Page 137 of Vicious Hearts

“Hello?”

I hear the slightest sound, somewhere to my right, which Ithinkcould be back in the direction of the front door, and my blood turns to ice. I whirl, panting heavily. I scrabble at my jeans pocket before realizing I’ve left my phone on the kitchen counter.

I go still, trying not to freak the fuck out as I strain to hear a single thing.

The slight noise comes again.

Like a…footstep?

I gasp, spinning again as devils and demons dance through my imagination, reaching out for me through the blackness.

“I…” I shiver. “Cillian?”

There’s no answer.

“Cillian, this isn’t fucking funny!”

The sound comes from behind me. I jolt, my throat closing as I stab my eyes into the gloom.

I stiffen.

Something’sdefinitelythere.

“Cillian?”

I move forward slowly, feeling my way, torn between wanting to know what’s out there and being terrified to actually touch something. My breath comes quick and short, the hairs on the back of my arms and my neck standing up.

“Cillian, is that—”

I bump into the sofa.

The tension floods out of me with my breath as I shove my fingers through my hair.

“I’m losing my fucki—”

I’m grabbed from behind.

The hit comes so fast it’s like my body doesn’t even remember to scream. Or maybe I can’t, not with my heart crammed into my throat.

Strong, powerful arms wrap around me, gripping me and brutally shoving me down over the arm of the couch. Adrenaline and pure fear explode through my system as I choke, my face pressed into the leather of the couch cushions.

When I hear the jangle of a belt being undone, my eyes bulge. I scream, but the sound is cut off when a meaty hand clamps hard over my mouth. Another hand shoves roughly under me, and I scream and thrash as I feel it deftly pop the button of my jeans.

Holy God.

Screaming into the hand and drowning in adrenaline and fear, I kick back. But my attacker is far too strong, and I whimper as I feel a knee slam into the back of my leg, pinning it to the couch. He grabs the back of my jeans and my panties, and an agonizing scream wrenches from my throat as he yanks them roughly down over my ass and down to my knees.

“Scream for me.”

Everything goes still.

Holy. Fucking. SHIT.

The man roughly manhandling me and shoving me over the couch isCillian.

I jolt as his palm slaps my ass hard.

“Scream. For. ME.”

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