Page 28 of Always Right

I should have paid attention.

A soft chime from the door broke through the silence of the gallery and I turned on my heel, walking back to the open space. I didn’t see anyone, but an uncomfortable feeling settled at the pit of my stomach as I walked to the door.

My heart beat heavily as I approached, but it was too late.

A heavy hand covered my mouth, the action muffling a scream that tore from my throat as a strong arm pulled me back into the gallery as if I was nothing but a ragdoll.

The person held me tight, firm against his hard chest and everything around me blurred as he kept me from moving.

I couldn’t see much with my eyes full of tears.

“I don’t plan on hurting you…but don’t you dare fucking scream. Do you understand?”

My heart dropped.

Did no one see him walk in? Did no one notice something was terribly wrong?

“I asked if you understand,” he said, his voice near my ear.

I nodded as best I could, agreeing, but this man was a fool if he thought I wasn’t going to put up a fight. When I had the chance, I would scream. This was New York fucking City. Someone had to hear me.

“We’re going to the office, and you will open up the safe for me, hm? You will give me the laptop.” He shoved me in the direction of the office, his grip around me suffocating. But not for long.

He guided me through the desk and as we approached, his grip around my waist loosened, and I elbowed him and screamed, running toward the door as fast I could.

He muttered a curse, and for a brief second, I thought I would get away.

I was close…so damn close to the door, but I wasn’t fast enough.

His strong grip around my ankle forced me to a sudden stop and I fell to the wooden floor, tasting blood as my face collided against it. The man forced to turn around, this time as he straddled me. He looked down on me, breathing heavily and for a moment…just a brief moment, there was nothing more than our heavy breathing.

“Don’t do this,” I whimpered. “Please don’t hurt me.”

“Then don’t make this difficult.”

He forced me to my feet and dragged me to the safe.

Don’t make me do this.

Please.

“Enter the code. Now.”

I didn’t want to do this to Nathan…but my mind told me to do what I needed to stay alive. My trembling hands entered the code to the safe and when it opened, he looked through it, tossing the money to the side and heading straight to a stack of documents.

“The money is there. What—”

The man glared. “Shut the fuck up and get me the laptop.”

My chest rose and fell with every breath, my adrenaline rising as I saw his attention focused on the documents he was shoving into a bag. But I couldn’t give up.

I took the opportunity and quietly, grabbed my phone, and slid my trembling fingers over the screen. I dialed 911 and began screaming once again.

The man turned around, his eyes wide with disbelief as he wrestled the phone out of my hand and shoved me out of the way. I landed on the desk with a thud, crying out in pain when the corner of the desk dug into my abdomen.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” He hissed, tossing me to the ground. “Are you fucking serious? This wasn’t supposed to be this fucking hard!”

He towered over me, his eyes hard and full of resentment.

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