Page 212 of The Rules

Cold air kissed her exposed skin as he shoved her skirt higher, bunching it up around her hips like it was nothing.

Likeshewas nothing.

Revulsion rose in her throat like bile. She twisted, kicked, screamed, but he held firm. Every squirm seemed to feed him, his breathing quickening, body pressing closer, heavier.

Her stomach turned, skin crawled, lungs burned.

She struck blindly, hand flying to his face.

Fingernails tore across his cheek with everything she had, dragging deep, leaving lines that would scar. He howled, jerking back, but didn’t let go.

Blood welled instantly, trailing down his face.

"You little bitch!"

The grip on her arm turned savage.

But she wasn’t done.

Kath shifted her weight, planted one foot, and drove her knee upward. It slammed into his groin with bone-cracking force.

He choked on a scream, staggering backward just far enough to loosen his hold.

She broke free.

Barely.

He lunged.

A solid mass slammed her into the alley wall, forcing air from her lungs. Brick bit into her spine, rattling through her bones. Her head cracked against stone. Pain flared. Blinding. Sharp.

A gasp ripped from her throat.

Still, she fought.

Fists pounded. Nails clawed. She thrashed like an animal cornered, wild and desperate. It didn’t matter where she landed a hit—she just needed to get away.

But he was stronger. Heavier. Cruel.

One hand found her throat.

The world funneled into nothing. Air vanished. Panic exploded behind her ribs. She clawed at his arms, kicked his shins, stamped her heels down, but the pressure only increased.

Spots bloomed in her vision. Muscles weakened. Breath refused to come.

She was slipping.

Fading.

Crack.

A sound like bone shattering. A grunt. A heavy weight yanked away from her.

She collapsed against the wall, knees buckling, air rushing into her starved lungs with a horrible, rasping gasp.

The darkness blurred. Her vision stuttered.

She blinked. Once. Twice.