friends at the corner. You see anyone at the corner?"
The man he had addressed as Paulie glanced over his shoulder and laughed. "I see shit, man."
They stopped walking, blocking her path. A cold fear lodged in Kelly's throat. "Look," she said as calmly as she could manage. "I don't know who you are or what you want, but I wouldn't try anything if I were you.
I know karate."
At that remark, both men laughed. "Did you hear that, Paulie ? The girl knows karate."
Paulie scratched his crotch. "I heard."
"Show her what you know, Paulie ."
Obviously glad to have been asked, Paulie executed a series of quick hands-and-knees movements Kelly immediately recognized as wing chun kung-fu with some Thai kick boxing thrown into it.
It was clear she was no match for him and would have to think of some other way to escape. Her thoughts never went farther as Gold Tooth, still laughing, wrapped an arm around her waist, lifting her off the ground and carrying her inside the dark, dank doorway.
Kelly screamed and pounded his head with her fists, but he didn't appear to feel the blows. If anything, her efforts seemed to excite him more.
"You keep this up, and I'm gonna be too hot for foreplay." He pinned her against the wall, crushing his body against hers. "You like foreplay, don't you, baby?" He ran the back of his finger down her throat.
Kelly did some quick thinking. What did they want most--sex or money?
Probably both, but if she enticed them with the money first, they might forget about raping her long enough for her to escape.
"Look," she said, praying the lure of cold hard cash would win. "I have money. Two hundred dollars. You can have it. Just let me go."
Gold Tooth laughed. "Oh, we'll get the money. But first, me and my bud, we want a little action. Know what I mean?"
Her only answer was to duck under his arm. She was immediately slammed back against the wall. "My, my, you're a slippery one, ain't you?"
Behind him, Paulie chuckled. "I like ' em slippery."
Seemingly unconcerned about her lack of response, Gold Tooth started rubbing Kelly's thigh. His hand was rough as sandpaper and sweaty, his breath foul as he breathed heavily into her face. "You feel good, doll.
Real good."
She had to get out of here. She had to put this brute out of commission and take her chances with Paulie . Not an easy task considering their size and strength.
There was one method of self-defense, however, that didn't require a lot of power, just accuracy. After she was nearly abducted three years ago. Dr. Ho had made her practice that technique over an
dover
until she could do it in her sleep. She had never put it to use but knew it worked. At the moment, it was her only chance. But first she had to stop struggling and pretend she was enjoying what her aggressor was doing to her.
Trying hard not to gag, Kelly began moving her own body in a slow, suggestive way that brought out a moan from the man's throat.
"Oh, baby, what are you doing to me?"
"Give me a little more room and I'll do more."
Thank God he was too stupid to realize she was setting him up. His lower body still glued to hers, he pulled his torso back an inch or two, then took her hand and pressed it to his crotch. "Yeah, baby. Do it."
Behind him, Paulie was getting excited as well. "Hey, I want some fun, too."
His friend gave him a vicious swat. "Wait your turn, man."
That was all the distraction Kelly needed. In one fast motion, she yanked her arm out, put the heel of her hand under the man's chin and pushed up with all the force she could manage within the confined space.
It was enough. The man's head snapped back and he let out a long, agonizing growl. The fact that he couldn't scream told her she had achieved her objective. She had broken his jaw. A harder push would have broken his nose as well.
He fell to his knees, the lower part of his face cupped between his hands. Blood seeped through his fingers and his eyes were closed as he rocked back and forth in obvious
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