Page 87 of High-Priority Asset

Worse, she had to sell him on her performance as she kissed him back. Her stomach roiled. With her right hand, she stroked his hair and her fingers found the strange strands of the wig. She groped for her purse with her left hand, gently, quietly, trying not to disturb the plastic and draw his attention to what she was doing.

Chad undid his belt and unzipped his pants, the distinct sounds slicing through her ears, echoing in her soul. He lowered his full weight on her, pinning her to the bed.

Hot bile welled in her throat. The backs of her eyes stung with tears, but she surrendered herself to the kiss. To survive, she had to.

Her fingers snagged soft leather. She reeled it closer, drawing the zipper open more.

Chad’s hands wandered, up her skirt, cupping her butt, groping her breast. She shuddered in revulsion.

God, please get me out of this. Tears leaked from her eyes.

She dug her hand in her bag and rummaged for the baton.

“I missed this, Isabel. Missed us.” His eyes burned with his obsession. “I just want it to go back to the way it was.”

She cringed. The fear he’d cultivated in her over the past several months bloomed, like nightshade in the darkness. Invasive vines, strangling, poisoning, blocking out the sunlight and smothering every good thing.

Don’t give up! Don’t let him win!

Her fingers grasped the baton. She pulled it from her purse and swung with all her might.

Crack!

The shaft of the baton struck hard against the side of Chad’s head, knocking him off her. Isabel kicked him, hard, with both feet, propelling him to the floor.

She launched herself up from the bed, holding the Pacifier and leaving her purse. She ran to the door, grabbed the knob and pulled.

It didn’t budge. The door was stuck. For a split second she thought of Dutch.

She tried the door again. Still nothing. She looked around, frantic to get out.

There was a doorstop wedged under the door.

Plastic squeaked as Chad righted himself. Isabel bent down and wiggled the rubber stopper. Desperation sizzled in her blood. She wrenched it from under the door.

As she stood, Chad charged toward her.

No!

She yanked the door handle.

The safety latch at the top caught and the door wouldn’t open.

Chad was almost on her.

Her heart was hammering so fast that she could barely breathe. She flicked the switch on the stun baton, heard the crackle of electricity and lunged at him. Chad snatched the grab guard and an electric current flooded his body. His muscles spasmed and his eyes rolled up into the back of his head. She jammed the prods into his neck. He lost his balance, crumpling to the floor. Then she held on for a couple of seconds longer to be sure he was down.

Isabel flipped the safety latch off and threw open the door. She pressed across the threshold to the stairwell. Ran back downstairs one flight barefoot. But the stun baton slipped from her hand over the railing. It clattered along the descent several flights below.

Damn it.

She bolted onto her floor and dashed to her room. “Will?” Isabel pounded on the door. “Will!”

Was he still unconscious?

Adrenaline propelling her, she hurried for the elevator. She glanced over her shoulder, looking for Chad. The stun baton wouldn’t immobilize him for long.

She slapped the button, summoning a car.