She heard the door behind her.Someone else had come onto this level. It's okay. It's okay. Justsomeone else going to his vehicle. She wanted to look, but focused on walkingto her car as quickly as she could.
A hand yanked her back. Her heartleaped into her throat and she cried out as arms encircled her from behind in alung-squeezing grip.
Chapter5
Marli's heart galloped wildly in herchest. She gave a choked gasp, instinctively dug her fingers into the arms andtried to pry them off her. She opened her mouth, tried to scream as loud as shecould, raw sound scraping over her throat as she struggled furiously againstthe power of his restraining arms. Oh, Jesus, no, no! She couldn'tbreathe. Her keys were in her hand, but she couldn't get them into position touse them. She was going to die. Or was he going to rape her? Oh, God, thiscould not be happening.
"Here," she squawked."My purse..." If he wanted money, he could have money. But he knockedthe purse to the ground without releasing her and dragged her toward thestairwell.
You weren't supposed to fight. Youwere just supposed to give them the money. But he didn't want money. Oh,God.
She was not going to die without afight. Krista had fought.
She tried to dig her heels into theconcrete, but they just scraped across it as he pulled her. A strangled cryescaped her. The man grunted as he tried to avoid her flailing arms and kickingfeet, but he was stronger than she was. He said nothing, just yanked at her.Pain seared from her shoulder down her arm, and she cried out again. She foughtharder, with frantic energy, crying out with pain and effort and fear.
"Hey!"
Someone else was there. Was he thereto help her--or to help the mugger?
An even bigger man dragged theattacker off her, and with an impressive swing, crunched the guy's jaw. Herattacker staggered back a step, making a rough sound. The other man drew backto hit again. The mugger swung an arm up, broke the other's grip on his jacket,turned and fled, his uneven footsteps echoing in the garage.
"Marli, are you okay?"Trey stood in front of her.
She gasped for breath, standingthere in stunned disbelief.
"Should I go after him?"
She shook her head. Yes. No. God.The adrenaline shooting through her veins made her weak and dizzy.
He grabbed her shoulders."Marli? Did he hurt you?"
She just kept staring, wide-eyed, aquivering mass of nerves, everything dark and twirling around her.
"I'm..." Her knees startedto buckle, and Trey caught her.
"Shit, Marli." He held herup against his big, warm body. "Where are you hurt? Should I take you tothe hospital?" One handed lifted her chin to see her face. "Marli!Talk to me."
"I'm not hurt," shemanaged to mumble. "I'm...okay."
She wasn't okay. She was a mess. Herarm throbbed, her stomach tossed and she thought she might throw up or passout. She put a hand to her mouth. Her stomach heaved and her mouth filled withsaliva.
"Jesus." He turned heraway from him, held her hips as she bent over and retched painfully, emptingher stomach onto the concrete floor of the garage.
She felt him fumbling, then he had acell phone and was calling the police.
"Don't even bother," shesaid weakly, eyes closed against the sight of her vomit on the floor, stillbent over. "They won't do anything." She rubbed cold, sweaty palmsover her face.
Yes, they will." She listenedto him report the incident in a calm, professional tone. Then he handed tophone to her. "You're going to have to talk to them. They need detailsfrom you that I don't know. Your last name, address..."
She took the phone, and somehow hewas handing her a crumpled tissue he'd pulled from his jacket pocket. She wipedfirst her eyes, wet from watering while she'd heaved her guts out, then hermouth. She spoke to the police, trying to remember her own name and address.
When she was done, she carefullyflipped his phone closed and handed it back to him.
"I have to go in tomorrow tomake a statement," she said. "I told you not to bother. It was thesame last night."
"What happened lastnight?" he asked sharply.
She pushed her hair back wearily."I want to go home," she said, her voice small and despicablyquavery.
"I'll take you home." Hisvoice was rough. "Where's your car?"
She pointed to her Sebringconvertible. "I almost made it," she said sadly, letting him lead herto the car. "I was so afraid..."
He tried to put her in the passengerseat, but she resisted. "No! You're not coming with me."
"Yes, I am."
This time he wasn't letting her pushhim away. It should have scared her, but instead she wanted to let him take charge,let him look after her.
"No," she protested again,this time more weakly. "I can't go home with a stranger. I don't even knowyou."
"Marli, I'm a cop. Some guyjust jumped you. I'm coming with you."
She stared into his eyes. How didshe know he was really a cop? But the intensity and power of his gaze comfortedher. She swallowed hard, still shaking. For a long moment, thoughts ran throughher head, one crazy idea chasing another until finally she knew she had tolisten to her instincts. While her brain kept saying no, for a million rationalreasons, her heart was telling her this man was solid and trustworthy.
"Okay." She slumped intothe passenger seat. When he went around and got into the driver's seat, heleaned over and did her seatbelt up for her. Then he adjusted the driver'sseat, pushing it back as far as it would go to allow for his long legs.
When he got to the exit, the gatewas up and the parking lot attendant wasn't
