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She stopped struggling, searching her brain for any clue to his identity But as h haze and confusion, she found no answers Fear rose up in her and she couldn’t suppress a ht in a trap
The guy straightened and turned He wore a large bulky coat, ure ht, which led with her terrified face He pulled the tape from her mouth and the adhesive pulled bits of the skin on her lips She tasted blood
“Surprised to see ain?”
The raspy voice sent a chill snaking down her spine In the di and his beard appeared fake Slasses obscured his eyes
She winced, ue “You were in the bar”
“Yes”
If she hadn’t been trying so hard to ignore hied me”
“Yes”
“Why?”
“Makes you loved hand he pushed up her shirt, exposing her flat belly
“What are you doing?” Her white flesh quivered with fear
Gently, he smoothed his hand over the pale skin “So pretty and clean But we both know that you aren’t clean, are you?”
“I’irl”
“No, you are not ”
Her mind reeled Make a connection Let this freak see that I’m a person “I have a family Parents A child”
He circled an index finger around her belly button “You haven’t seen any of the time None of them want you”
The words clawed at her insides He was right She’d lost contact with theht words that would cause delay “Someone was upstairs! Someone knows you are here They know I am here”
“ He’s trussed up like a pig for slaughter I’ll deal with him after you ”
Tears welled in her eyes “Please let ine? A thief breaking into this house, tonight of all nights Talk about ties of his beard “You can scream if you want”
Her heart haht train Tears spilled down her cheeks “I’ to scream”
The guy cocked his head “Why not? You’ve reason to scream”
Oh, God Please “I won’t screa small yellowed teeth “We shall see”
Words tangled with fear and caught in her throat “What do you want?” “You”
“Why? I’m nobody You said so yourself My family doesn’t want me I’m not worth the time” “No, you’re special”
Special That’s what her stepfather used to say My special little girl, it’ll be our secret, won’t it? “What do you want? ”
“Not much really All you have to do is lie still” Gloved hands stroked her hair, the heavy-handed gesture pulling hard against her blond curls
She winced “I want to leave”
“No”
Panic rose up in her throat “People will miss me”
“No they won’t”
With quick, angry strokes, the guy jabbed a metal rod into the embers Finally, he raised the tip out of the fla star-shaped tip A four-pointed star
Me her to re to do
with that?”
“You remember the star, don’t you?”
“What are you talking about?”
“The star And The Secret”
Memories elbowed to the front of her mind “No, I don’t remember,” she lied
“Liar ”
“No, I swear” She squir only tightened their hold
He adjusted his sunglasses as he stared at the glowing red star “I promise you before I’m done, it’ll be burned in your memory”
Sobs fueled her hysteria “Please, I don’t want to remember”
He knelt beside her, the coarse fabric of his pants brushing her hip “Your job is to send a e to the others”
The others “You don’t know about the others”
“I surely do I surely do And soon everyone will know of their betrayal” The scent of hotup the old sin buried under a decade of wine and denial
“Please” Her gaze locked on the red tip of the brand and every muscle in her body tensed with terror
“Starlight, star bright; the first star I see tonight I wish I ht”
And then he touched the hot brand to her stomach The metal seared into her flesh Instantly, pain robbed her of breath and she couldn’t squeak out a sound Every nerve in her body convulsed When he pulled the brand away, the pain lingered Her heart slaony
Glasses hid her tormentor’s eyes, but a twitch of his lips betrayed a euphoric joy as if thisdenied “When I’m done, they’ll see you and they’ll know it’s time to atone”
Her lungs contracted, sucking in air
She screaht in a trap
Chapter 1
Monday, April 3, 9:15 PM
“What are you doing?” Eva whispered
The fear in her voice fueled his excite fla a Rising Star Now you’ll have it with you forever ”