Page 82 of Dublin's Danger Dancer

“Even?”

He stands up and walks over to me. He boxes me up against the cold stucco stone wall of the barn. “Do you think it’s wise to make me angry?”

“You won’t hurt me.”

“How can you be so sure? You’ve read my file. I’ve got away with murder before.”

Blades stab at my throat.

“I’m pregnant.”

He laughs and shakes his head. “You really think I’m a feckin’ eejit, don’t ya? The time you were sick, when the fire alarm went off.” he says, looking down at my stomach.

“I wasn’t sick then because I’m pregnant.”

“Then why were you sick?”

“It doesn’t matter. But I am, pregnant. We had unprotected sex in Morocco. My period is always on time and it’s late. I took a test and it was positive.”

“I assumed you were on the pill.”

I exhale slowly. “I’m not.”

“Well, God, I mean, I…I, this is fantastic,” he says, light suddenly entering his eyes.

He looks down at me and lifts my chin to his. His lips press against mine so lightly as if his wondering if I’m a land mine he might step on and explode.

“Despite everything, I meant what I said yesterday before the casino.”

I kiss him back. This time hungrier and with force. “I want to feel you,” I say, pulling him into me.

He parts his legs and pulls at the zipper on his trousers.

He pulls his cock out. It throbs as he rubs it. He lifts me around his hips, pressing me into the wall.

“I want to feel you in my mouth,” I say, seizing my opportunity.

Hurriedly, he stands back and pushes me to my knees. God, men were stupid.

I open my mouth, plunge into him and bite him hard at the base and punch him hard in the balls. He topples on top of me.

I wrestle him to the ground.

“You bitch!” he says as I lunge at his throat, pinning him to the floor, but he’s too strong. He pushes me back.

My hands are reaching for a brick laying near us. Finally, I feel its hard edges. With one swift motion. I bring the brick cracking down over his skull and he rolls off me.

I get to my feet quickly. I crouch down by him and check for a pulse. He is still breathing. Just knocked unconscious.

I pick up my things and dress, pulling the sequin dress back on but only able to do it up to the middle of my back.

I haul him onto the bed and fix new cable ties onto his wrist. I knew he knew the truth about Harry and as soon as he woke up I was going to get out of him.

When I return to what I now, realise was a derelict outhouse of an old farm, Liam is stirring awake. “Hi there, sleepyhead.” I say placing my bag of goodies down the table, where earlier he demanded I dance for him.

“Now you’re awake. We can test out all the new toys I’ve found around the farm. There’s rope, which I know you like. It’s part of a combine harvester.” I hold up the twisted metal spikes. “Looks like less fun, but I’m sure you’ll find a way to enjoy it. And I even found an axe. We can play eenie miney mo with your toes.”

“What the fuck do you want from me?” He says low and seething. He tries to sit up but realises both of his hands are tied to the metal bedpost.

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