Page 12 of Stalked

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WHEN I AWOKE,my car was at the bottom of a ditch on the side of the road. I looked around, and the only way I could see to get out of the car was through the shattered window. I felt the warmth of blood pumping from my forehead and dripping over my left eye, and my sight began to blur.

No. No. No, this isn’t happening.

I looked through the window, assessing the surrounding environment, trying to figure out where I was or if there were any passersby I could call out to. My car was on its left side, leaning against a small tree that had nearly been knocked down when I crashed. I tried to move, even just an inch, but I couldn’t. My left leg was lodged between the dashboard and my seat. My ankle was stuck, and I thought about moving it slightly back and forth to wiggle out of my shoe. When I went to move my foot to get free, a sudden surge of excruciating pain shot up my leg. I let out a scream of pain and twisted my body to see what had happened to my leg. A closer examination revealed a cracked piece of plastic from the dashboard had pierced into my calf. Blood was pouring from the puncture wound, and the plastic shard was lodged fairly deep in my skin.

Shit!

“Help!” I screamed as loudly as I could. “Someone, help me!”

My head spun, and there was a tight pinch in my chest. It was as if I had to think about every breath I took, and the rapid breathing caused my lips to tingle.

Great, I’m having another panic attack.

My lungs suddenly felt clogged, and I desperately gasped for air.

Slow breaths, Mercy. You can do this.

As I tried again to move my leg out of its stuck position, I heard a snap in my ankle. A new, fiery burst of pain rocketed up my leg, stealing the breath out of my lungs.

“Fuck!” Tears stung my eyes. “Oh my God, this isn’t happening.” My body ached from head to toe, and I felt that at any moment, I would pass out from the amount of blood I felt pouring out of my leg.

I managed to drag my foot out from under the dashboard, crying out in pain as the pressure increased on my bloody calf and broken ankle. The adrenaline coursing through my body was starting to wear off, and I could feel myself getting colder and colder. I gripped my arms until I could see marks on my skin from my nails. Anything to draw away from the pain.

At this point, I could barely move. There was no way I was getting out of the ditch. I tried looking for my cell phone, but it had fallen from my purse and was nowhere to be seen. Defeated, I tilted my head back, staring at the leaves hanging above me, trying to ignore the sticky feeling of the blood running down my leg.

The small hope that someone would see my car and help me had vanished.

Someone, please find me.

Suddenly, I heard movement from behind my car, causing me to look back through the window. But no one was there. The slight movement had sent another wave of pain. I bit down hard on my bottom lip, attempting to breathe through it.

I heard a small, barely audible breath from right outside my door. My eyes blurred at the pain when the door flew off the hinges, causing the car to shake. I glanced at the metal door lying on the forest floor.

The hell?

A sudden movement caught my eye, and I tried to follow it, but I could only move so much. I watched as an arm came into the car and reached toward me. I waited for them to speak or touch me, but instead, they grabbed the piece of plastic and yanked. It was gentle and fast, completely removing the plastic from my leg. The movement sent another wave of nausea and pain through me as I watched more blood pouring out of the gushing wound. My eyes began to close as the pain was too much to bear.

I forced myself to look over at the person who appeared to be a man. At least, I think they were—everything seemed so blurred. In an instant, I felt strong, muscular arms wrap around me, bringing me tight against a hard and flat chest. The touch was gentle as he cradled me to his body, lifting me out of my seat.

Yes, they are most definitely a man.

The musky scent made my head spin into a euphoric daze. The heat from his skin warmed my own, and a sudden comfort surrounded me like a relaxing, soothing bath.

My eyes blinked open, focusing on the arm in front of me, and I noticed a flame-shaped tattoo above his right wrist. The stranger laid me gently on the ground, releasing his hold on me.

I still hadn’t looked up. “Thank you.” My voice didn’t sound like my own. “I’m pretty sure my ankle broke—”

“Why aren’t you healing?” The man’s voice was steady, his nails gingerly gliding down my arm into a tender caress.

Goosebumps spread along my wrist to my shoulder as he ran his calloused hand along my soft skin. He reached my neck, weaving his fingers under my hair and against my scalp, taking hold of the back of my neck to keep me from falling back.

The stranger’s heavy breath fanned my skin as he said, “Mercy!” My name on his tongue was spoken with such urgency,

He knows me.

That knowledge caused my spine to involuntarily stiffen.

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