Chapter Eight
Annika ran down the long corridor that lined the hotel’s lobby and open-air bar area on the building’s spacious first floor.
She’d been in there before, but never for long. Fancy places didn’t want her kind running around. At least that’s what she assumed. So she mostly kept to the shadows, where people wouldn’t notice her.
But worrying about that wasn’t an option right now. She just needed to escape. Surely there was a back door she could get out of. It probably opened up to an alleyway or something and she could follow it to the next street over and then lose the men.
Unfortunately, the corridor just dead-ended at a wall past the bank of elevators.
She could turn around and go left, but that would take her right into the lobby and bar area. Plus, backtracking would force her to face the two pursuers.
That wasn’t an option.
She was out of options.
Icy panic set in. Tears welled in her eyes. It might not matter what they wanted to do to her. As fast as her heart was beating, she might be dead in a few moments, she thought.
Would that be so bad? At least it would spare her whatever unpleasant fate those guys had planned for her.
The dead end in front of her reminded her flight wasn’t an option. She didn’t have it in her to fight. So she froze.
Getting on the ground, she curled into ball, brought her arms up around her head, closed her eyes, and started singing.
The words ofMoon Riversoftly escaped her lips, calming her a bit, as she waited for the inevitable pain to follow.
If the men were going to kill her, maybe they’d make it quick at least. Or were they sadistic brutes that wanted to see her suffer?
Would anyone try to help her? Did anyone even notice what was taking place or was she as invisible as ever?
It wasn’t as if anyone cared about her.
She waited. And sang.
And when no pain came—and her brain cleared enough to realize she was still breathing—she listened.
Dull thuds could be heard. Like someone was being punched. For a moment she wondered if her body had gone numb. Perhaps she was the one being beaten and just didn’t realize it.
But then she realized she could feel the cold tile of the floor pressing on her cheek.
No, she wasn’t numb.
Slowly, she wiggled around until she was facing the other direction, still careful to leave her arms around her head in case she needed to protect herself.
Whoa! Some big guy was fighting those two other guys who’d been chasing her!
If you could call it a fight. It was more of a butt-kicking. Complete and total domination.
The guys managed to escape, but just barely. They were limping as they staggered off. For a moment it seemed as if herrescuer was going to go after them, but instead, he turned to face her.
Oh crap! Was he going to turn his rage on her now? Did he drive those other men away just so he could be the one to hurt her?
But then she realized she needn’t worry.
It was him! From the nursery! The one who had already rescued her earlier in the day.
The smile he wore—and the affection in his eyes—instantly calmed her soul and soothed her fears.
Kneeling down, he smiled softly, his voice gentle as he spoke.
