how many times? Did you sleep at all?”
“We are not going to have this conversation.” Relieved she didn’t have to work, Beth headed home. It’d be nice to go back to her place and hold onto the giddy feelings still rushing through her for a little while longer. Reality could wait until tomorrow.
“Alright, fine.” Marianne acquiesced. Then, in a tone far kinder and more considerate than Beth thought her capable of, she asked, “Did you have a good night?”
Beth heard the Are you okay? Are you happy?
“Last night was…” Beth searched for a word to encompass everything she felt. “It was…” Amazing? Wonderful? No singled word described the incredible high she was riding, so she settled on saying, “It was good.”
“ Good ? What do you mean good ?”
“I don’t know what to say, Marianne. We had… fun.” Talking to Marianne about her sex life felt more like talking to a parent than a friend.
Weird. Very weird.
“Ah. You mean good ,” Marianne teased. “I guess that’ll do for now. So long as you’re happy, sweetie.”
Sometimes the warmth and understanding Marianne and Angie directed toward Beth dazzled her. What genuine friends. That thought, coupled with the lingering warmth of her time with Braden kept her soaring through rush hour traffic.
Twenty minutes later, Beth climbed the steps to her apartment, looking forward to a long bath and a slow morning. Maybe she’d surprise Braden with lunch at his office. Or would that be presumptuous? They’d slept together. Did that mean anything? They’d never really talked about it. Maybe she should call first, see if he wanted to grab lunch? Her thoughts occupied, she didn’t notice anything was wrong until she put her hand on the doorknob and the door creaked open.
Beth didn’t move. Her mind slammed into focus. Every instinct she had fired the same message simultaneously.
Run!
As she willed her fingers to let go, the door burst open, tugging her across the threshold, a hand, heavy and strong, clamped down on her shoulder, throwing her inside, the door slamming behind her.
Cold fear coursed through her.
Markko.
All of her nightmares coalesced into reality.
A wave of adrenaline, so brutal it was nauseating, crashed through her.
Fine.
Use the adrenaline. Fight the panic.
Get out of the situation.
“Been a long time.” Markko stalked forward. “I hadn’t planned to see you quite so soon, but I had to rid myself of an unexpected nuisance last night.” A cruel sneer twisted his face. He blocked the only exit, and he knew it. “Let’s get reacquainted.”
Consider your options. Front door’s blocked.
Bedroom window. Beth turned, lunging for the door to her bedroom as Markko leaped, catching her around the legs and driving her into the floor. She hit the ground hard, the skin of her palms flared hot and painful against the carpet, and the contents of her purse spilled across the floor.
Focus.
Get to the purse .
Beth kicked back viciously at Markko’s face and shoulders as she stretched for her purse, fingertips brushing the handle. The pepper spray she always carried was just out of reach.
Just as her fingers brushed the straps of her bag Markko got a solid hold on her left calf and wrenched her toward him. Twisting, Beth glanced over her shoulder and smashed her foot with all the force she had into his face. Bones crunched beneath her shoe, his grip loosened and he howled in pain.
Now.
Move.
Beth pushed her knees beneath her and dove for her purse, fingers closing around the cold cylinder of the pepper spray.
“Bitch!” The words slurred out through wet, raspy breathing.
Fumbling with the safety latch on the spray, Beth struggled to her feet. Why do they make these things so damn hard to use? While focusing on getting the safety latch to open, she was unprepared for Markko, who grabbed her by the hair and jerked her back against him.
“You bitch, you broke my nose.”
Warm blood smeared across her skin where
“We are not going to have this conversation.” Relieved she didn’t have to work, Beth headed home. It’d be nice to go back to her place and hold onto the giddy feelings still rushing through her for a little while longer. Reality could wait until tomorrow.
“Alright, fine.” Marianne acquiesced. Then, in a tone far kinder and more considerate than Beth thought her capable of, she asked, “Did you have a good night?”
Beth heard the Are you okay? Are you happy?
“Last night was…” Beth searched for a word to encompass everything she felt. “It was…” Amazing? Wonderful? No singled word described the incredible high she was riding, so she settled on saying, “It was good.”
“ Good ? What do you mean good ?”
“I don’t know what to say, Marianne. We had… fun.” Talking to Marianne about her sex life felt more like talking to a parent than a friend.
Weird. Very weird.
“Ah. You mean good ,” Marianne teased. “I guess that’ll do for now. So long as you’re happy, sweetie.”
Sometimes the warmth and understanding Marianne and Angie directed toward Beth dazzled her. What genuine friends. That thought, coupled with the lingering warmth of her time with Braden kept her soaring through rush hour traffic.
Twenty minutes later, Beth climbed the steps to her apartment, looking forward to a long bath and a slow morning. Maybe she’d surprise Braden with lunch at his office. Or would that be presumptuous? They’d slept together. Did that mean anything? They’d never really talked about it. Maybe she should call first, see if he wanted to grab lunch? Her thoughts occupied, she didn’t notice anything was wrong until she put her hand on the doorknob and the door creaked open.
Beth didn’t move. Her mind slammed into focus. Every instinct she had fired the same message simultaneously.
Run!
As she willed her fingers to let go, the door burst open, tugging her across the threshold, a hand, heavy and strong, clamped down on her shoulder, throwing her inside, the door slamming behind her.
Cold fear coursed through her.
Markko.
All of her nightmares coalesced into reality.
A wave of adrenaline, so brutal it was nauseating, crashed through her.
Fine.
Use the adrenaline. Fight the panic.
Get out of the situation.
“Been a long time.” Markko stalked forward. “I hadn’t planned to see you quite so soon, but I had to rid myself of an unexpected nuisance last night.” A cruel sneer twisted his face. He blocked the only exit, and he knew it. “Let’s get reacquainted.”
Consider your options. Front door’s blocked.
Bedroom window. Beth turned, lunging for the door to her bedroom as Markko leaped, catching her around the legs and driving her into the floor. She hit the ground hard, the skin of her palms flared hot and painful against the carpet, and the contents of her purse spilled across the floor.
Focus.
Get to the purse .
Beth kicked back viciously at Markko’s face and shoulders as she stretched for her purse, fingertips brushing the handle. The pepper spray she always carried was just out of reach.
Just as her fingers brushed the straps of her bag Markko got a solid hold on her left calf and wrenched her toward him. Twisting, Beth glanced over her shoulder and smashed her foot with all the force she had into his face. Bones crunched beneath her shoe, his grip loosened and he howled in pain.
Now.
Move.
Beth pushed her knees beneath her and dove for her purse, fingers closing around the cold cylinder of the pepper spray.
“Bitch!” The words slurred out through wet, raspy breathing.
Fumbling with the safety latch on the spray, Beth struggled to her feet. Why do they make these things so damn hard to use? While focusing on getting the safety latch to open, she was unprepared for Markko, who grabbed her by the hair and jerked her back against him.
“You bitch, you broke my nose.”
Warm blood smeared across her skin where
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