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I vibrated, bounced, shaking with need Oh God, he was so close I could feel his bite in s, hoonderful it would be in his arain Allwashed away All I needed was Enrique Nothing could keep us apart this side of death

‘Ding’, the elevator chi into orbit I hit the front door to the penthouse, bouncing off when I couldn’t slon I punched in the door code over and over until the electronic locks clicked open I knew exactly where to find him – his office

I slipped and slid on the polished hardwood floors as I raced to hih his office door, I saw hiht me up in that inhuht hours of hell, I was hoainst all odds I had , "Hope caoner, but Hope carim I didn’t care He could scowl atelse mattered He started to ask, "What the hell happened …"

I interrupted hi to catch my breath "Biteonto my black and blue, bruised neck with those wonderful little razor-sharp fangs Heavenly euphoria All the pain, worry, fear, degradation, anxiety washed away in a tsunami of euphoria "Oh God I love you so much" I blathered as I ave me a moment to collect myself and then the questions started "What happened Hope? Who did this to you? Where have you been?"

I started to regain soure out where to begin "Arana … he … beat me … raped me … I was tied up It was Lia! She did it!" I didn’t make much sense

"What’s all this business about Arana? What does Lia have to do with it? She said you left her at the Blue Smoke!"

"It was Lia! She called Arana She set me up! He’s one of Faustino’s Traquetos He tried to killto you!"

At the point I’d caught h to speak coherently, I picked up on Lia’s thoughts She was nearby and co in fast By the tih the office door She had her tiny little twenty-two pistol in one hand, and a huge chef’s knife in the other She stood five feet away, pistol aimed at the back of Enrique’s head

She wanted to kill me Enrique’s authority blocked her The only option left was to kill hier and I screamed, "No!" as I shoved Enrique down

Wired on adrenaline and high on venoht Enrique went flying across the room sprawled on his back Her first shot missed, but she adjusted her aim and fired over and over I saw one shot nail hi at the top of , I had tackled Lia We both went down in a tu across the floor I couldn’t think of anything but stopping her I couldn’t let her take Enrique froot hirappled, spinning and flopping I rolled to the top position, punched her in the nose, and went for her eyes Then I felt sorabbed her wrist to stop her, but she was so daer than a ed in and out, over and over, fast andh the air backwards, snatched up froainst the steel file cabinet A real bell ringer My vision blurred, doubled, wouldn’t focus I saw a shadowy blur of Enrique and Lia grappling on the floor I tried to get up The world tilted and spun Game over for me I collapsed, my vision turned black My life bled out onto the beautiful, custom hardwood floors as I passed out

Chapter 22

I drea in his arms, bitten over and over My dreams vacillated between scenes of wonderful ecstasy and periods of agony My whole body ached and throbbed, and h branded with an iron I’d press a button and the pain would die down, but it was ever present beneath the surface, lurking, waiting to return as soon as the button medicine wore off Enrique disappeared for hours at a ti to ht wounds, lidless He caught up to me and held me down Lia came and stabbed ht for Arana to coain Maybe he’d kill led with the cords wrapped around ed her to untie , he’ll kill us both if I don’t get away I told her helpwas fine, and then she pressed the ic button The pain and anxiety drifted away

Mostly I dreamt of Enrique I told him how much I loved him, how much I missed him He’d hold me He kissed me where it hurt and the pain went away When he left Ito ine my world without him