Page 172 of Devil Mine

But the reality is that I don’t know where Marco is. He said he was coming here to—

I can’t bear to think the words. But he’s coming. He could be on the other side of that door as we speak, or just down the hall. If I move too soon, I could sentence myself to a fate worse than simply death.

So I make the impossible decision to fight against my body’s instincts and I stay.

I don’t move.

I remain in the uncomfortable position in which Julio carelessly dropped me on the bed, my torso half twisted onto the mattress, my arm caught under my body, in case there are any cameras on me.

I stay and I wait for the man who’s going to try to rape me.

Time feels like it drags on forever. The seconds tick ominously on by, accompanied by the hollow knock of my pulse. I don’t waste a single moment though. I use the time to retreat back into my mind, to remember the self defense lessons I’ve had with Thiago.

I’m going to need them.

The door opens once more, bringing with it a new wave of fear. Dread opens a gaping pit in my belly as alarm bells go off inside me, warning me that I’m in danger. I don’t dare open my eyes for fear that he’ll see me. But I don’t need to. I can smell him.

Marco.

He’s in the room with me.

The door closes behind him with a decisive click.

I’m trapped with a monster.

“Still unconscious,” he notes silkily. He sounds thrilled by the discovery. “I prefer it when they fight, but we’ve got time for that.” I hear him advance on me. “For now, it’ll make the first time easier.”

His hand comes down on my thigh and it takes every ounce of my self-control not to jerk at his touch.

Wait. I need towait.

To find the perfect moment to strike.

Hardest parts of my body against the softest parts of his.

He grabs the hem of my skirt. A loud ripping noise tears through the silence.

His hand moves higher up my thigh until he touches the hem of my panties.

Disgust roils violently in my stomach. Bile rises into my throat, threatening to make an appearance.

Marco grabs my shoulders and turns me over so that I’m flat on my back. His putrid breath falls on my face.

And then he gets closer, arrogant in his confidence and incapable of resisting relishing in his victory.

“I’m going to enjoy desecrating the woman Thiago da Silva loves most in the world.”

He relishes too early.

My eyes blink open only long enough to see the stunned look in his gaze, and then I slam my forehead into his nose.

The loudcrunchthat follows is the most satisfying noise I’ve ever heard.

Marco howls in agony. His hands fly to his face where blood spurts freely from his nose.

Unlike him, I don’t rest on my laurels.

I take advantage of his surprise and the fact that he’s released me and sit up to get more leverage. And then I pull my leg back as much as I can and swing it back up, hammering my shin right into his balls as hard as I can.

---