Page 109 of Code of Heart

“Shouldn’t she have woken up by now? It’s been hours,” the voice muttered, presumably into a phone.

Kyle Morris.

His name sent her body into fight-or-flight mode, raw terror crawling up her spine. Flashbacks of bruised ribs, broken bones, and endless pain blasted into her.

She bit down on a whimper as cold understanding dawned. She knew exactly why she hurt. No one ever forgot what fractured ribs felt like. Her left ankle was aflame, her wrist throbbed painfully.

Kyle hadn’t even waited for her to be conscious before lashing out at her.

How did I get here?

A question she had been silently asking herself for the last hour.

The last thing she remembered was the Harvest Charity Ball…talking to Selene. She didn’t consume anything but water and diet soda. Yet, she felt hungover and groggy.

Before that…Martin Strasburg, chair of The National Dyslexia Foundation. Levi had been mingling while she checked on the event staff. Owen had been plowing through a platter of appetizers.

Everything after that was a black hole.

“We’re running out of time,” Kyle sneered. “And you promised me one last round with her. Teach her a lesson about leaving me.”

No, no…please no—not again…

Aurelia fought to stay calm against the rising terror, forcing herself to focus. She needed to escape. She used her other senses to gauge where Kyle was in the room—somewhere in front of her.

Cracking one eye open a sliver, she instantly regretted it. Her head pounded, the light too bright.

Kyle’s back was turned, phone pressed to his ear, wearing nothing but red boxer briefs. The sight of him made her stomach lurch. She bit back the urge to physically gag.

Gritting her teeth, she scanned the room. A hotel room. She was close to the edge of the bed, within reach of the nightstand that held a brass lamp…and an alarm clock.

2:37 AM

If that was correct, then she had been unconscious for hours…and awake for at least another one.

And if she stayed here, she was dead.

Her self-defense training wouldn’t save her now—not like this. Her eyes locked onto the lamp again, as a plan began to formulate.

One chance. One shot. Make it count.

Kyle ended his call with a sharp curse and turned around.

She opened her eyes fully, knowing he would see.

He didn’t disappoint.

“Well, now…ask and you shall receive,” he purred, his voice thick with menace. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this. Too long. You really shouldn’t have left me, Aurelia. You need to be reminded of what happens when you run.”

She didn’t move. She couldn’t—not yet.

He stalked toward her, the bed dipping as he knelt behind her.

This is it. Now or never.

She reached for the nightstand as he simultaneously grabbed her waist and flipped her onto her back.

Kyle didn’t even see the lamp until it connected with his temple.