I sink into a corner and pull my knees to my chest. Blood pounds in my ears as my breathing turns ragged.Shit.My asthma medication is in my purse right along with my cell phone.
Okay, stay calm and focus on your breathing. Long, deep breaths, like the doctor taught you. In and out. In and out. In and out.
“Where are you, little mouse?” a man croons. “I saw you come in here.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck.I wipe the sweat from my eyes and push to my feet, holding the knife out in front of me. I press deeper into the corner, my heart thundering against my rib cage.
“Come on out like a good little gash and I’ll make it quick. Well, I might have a bit of fun with you first.” He chuckles.
I remain stone silent, hoping against hope that he goes away.Sandman, I need you.
The door opens, revealing a tall, thin man. “Hello, love.” He smiles, showcasing teeth too tiny for his mouth, and aims the gun at my heart.
“Please, I’m pregnant,” I say, praying my pending motherhood will sway him from killing me.
“I know, darling.” He motions me forward with his gun. “Drop the knife and come on out.”
I place my only means of defending myself on the shelf. “Sandman will give you anything you want,” I sob, slowly walking toward him. “Just don’t hurt me.”
“You gotta die, darling,” he states matter-of-factly. “Prez’s orders. He wants Zeus and his entire bloodline dead.”
A shot rings out, and my would-be executioner is hit in thearm. Before I can react, he latches onto my wrist and spins me around, snapping his forearm across my throat. I whimper, feeling his gun pressed against my temple.
Sandman stands before us, his weapon raised and pointed at the man at my back. I draw in a sharp breath, seeing something in his eyes I’ve never seen before…fear.“Let her go.”
“Drop it or I’ll blow this bitch’s brains all over this goddamn kitchen!”
“Not a fucking chance,” he growls, taking a step forward.
His forearm tightens on my neck. “Don’t fuck with me! I’ll end this bitch and your bastard right here and now!”
Neither man moves for what seems like forever, but finally, Sandman places his weapon on the floor. “You’ll never make it out of here alive.”
“Don’t care,” the man jeers, aiming his gun at Sandman. “As long as I take you with me.”
“No!” I shout, elbowing him in the gut with all my strength.
He grunts in pain, loosening his hold on my throat. I dive for cover, scrambling out of his reach.
Sandman charges forward with a roar and tackles him to the floor. I crawl underneath the kitchen nook and hide behind a chair.
Both men are on their feet now, throwing punches at each other. Sandman dodges the next punch thrown his way and comes back with a jab to the man’s ribs.
He doubles over and gets a knee to the face. Cartilage breaks and blood spills, making my stomach roil.
“Motherfucker!” the man roars, grabbing a cast-iron pan off the stove and slamming it across Sandman’s face.
I watch in horror as his body hits the floor with a hard thud. He doesn’t move.Oh God, please don’t be dead.
The man turns his wild gaze on me. “Now, where were we?”
I scramble from my hiding place and swing a chair at him. “Stay away from me!”
He laughs and easily plucks it from my grasp.
“Sandman, get up!”
“Darling, he can’t help you,” he taunts, stalking toward me. “He’s knocked out cold.”
