Page 129 of Implode

“Oh, I tried to pay her off to break you both up. It didn’t work, so I had to hatch another plan. This one. But hey doll, look on the bright side. Nic broke you in for me. Enjoy your last moments of freedom, because I’m going to have so much fun tying you to my bed and never letting you stop spreading your legs. There’s something extremely sexy about a pregnant woman. I can already tell your tits are coming to life, which is good for me because”—he leans in closer, placing his tongue against the shell of my ear—“I’m a boob man.”

Dan pulls me by my arm and pushes me into the hallway. I cover my ears as he breaks open the fire supply box and releases the axe. He pulls open an interior door and hacks through any locks or glass barriers he finds standing in his way.

“Where are we going?” I ask, out of breath from trying to keep up with the pace. “Through the main entrance? Someone is going to see. Plus, if you have any chance of getting me out of here without being followed, you better get the tracking devices off of me. You know Nic probably plants them in my shoes and in all my jewelry and probably has one on my phone. The man is crazy possessive of me. He wants to know where I’m at all the time. I just recently discovered his whole obsession, and I lost it on him. Didn’t change anything. Nic does whatever Nic wants.”

Dan tugs me into a dark alcove and runs his nasty eyes over my body. He makes me feel dirty without even touching me. “Why are you even telling me this? Don’t you want him to find you?”

“No, not anymore,” I say flatly. “I don’t want him hurt. I don’t wantanyonehurt. I’ll go willingly with you if you promise not to cause physical harm to anyone else. We can call it a sacrifice of one person to save hundreds.”

Dan’s eyes narrow at mine. I hold his gaze so I can try to portray that I am being honest—even though I would rather die than be his sex slave. That’s what I’d be, too, if he gets me out of this building alive. He’ll fulfill the horror he just described and keep me as his prisoner.

But this isn’t just about me. It is about my unborn child as well. I have to be smart about this if I’m going to be able to escape.

“Aww,” Dan coos, “you are so noble.”

“It’s obvious that someone is going to get hurt during all of this. Promise me you’ll protect this baby, and I’ll do whatever you want. But you’d be neglectful if you didn’t at least try to get all of the items off me that a GPS could be hiding inside. It’s not like Nic would ever tell me where he stashes his trackers. I just know he has them on me. There’ve been too many coincidences where he showed up where I was and acted like it was a random occurrence. I mean, his brother runs this jewelry company, so I can only assume they are in my belly piercing or”—I try my best to blush, while looking away—“my nipple rings. Mainly because I never take those ones out since he had the pair made special for me.”

Dan’s eyes light up. “I always knew you’d be a fun one.”

I shrug, trying to act the role he has me pegged to play. “Some extra bling doesn’t make me a slut.”

“But it sure separates you from the prudes.”

I swallow hard. “Maybe.” The only thing pierced on me are my ears. But those won’t allow for the removal of this damn vest. This is my only plan. My only hope.

“I know I can make you love me someday.”

I give a weak smile. “Only time will tell.”

I wait for Dan’s expression to change from indifference to hope. He pushes my back against the wall and tucks his gun in his waistband, while tossing the axe to the floor. He first starts pulling out my diamond studs that were a beautiful gift from Angie, making the backings scatter from his roughness. I barely had a chance to enjoy them before Dan trashes them with his evil touch. His hands reach around my back and carefully rip the Velcro straps that are securing the explosives vest to my body. As soon as the garment meets the floor, I double over in pain.

“Ahhh,” I groan, holding my belly. I let out a scream of agony.

“What?” he demands. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s the baby.”

“What? How?” Dan asks, hovering over me to see if he can see anything as to why I am writhing in pain.

And then I act. I thrash my head up, connecting right with his nose. Blood spatters from his face, hitting the wall like angry crimson raindrops. I knee him in the groin and grab the axe with both hands. Whirling it around like a windmill, I crack it against his legs. He deflects just in time, and I only seem to graze him from the force, tearing through the fabric of his jumpsuit pants and slicing what I assume is the top layer of his skin.

But I move.

I bolt through the barely lit hallways, hopefully making my way toward the lobby. I can hear Dan barreling toward me, his panting and painful groans echoing through my ears.

He is going to catch me. And then he is going to make my death a thousand times worse than if I would have just stayed.

I need to get away. I can stay and die, or run and try.

So I run.

And run.

And run.

And I never look back.

The air gets caught in my throat making it impossible to scream or to give warning to my whereabouts. I can hear the sound of the police guiding people out of the building in hushed tones, but I can’t get myself to find their location. I run toward a metal door and it is chained off, keeping me locked in a maze with a deranged madman.

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