Page 67 of Plunge into Obsession

“Yes. I’ll just be a minute.”

She didn’t look like she believed me, but when I made a small shooing motion with my hand, she reluctantly turned around and walked into the building.

I stayed where I was for a moment, taking deep breaths and trying hard not to pass out.

Fuck, but why was I feeling so miserable?

I had been fine when I woke up this morning, only feeling slightly nauseous, but this was…

This was unbearable.

I had half a mind to call in sick and order a car to pick me up.

Before I could do any of that, movement to the left caught my attention, and I turned to it, feeling wary when I saw a man I didn’t know looking at me.

He wasn’t exactly dressed like a homeless person, but he wasn’t dressed all that well either, and I couldn’t tell if it was on purpose, or if he had no choice in the matter.

He caught my eye and headed toward me.

He was slim but tall and heavily tattooed.

His brown hair was shaved down to a buzz cut, and his dull brown eyes looked at me with something in them that made me take a step back.

Then another.

The man rushed toward me, and I could feel my heart pounding.

I wasn’t even halfway to the door when the man reached me. I flinched and jumped back from him.

He smiled at me, showing off a cavity-filled front tooth.

“Hey, pretty girl. You got some spare change to help a brother out?”

I blinked. “I’m sorry, I don’t have any cash on me.”

He looked me up and down, glancing at my empty hands. I hadn’t brought my purse with me today, and my phone and other important items were with Kaia.

He sneered. “What kind of bitch doesn’t carry money around? Don’t you know you should? You never knew when you might need it.”

“Like when I get robbed?” I asked, and I didn’t know what made me say those words.

I was tired and hated that I was even wasting my time talking to this man. “Please let me through.”

He blocked my way and shook his head. “You ain’t got nothing I want to rob.” His eyes made a slow perusal up and down my body. I shuddered in disgust. “Your body, on the other hand…”

He tugged my hair with one dirty hand. I slapped it away and took a step back.

“Leave me alone.”

He laughed, matching my step back with one forward. “Why? We’re having so much fun now.”

I looked around the empty parking lot. Even if someone was walking by, they wouldn’t intercede. People tended to stay away when they thought trouble was brewing.

Panic rushed inside me, and it didn’t help that I was still feeling lightheaded.

He reached out his hand for me, and I didn’t think. I pushed my palm up until it connected with his neck. He screamed, and I jumped back in time, his hand narrowly missing my face.

Red spread out on the skin of his cheek, and he tried to get to me. I turned around and was about to run when I ran face-first into a large, hard chest.

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