Page 27 of Fracture

Numbness took over, the pain too intense to process it. Protection. She understood it. She also understood he was going to kill her.

Maybe taunting him was a bad idea. Damn her mouth and always wanting to get the better of someone. She knew better. But it was funny to see the look in his eyes when he realized she played him.

He didn’t stop hitting her until she wheezed, a funny sound exiting through her body. Then he laughed. Loudly and for a long time.

She was tied to the chair she was in, unable to move. Her body slumped to the side, her hands locked in place and keeping her from falling over. Her feet were bound the same way.

She fought to breathe, air rushing from her in gasps and pants that did little to fill her lungs. Everything hurt. Her entire body screamed in pain.

He kept laughing.

At some point, he stopped. She wasn’t sure if he stopped or she passed out, but the sound stopped. Then everything hurt again, like it was fresh. Something hit her ribs, and she screamed. The pain was so intense she thought she was going to be sick.

She bounced. A car? Something. She was hot, sick, and couldn’t breathe. She wasn’t going to survive, and all he was going to do was laugh.

She was in and out of consciousness, trying to figure out where she was, but she couldn’t piece enough together. He was driving her somewhere. It seemed like it was taking a long time, but it could have been a few minutes.

“Too much to drink,” he said.

She groaned, trying to figure out what he was talking about. They were moving again. Walking. Sort of. He was half-dragging her.

Inside. They were in a hallway. Going toward a door.

Her apartment. He was taking her to her apartment. She could wait him out, then get help. Call someone. Run.

He unlocked her door and ushered her inside. She tripped, nearly falling. She had no strength. No energy. She had to fight back. Get away. Get help.

“You’re not going to get help,” he said.

Had she spoken out loud, or could he read her mind?

“No, if you go anywhere, you might tell someone what you know. And that would be really bad.”

She stumbled again, tripping over her own feet.

He lifted her. Her arm was thrown over his shoulders, giving him all the advantage. They got almost to the couch, and she tripped once more.

With her body half on the ground, he lifted his foot and stomped on her ankle.

The crunch was almost as bad as the pain that made her head spin. She tried to scream, but all her other injuries stopped her from making any noise. Bile rose in her throat, but she choked it back. Throwing up would hurt more.

“Now you can’t run away. No one is going to find you. And everything you know will die with you. Nice knowing you, Agent Sloane.”

He dropped her on the couch and walked out, closing the door quietly and leaving her alone with her pain to keep her company.

A door closed somewhere, and she opened her mouth to yell. Instead of mind-numbing pain, a sound came out. A shout that woke her up.

“A dream,” she breathed.

Lorelei looked around the strange room. Darkness surrounded her. Panic settled in as her eyes adjusted and her memory came back.

Hotel.

Karli and Cade.

Vinnie.

Lorelei drew a deep breath. It hurt, but not as badly as it had in the dream she had.