spins. I don’t understand what’s happening.

One second, I was running in horror from Bones. Rand. The man who’s been lying to me with every breath for years.

Then the black-clad man grabbed me and threatened me with a knife.

He says something, his breath hot on my vulnerable artery. I think it’s Russian. I have no idea what he’s saying, but the pure menace in his gravelly tone conveys the mortal danger I’m in.

Rand’s entire body coils tight with barely leashed aggression, his dark eyes riveted on the razor-sharp knife.

He’s still naked from our explosive sex only minutes ago.

And so am I.

My attacker’s hands grasp my bare flesh, fingers pressing hard enough to imprint bruises.

The awful scene layers over visceral memories of another night when I was sexually threatened: when Carter tried to violate me in the ruined stables at our foster home.

My breaths saw in and out of my lungs, but despite the burning in my chest, my blood goes cold. I access a purely feral, animal part of my brain.

Survive.

In the years since I fled my foster home, I’ve learned how to defend myself.

My assailant could cut me open in a heartbeat, but I’m oblivious to the risk. I have to act now, or my fate is sealed. He’s already pushed me into the river in an attempt to drown me. He won’t hesitate to kill me.

I kick back and bring my heel down hard on the top of his foot. It doesn’t inflict much damage through his boot, but my simultaneous, vicious elbow to his gut causes him to grunt in pain.

The knife breaks contact with my neck for a moment.

Rand shouts my name. I drop to the floor with all my weight, and my attacker’s grip on me sags.

A primal snarl echoes off the walls, and Rand slams into my captor, driving him away from me. The back of the man’s head cracks against the plaster, stunning him.

Rand doesn’t give him a moment to gather his wits. Two massive hands bracket the man’s skull. He twists. Bones crunch.

The dead man drops to the hardwood floor. He stares at me blankly.

Carter’s lifeless eyes flash over my vision, blurring with my current reality.

Masculine hands reach for me. I shriek and scramble back.

“Karolina…” Bones’ voice is rough with anguish.

No. Not Bones.

Rand.

He’s both men. They’re both him.

“Stay away from me!” I throw up a shaky hand between us, as though that will be enough to ward off the beast of a man who’s been deceiving me all this time.