AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ana could only watch dizzily.
How had he found her? There had been no one around when she’d snuck down here; she had made sure of it. But this was a highly-trained man. Only the most experienced guards were hired by elite families like theirs, and he had demonstrated that prowess by deftly cornering her on many occasions before. The open hallways had saved her then. Here, however, she lay trapped.
“Your bedroom is right next to so many others,” he remarked offhandedly, confusing her. “All you did was go there or to the dining room. Every. Single. Time. The damn pattern never broke.” A frustrated huff puffed out of him. “I just needed you to change your routine and come away to a more secluded part of the house.”
Ana’s mouth parted.
Realizing his plan fearfully.
He had been goading her by issuing that challenge, always cornering her near her bedroom–making her feel unsafe there, when that’s where she should have remained. All that nonsense about needing to break her pattern…it was a trap.
Ana glanced frantically at the door behind him and then at the far-right window hatch, wondering which one she could reach first. Noticing her gaze, he smirked down at her as he stood patiently, nearly a foot away, waiting for her to act.
Neither option would work. She knew it, and he did too. He had positioned himself cleverly to intercept any escape.
What could she do?
She could scream, but she would be dead–long before anyone reached her.
There was only one other course of action, and the very thought of it made her queasy. But she had to do something to disarm him just long enough to give herself a fighting chance.
Without breaking eye contact, Ana carefully slid her hand behind her back, feeling around the window seat cushions. Her movements were agonizingly clumsy in the darkness, and the sheer panic on her face grew as every second passed. His smile emerged at the sight of her fear, malevolent and smug.
Until it abruptly faded.
His eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Come on, where is it? Come on, come on…
Adrenaline pumped through her with blinding force before it was replaced by unmitigated relief as the cool metal brushed under her fingertips. Just as her hand began to curl around it–
He leaped, trapping the scream in her throat.
“HEL–”
Help!
They went tumbling down in a flurry of clothes and limbs, tangling together as she kicked and punched with all her might. His eyes were menacing as he loomed over her, his hands clamping around her throat. Fuck. The raw strength in his arms was unbearable, making it difficult for any screams to escape.
Ana frantically clawed at the chokehold.
Spots blinded her eyes.
No.
No.
NO.
Please!
Help!
Nothing escaped–no sound, no words. Only ragged gasps as she fought to breathe.
“I’ve waited long enough. You’ve taunted and teased me with your sly looks,” the guard growled into her reddening face, swatting her fragile hands with ease. “It took so long to get a good shot at you…I almost considered giving up. But then you had to go and tattle to your aunt that I’m the one behaving badly.”
Her eyes widened in alarm.
