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After drying off and tossing the paper towel, she reached for the door only to jump back as it flew open on its own.
“Holy shit,” she squeaked as she pressed a hand over her racing heart. “Sorry, you startl—”
A man with a ski mask shoved his way into the small space. He wasn’t large and couldn’t have been more than five-foot-eight, but he still had height and bulk on her—the space in the restroom shrunk to nil instantly.
Steph immediately lurched back and let the long-ago engrained FBI mode kick in. Years of being out of the agency hadn’t cured her of her training. She reached for her hip only to have her stomach plunge.
She no longer carried a weapon.
Hadn’t for years.
Dammit.
Another man. This one, a mammoth, burst into the room, shouldering the first out of the way. And she’d thought there’d been no space before.
“Watch it, fucker,” the shorter one growled.
“I got the fucking ties. Get your midget ass in the hallway and keep watch.”
Ties?
Steph’s heart leaped into her throat, pounding in her neck and nearly choking her.
Ties?
As the short guy stormed out, grumbling and swearing, the big one produced a pair of police-grade flexi-cuffs. Through the mouth hole in his mask, his sinister grin soured her stomach.
“W-who are you?” she asked as she took a step back. Then another.
Her shoulder blade hit the paper towel dispenser with a thud.
The guy laughed. “Shut your mouth, bitch. Turn around. Hands behind your back.”
Despite the blood surging through her veins and the fear clawing at her chest, she barked out a harsh laugh. “Fuck you.” Give him her back and let him do whatever the hell he wanted?
No.
Not happening.
She probably had no choice seeing as how he had so much height and mass on her, but she sure as hell wouldn’t let him have her without a ruthless fight.
“Bitch, turn the fuck around, or I’ll make you.” He laughed again. The unhinged sound had the hairs rising on the back of her neck. “It’ll be more fun for me than for you. Trust me.”
She stood her ground. The edge of the towel dispenser dug into the soft flesh beneath her shoulder blade. She barely noticed the discomfort. Every sense, every nerve ending was on the highest alert, waiting for him to make a move.
With an annoyed snarl, he reached for her. She used a block she’d practiced thousands of times. First in the bureau, then at the gym, with her friend and kickass MMA fighter, Izzy. As his arm fell to the side, she struck out with her fist, catching him in the sternum.
He grunted as though her punch did nothing more than annoy him, then came in with an attack of his own. This time, when she attempted to thwart him, he sprang forward, eating up the space in the room. She had nowhere to go, no leverage to punch or kick.
He grabbed her shoulder and spun her around.
No!
If he got those cuffs on her, it was all over.
Steph turned her head and bit his forearm.
“Fuck! Bitch!” he shouted.
The hand on her shoulder disappeared.
She dropped to the ground, prepared to freaking crawl to the door, but he was too damn fast. His meaty hand fisted her hair, yanking so hard that tears sprang from her eyes.
“Ahh,” she cried, reaching up to claw at his beefy mitt.
“Get the fuck up,” he sneered.
With no choice besides a scalping, she scrambled to her feet, still attempting to dislodge his fist. He spun her again, slamming her front against the wall between the towel dispenser and the sinks. Her cheek smacked the wall with enough force to leave a nasty bruise, but she couldn’t have cared less.
She struggled, wrenching left and right while trying to nail his shin with her shoe.
His big body smashed against her, flattening her to the wall. “Hold fucking still.”
She didn’t listen, thrashing and flailing in a futile attempt to dislodge him. But what other choice did she have? She’d fight until she ran out of steam and collapsed.
Or until she felt him grind his pelvis against her backside.
She went deathly still except for the reflexive gagging of her throat muscles.
He chuckled.
“Problem?”
Her eyes fell closed as silent tears slid down her cheeks.
Thank God he wasn’t hard. She’d have probably vomited right then and there, but still, the threat of what he’d do if she didn’t comply had the fight leaching out of her. Within seconds he had her hands secured behind her back and was dragging her out the bathroom door.
Surely someone would see, wouldn’t they?
Mav would no doubt wonder what the hell was taking her so long and check on her.
Wouldn’t he?
The asshole yanked the bathroom door wide, and the second he did, she opened her mouth to scream. His cronies in the hallway noticed, and one of them launched himself at her, catching her lip in a sharp elbow jab. She yelped, and he immediately covered her mouth with his hand. The metallic taste of blood seeped onto her tongue.
