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His breath fans across my face, stinking of garlic and onion and coffee.

As he shoves me backwards, he hisses, “If you say a word, I’ll kill you.”

Then something jabs into my arm. It’s sharp. Painful. Terrifying.

He drugged me.

NO.

Never in my life have I been this scared.

All the terrible things he could do flash by on fast forward.

Assault. Kidnapping. Death.

Fear explodes inside me.

But right after, a surge of rage.

How dare he try to hurt me. Take me away from Oliver and Niall and Jade.

A rush of anger thaws my muscles.

I won’t let him.

Whatever he has planned for me, it’s not going to happen.

But I’m already inside my house.

I try to dig my heels in, to push back at him, but it’s a fruitless effort. He’s just too strong.

NO.

I have to do something.

Horrified, I watch him reach for the doorknob.

As my mouth opens to scream, he slaps a meaty hand over it. “What did I say about making a sound?”

Wait.

The pepper spray.

I have to do this now, before it’s too late. Before this awful man gets the door closed. Before whatever he injected me with starts to kick in.

On a silent prayer, I whip the canister out and spray it right in his face.

Please.

I’ve never done this before.

Please let it work.

It does.

With a pained yowl, he lets go of my mouth. Claps his hand to his eyes. “You bitch!”

I shove him as hard as I can in the direction of the door, yelling, “Get out, get out, get out!”