Page 155 of Guarding Grace

Terry’s words came back to me. “To get them close enough, look defenseless right up until you attack.” I slumped and lowered my eyes. Marku expected fear, so fear was what I projected.

He stepped closer and held up his phone. “My buyer wants to see what’s being offered. Stand up and take off your shirts.”

Marci’s mouth dropped open as she looked to me.

Staying strong for her was what mattered most. I nodded and started to unbutton mine. I needed him distracted for when I made my move. “Do it,” I told her. My movements stayed slow and jittery, giving him exactly what he expected. At least he hadn’t told us to strip completely.

His eyes stayed glued on me as he inched closer.Yeah, keep coming, you pervert.He wasn’t close enough yet.

I hunched my shoulders after slipping the shirt off. I’d chosen a lacy bra and panty set for Terry today and now regretted it.

“All the way,” Marku yelled at Marci.

She was on the edge of losing it, but slipped her shirt off and held it in her hand as I did mine.

“I have.” I waved my shirt to draw his attention away from Marci.

“Drop it,” he commanded.

Not having my electrocution device handy put me at a disadvantage, but I folded my shirt with the pocket on top and dropped it into the chair behind me.

His smile was sickening as he shot pictures of both of us. Marci’s chest was bigger than mine, and from the attention he paid her, that clearly appealed to him.

I was going to wipe that smile off him any second now.

He moved closer, taking many more pictures than he would need to show anyone.

As he approached, I shifted closer to her to keep the spray canister behind me.

“Take it off.” He pointed at poor Marci.

Tentatively, she reached behind her back.

“You sit down,” he growled at me.

He looked away as I leaned down to move my shirt and sit.

My heart raced. It was now or never. His order gave me the cover I needed. Just as Marci reached behind her, I snatched the canister in one hand and the Pain Pen in the other. I sprayed him square in the face.

He dropped the phone and backed away, screaming and clawing at his face.

I pursued him, giving him another full stream in the face.

Covering his face against the spray and in obvious pain, he tripped backwards onto the dirty mattress.

That’s when I flipped on the Pen, pressed the button, and jammed it into his neck. He moaned and jerked uncontrollably as the electric shocks overwhelmed his body. He tried to yell, but it came out as a weak, hoarse moan.

I dropped the Pen and grabbed for the handcuffs. In a quick motion, I snapped one on his wrist. “Asshole.” I kicked him for good measure before turning to Marci.

Her jaw was slack. She hadn’t moved.

Running for the door, I called back to her. “Remember what I said.”

Leaving her tore at my conscience, but I knew it was the best way to keep her safe. Expecting one or more of the goons to be guarding the door I’d come in, I sprinted down the first aisle toward the other end of thebuilding. At the very least, there had to be emergency fire exits somewhere.

Things were going better than expected when I reached the end of the aisle without bumping into any of Marku’s goons or hearing any yelling from Mr. Evil. But that didn’t last long.

“The girl got away,” Goron yelled. “Find her.”