She lunged at the man, and her fingers caught the edge of the ski mask he wore.
She yanked at it, determined to see the face behind it.
The mask tugged free and slipped off.
As his face came into view, shock hit her, stealing her breath.
Kenny.Kennywas in her apartment.
She’d only seen him from a distance, but she was sure this was the same man.
“What are you—?” She didn’t finish.
His expression twisted, something wild and desperate in his eyes.
She tried to pull away again as he reached for something. Then a knife flashed in his hand.
She sucked in a breath. No . . .
He swiped it at her, and pain sliced through her arm.
Hadley stumbled back as she clutched at the cut, as she felt the blood covering her fingers.
Her heart slammed against her ribs as panic rose in her. She forced it down. She had to stay calm if she wanted to survive this.
Think, Hadley. Think!
She couldn’t outmatch Kenny. But she couldoutthinkhim.
He sneered at her as he stood in front of her still gripping that knife. “Fighting me will only make this harder.”
She was going to make this as hard as possible.
Her gaze flicked toward the nightstand beside her.
She’d left her bag there when she came in earlier. A small kit from the clinic was still inside. If she could only reach it . . .
She darted toward it, ignoring the pain in her arm as she yanked it open.
“What do you think you’re doing?” He lunged toward her again.
She grabbed the first thing her fingers found.
A small spray bottle with chlorhexidine inside.
Kenny tried to grab her, muttering more choice words.
Hadley turned and sprayed it straight in his eyes.
He staggered backward, a strangled curse tearing from his throat as he threw an arm up. He dropped the knife long enough to claw at his eyes.
“What did you do?” he choked.
Hadley grabbed a wooden lamp from the nightstand and swung it at him. The base connected with his head hard enough to send him stumbling again.
“You’re crazy!” he spat, blinking rapidly.
She looked beyond him at the door—her only exit. She’d never get past him.
