“I’ll scream. Don’t think I won’t.” I gather all my courage, my throat so dry it hurts to speak.
“Scream all you want, darling. There isn’t a soul in the building.” He twists a piece of my hair around his index finger, and I wince. “Do you know how easy it was to get everyone out for a few hours? All we had to do was go from door to door, claim the landlord sent us, and tell them we suspected there was a gas leak. They didn’t even bat an eye.”
Only then does realization crumple me.
They thought this whole thing through. I’m not strong enough to fight this guy. My only chance is to outsmart him.
“What are you going to do to me?” I quiver in fear.
“We don’t know yet. See, the initial plan was to get rid of you but…” He smirks. “Maybe we don’t have to go to such extremes. Maybe we can get rid of Haze’s feelings for you instead.”
“What does that mean?”
“What do you say you show me how that pretty mouth of yours turned Haze Adams into your little bitch?”
Instant gag reflex.
“What? You screw my leader but not me. A bit unfair, don’t you think?” He shoots me a cocky look.
I have an idea.
“Then I’m free to go?” I bat my eyelashes.
“Yep. I’m sure Haze finding out that I fucked his precious Winter in his bed would do the trick.”
It takes an unparalleled strength for me to crack a giggle, step toward him, and run my hands down his chest.
I pray that I’m believable.
“That’s more like it,” he says, satisfied.
I stand on my tiptoes and whisper in his ear, “I have protection in my backpack. Let me grab it.”
He beams. “I knew there was a reason Haze liked you so much.”
Just like that, he lets me bend down and grab my backpack lying on the floor. Freaking idiot. I unzip my bag and dive my hand deep into it, my fingers searching for it. Where is it?
I know I brought it.
“What’s taking so long? My dick isn’t going to suck itself,” he hisses.
The moment Haze and I shared in this exact spot five days ago haunts me.
“I want you to have this.”
“Pepper spray?”
“Keep it with you at all times, okay?”
I am so glad that I listened to him.
“Why don’t you suck on that?” I spin around and spray the monster in front of me right in the face. He stumbles back a few steps, screaming in agony as he covers his eyes with his hands.
That’s my cue.
I slam the door to Haze’s apartment open and leap into the hall. I know there’s a very good chance the guys I saw outside will be waiting for me, but I don’t care. I have to try.
“You bitch!” I hear him yell as I go down the stairs. The adrenaline kicking in gives me the super speed I so desperately need. I can hear his distant thumping behind me. He’s probably blinder than my great-grandma right now.