Once her hands were free, she rolled off the side of the bed farthest from the door and stayed crouched on the floor while she came up with a plan. She couldn't let Collin get the upper hand again. She searched the room for a weapon bigger than her small knife, but the room was sparsely decorated. Even the lamp on the bedside table was too short and thick to make a good weapon.
I'll have to use my knife.
She shuddered at the thought, but the sensation quickly passed. If she didn't incapacitate him in some way, who knew what he would do to her.
The blade was small, but in the right spot, it could do serious damage. She'd avoid major arteries because then she'd feel obligated to save his life. She hated him too much right now to have to do that. But she needed to slow him down enough to get away.
Strengthening her resolve and forming a plan, she crawled across the room until she was in front of the dresser near the door. Gratefully, her limbs responded like they should, and most of her strength had returned.
Then she waited.
"Riley Darling! Dinner's ready!"
Riley jumped when Collin called from just outside the room. The way he called her "Darling” made her skin crawl.
"Time to wake up, sweet—" He stepped through the door and cut his words off when he spotted the empty bed.
A surge of adrenaline shot through her, raising her body temperature.
Now or never!
Riley sprang from where she'd been crouching near the dresser and rammed the blade of her small knife into the center of the quadricep muscle of his left thigh.
"What the—" He stumbled against the dresser, nearly falling on her.
Keeping hold of her knife she pulled it from his leg and darted out of his reach, remaining crouched and wary. He stood between her and the door.
"You little?—"
Ignoring the foul words that flew from his mouth, she sneered at him. In a mocking tone, she said, "It didn't have to be this way."
He pressed a hand to his thigh, blood quickly seeped through his fingers. He cursed again, and slowly advanced on her.
Breathing heavily from the adrenaline surging through her body, she circled in an arc toward the bed, hoping to get around him and closer to the door. "I won't hesitate to stab you again."
"Like that little thing could actually hurt me." Judging by the strain in his voice, she had indeed hurt him.
They continued their little dance for several long moments, but unfortunately, he remained between her and the door.
With a guttural growl, he dove at her, tackling her to the floor.
She went down hard, but the carpet was soft. Thankfully, she kepta hold of her knife. With little time to think and assess her situation, she reacted, bringing the blade down hard into the back of his shoulder joint.
He let out an animalistic roar and reared backward, nearly ripping the knife from her hand. She tightened her grip and pulled the blade from his shoulder. He'd likely end up with some tendon damage from that blow, but she refused to feel bad.
She managed to push him off her and spring to her feet. She darted toward the door. She'd just found her momentum when a hand grabbed her ankle, sending her sprawling onto the floor.
There was no soft landing this time as her body connected with the hardwood outside the bedroom. The air rushed from her lungs in a loud oomph. Her knees and elbows throbbed from the contact. The knife flew from her hand and clattered across the floor.
She kicked at Collin's hand on her ankle, and his hold loosened enough that she managed to combat-crawl to her knife. As she grasped it, a vice-like grip clamped down on her other ankle. With sweat stinging her forehead, she twisted and sat up.
Collin's face was beet red. A continuous string of curse words mingled with threats flowed from his mouth. If there was any doubt in her mind earlier whether he planned to let her live, it was gone now.
The knowledge was incentive enough to do what needed to be done. Letting out a growl of her own, she rammed the knife into his body for the third time. This time into the back of his hand.
Another roar came from him as he released her ankle.
Riley didn't hesitate. She sprang to her feet. And ran.
