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Oh God. What the hell?
I held my hand to my head where the table hit and tried to get my bearings again. I looked up and saw a tall, lean figure striding toward me. He was wearing a balaclava with black dress pants and a long sleeved black shirt. His hands … Oh God he was wearing gloves.
Fear smothered my insides like thick tar, and for a second I couldn’t move. I held out my hand and repeated “no” over and over again. As the large figure drew closer, I snapped out of the haze of frozen fear and scrambled toward the kitchen. I could hear his heavy thudded footsteps nearly upon me. My heart pounded so hard it hurt, and I was having trouble breathing.
My mind reeled with confusion, a mishmash of pain, fear, and anger. What the hell was happening?
I kept thinking I had to get to the cutlery drawer. It was within sight, if I could just … the booted foot struck me in the small of my back and I went flying into the island, hitting hard and then falling to the floor. His foot hoofed into my stomach and knocked the wind out of me, and I curled into a ball fighting to breathe.
He curled his hand into my hair and pulled me to my feet. I struggled against his grasp, swinging my arms and trying to kick out. My head was hammering with pain and my vision was distorted. I couldn’t see anything but his black clothes.
Until I saw the knife.
I stopped fighting as he pressed the cold hard steel laid against my cheek. “I like a fighter. He fought me in the beginning. Just like you will.” His voice was high pitched as if he was disguising it. I knew he was strong—big, but my vision was blurred and I couldn’t see him clearly.
I was in severe pain and yet I couldn’t control my outburst as the fury gripped me. “Only fucking cowards beat up women.”
There was no warning at what he was going to do until the pain hit me as he dragged the knife down my cheek. I screamed and he shut me up by throwing me to the floor, booted me in the ribs, then came down on top of me. His hand clamped over my mouth.
“Now, I’m going to have what he had. Just the thought of it turns me on.” The knife fell away from my face.
What the hell was he talking about? I heard the clang of his belt buckle being undone and then the distinct sound of a zipper. Oh God, no. No. I flailed against his massive weight, but I was like a mouse to a lion’s paw. My screams were muffled by his large rubber-gloved palm that pressed down so hard on my mouth that I felt the pain in the back of my head as the hardwood pressed into my skull.
His other hand was on my pajamas and pushing them down. I could feel the stickiness of the rubber against my thighs and the invisible fine hairs on my legs stuck to the rubber and pulled. I heard a loud snap like … Oh God, the glove was gone and his sweaty warm fingers slid up my inner thigh.
I screamed and screamed, but nothing but muffled sounds came out. My body was tingling and reacting to the anxiety and soon I’d lose circulation in my limbs. I winced as I felt a slap against my inner thighs.
“Open them.”
Oh God, I wanted Ream. He was all I could think about, and I wanted to cry for us, for what we’d lost. For the pain we’d caused one another. Whatever had happened between us, I knew Ream would protect me, he’d destroy this man for what he was doing to me.
The knife rose above me again and the moonlight streaming in through the window hit it just right so that it shimmered. The blade sliced across my forehead, and my body tensed, back arching as my skin separated.
I stomped my feet into the floor as hard as I could, over and over again, hoping the neighbor below would hear and call security.
“You’re making this worse than it has to be.” His hand slid down my body, kneading my breasts and then pinching my nipples. My eyes widened at the excruciating pain and he chuckled and then did it harder.
I shook my head side to side so violently it wrenched my neck. His hand shifted partially off my mouth and it was what I needed. I bit down as hard as I could, tasting the rubber of his glove, then flesh, then the blood filtering into my mouth. He shouted and jerked back, and I screamed as loud as my lungs would allow.
Neville’s classical music from next door stopped abruptly.
The intruder froze, stared at me, and I saw his dark brown eyes glaring. He suddenly leaped off me and darted from the condo. The door slammed.
I lay on the floor unable to move. The pain agonizing from where my head hit the table from the first blow and the cuts he sliced into my cheek and forehead.
Pounding on the door. More pounding.
Then …
“Kat?”
I choked back the sob that I tried to keep contained, knowing if I let it in, I’d break and I couldn’t. I had to stay strong. Weakness would kill me. I couldn’t let it in or I’d crumble.
“Oh Christ. Kat.” I heard his knees hit the floor beside me and then felt his hand on my head. “Open your eyes for me.”
I winced as I did. Neville had turned on the light and the glare made my head burst with a sharp jab. “Sweet Jesus, baby girl. What happened? No, no, don’t talk. I have to get my phone and call an ambulance. And … we need to cover you up.”
I heard his clothing rustle and his comforting touch disappeared. “No. Don’t leave me.” I grabbed for him and he took my hand and squeezed.
