Page 104 of Closer Than You Know

A new rush of adrenaline had her scrambling up onto her knees and aiming once more. She hit him even harder on the forehead.Die!

She had to stop him ... had to save Eve. Urgency hammered at her.Hit him again!She readied to hit him again, her face contorted with the effort.

He plunged the knife at her ... she blocked it with the rock, sent the knife flying free of his hand and clattering across stone. Surprise flashed on his face.

Now! Kill him! Do it!

Then she was on top of him, ready to slam the rock into his head one last time. He reached for her throat, squeezed with all his might.Ignore the pain ... ignore the seizing of your lungs. Do it!

She raised the rock and slammed it against his head with every ounce of strength she could muster.

His eyes rolled back in his head. Hands went slack, then fell to the ground.

Relief gushed through her, sucking the fight out of her limbs. For a moment Vera only stared at him to ensure he was down for the count.Move! Move!Then she scrambled up and rushed to Eve.

“Hey.” She surveyed the damage. Dozens of cuts to her bare torso ... her arms. Her top was gone, but she still wore her sweatpants. No blood on her pants, so no damage there, it seemed.

She was alive. Oh thank God! Thank God.

This time the relief was so profound, Vera’s knees nearly buckled.

Eve moaned. Her eyes fixed on Vera. “Did ...” She moistened her lips. “Did you kill him?”

Vera glanced back at the bastard on the ground. “Not sure, but he isn’t moving.” She reached for the blade at her ankle and severed the zip ties binding Eve, then she helped her to sit up. “I just need to get you out of here, then I’ll take care of him. Can you walk?”

Eve stood, her legs shaky. “Think so.”

Thank God. Thank God.

It wasn’t until they were making their way to the cave opening, more slowly than Vera would have liked, that she realized tears were streaming down her cheeks.

They were almost out of here. Just a few more feet. Slowly, they lowered to their knees.

“You go out first,” Vera said, still struggling with the alternating waves of solace and fear. “I’ll be right behind you.”

Her movements sluggish, disjointed, Eve crawled out.

Vera felt giddy that her sister was free ... away from the danger. Now she could escape.

The sting of a blade sliding into her side sent Vera diving away from the threat. She twisted around.

Blood slipping down his face, Patrick drew back his knife and dove for her again.

She dodged the move with a blast of adrenaline. Grabbing for him, she wrapped her fingers in his hair and slammed his head into the rock wall. The knife sliced across her free arm. Pain radiated along the limb. She cried out, but still she rammed his head into the wall again and again until he collapsed on the cold, uneven ground.

Air sawing in and out of her lungs, she watched a moment to ensure he stayed still.

“Piece of shit.” She glanced at the knife lying on the ground and then the blood pouring from her side and her arms. Gritting her teeth, she lifted her sweatshirt. He’d cut her, but not too deep, she didn’t think.

Big breath.She reached for the bastard, then—dragging him by the arm—she crawled out of the hellhole that had haunted her life for more than twenty fucking years. He snagged on rocks, and she jerked harder. She didn’t give a damn if she pulled his arm out of its damned socket. A new massive boost of adrenaline gave her the strength to keep going. The need to end this once and for all kept her pulling, dragging, stumbling.

“What’re you doing?” Eve called, pain in her voice.

“Not taking a chance on him escaping,” Vera said. She wrenched him the last few feet out of the damned hole, then she collapsed onto the ground.

“Oh my God, you’re bleeding. It’s bad, Vee.”

Eve was suddenly next to her. Dozens of little cuts on her chest and stomach oozing blood. Despite the fire and ache swelling in her body,Vera worked up a smile. “I’m okay,” she lied. She wasn’t okay. She could feel the blood leaking from her torso wound faster than she would like. “We have to get to the van.”

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