Page 98 of Saving Grace

I finished up and pulled my panties and pajamas back on and walked out the bathroom. He caught my arm and hauled me back into the bathroom.

“You can call me Ric.”

“As in Ricardo? I’m thinking you look Italian and you called mecara.”

His smile was wolfish. “You’re fishing for information.”

Ric started unbuttoning my pajama top. My hands shot up and gripped his wrists. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I was right.” His eyes grew cold, as a muscle in his jaw ticked. “You’re playing me.”

“Ric, I … you’re going too fast.” I licked my lips and stared at his mouth. He inhaled sharply.

I needed to try a different tack. “I’m in love with my husband,” I said and cried out as his fingers gripped my hair and yanked it back. The anger in his eyes almost made me swallow my tongue, but I had to remain steady. “But I’m pragmatic.” I ended in a pained gasp when his other hand circled my neck and squeezed. “I’ll do what you ask, but this is not the way to make me love you,” I added desperately.

He lowered his furious face to mine. “I don’t need your love.”

“What do you want from me then?” I whispered.

The anger in his face lessened as his eyes seared into mine. “I want to drown in those beautiful green eyes, cara. I want to hear you scream my name as I make you feel pain and pleasure. I want this.”

He captured my lips, shoving his tongue inside my mouth in a brutal kiss. Bending me backwards over the sink. He kept his hands where they were and his grip tightened around my neck, his fingers yanking my head back further by the hair. Tears prickled my eyes with the pain in my scalp; my breathing fractured as my airway constricted. But he didn’t seem to care, seemingly taking pleasure in my continued asphyxiation.

I struggled, clawing at his back as he pushed me almost horizontal on the sink. My hand found the switchblade in his pocket. The edges of my vision started to dim. My throat and hair were released and his hand went to my wrist, but he was too late. I’d managed to plunge the blade into his side.

I gulped in oxygen.

He cursed and intensified his grip on my wrist until I had to let go and leave the weapon embedded in his side. I pulled back my legs and shoved my feet against his chest, sending him flying through the bathroom door and into the bedroom.

“Shit. Shit. Shit!” I shouted as I jumped off the sink and ran into the room. I glanced around wildly, spotting a lamp. I yanked its cord from the socket, plunging the room into the dim light of dawn. Picking up my improvised weapon, I smashed it on Ric’s head.

He fell back groaning, and I thought about grabbing the knife from his side. However, he swept his arm out as if to grab my foot, so I leapt out of his way and sprinted out of the room. I closed the door and realized it was bolted from the outside. I slid it closed and locked the motherfucker inside. That should buy me a little time at least. His roar of fury raised the little hairs on my nape as I tried to shake off the murder burning in his eyes when I escaped him.

I looked both ways down the hallway and saw two doors on each side.

“Is anyone here?” I yelled. I had no time to search room to room.

“Who’s there?” An answering voice yelled.

Damn it. It looked like it came from the end of the hallway away from the open room which was likely a kitchen. I ran to that room and unlocked the bolt. I switched on the light and was jarred by the sight of the man, bloody, blindfolded and tied to a chair.

I knew that man.

“Elliot?”

“Grace, is that you?”

“Oh my God, he got you too?” I yanked the blindfold from his face.

“Where is he?” he asked urgently.

“I knocked him down and locked him in a room, but I don’t know if he’s going to be down for long,” I said, desperately looking around the room for something to cut the flex ties. “Can you break out of them?”

Elliot looked defeated. “He beat me bad, Grace. I don’t have any energy left.”

“Okay, hold on.” I resisted the urge to shake him and tell him to snap out of it. I dashed out of the room, hesitating briefly past where I’d locked Ric and made it to the kitchen. I searched all the drawers, finding a paring knife and a set of car keys, but no other weapons.

When I passed my former bedroom again, I heard something ram against its door. I nearly thought of abandoning Elliot and just make a run for it, but I’d probably pissed Ric off so much he’d probably take it out on my boss. Pushing all other thoughts aside, I ran back to where Elliot was and closed the door and looked at other escape routes. There were boarded up windows. It appeared we’d been held in an old ranch house so we didn’t have to leap through any second story windows.