Page 35 of When He Fights
“Bet those people weren’t bleeding from knife wounds when they went into the water.”
No, they hadn’t been.She didn’t intend to be, either.Ana took a step to the side, a step that would put her closer to the stainless steel water bottle.“We don’t even have the big, aggressive sharks here.Do youseeany great whites swimming behind me?”With her phone still gripped in her left hand, she gestured toward the tank.
As she’d hoped, Turner’s gaze automatically darted to the tank, and she used that opportunity to lunge for her water bottle.Her fingers curled around it just as?—
Screams.
Someone was screaming.Shouting.She could hear the cries as they carried through the aquarium.Not her screams.
Turner grabbed for her.Before he could use that knife, she slammed her water bottle into the side of his head.As hard as she could.
Swearing, he stumbled back.He weaved.
She hit him again.This time, right in the mouth with the bottom of the bottle.Blood flew from his busted lips, and the impact might have also cracked some of his teeth.Ana didn’t exactly investigate the damage.While he howled in pain and tried to cover his mouth, she spun and ran.But because he was between her and the door that led to the entrance of the massive aquarium space, she turned to the left and hauled butt toward the additional exhibit space.The lights were already turned off, and the only illumination came from the displays—aquariums of various sizes filled with sea horses and jellyfish and strikingly colored, smaller fish that flashed to the left and the right and she?—
Ran through the waiting, viewing tunnel.A tunnel surrounded by thick glass.The glass separated her from the sharks.The octopus.The glass covered all sides but the floor, and she hurried to get to the other side.
She didn’t make it.
A hard hand curled around her shoulder.Turner hauled her back toward him.
She kneed him in the groin.“Help!”Ana screamed, and the scream seemed to echo in the tunnel around her.“Help me!”
He hit her.A blow that she mostly dodged, but, unfortunately, part of his fist grazed her jaw.She stumbled back, managed to stand on her feet, and then was running the rest of the way out of that tunnel.She made it to the other side.Shoved open the staff door becausemaybesome of the guards were back there.“Help!”
No one was there.
She raced up the steps.Up, up, up.When the steps finally ended, she shoved open the door before her and stumbled straight ahead.Ana heard the echo of footsteps as Turner ran behind her, and, dammit, this was bad.So bad.Because she’d just raced straight to?—
His laughter stopped her.
His laughter and the fact that she’d reached the end of the line.Literally.Because the water was in front of her.She’d reached the top of the massive three-story tank habitat.With her heart thudding in her chest, Ana whirled to face Turner.She should have turned to the right when she entered the staff area.She’d never been in the staff area until that moment, so she hadn’t known which way to flee.
She could see the glowing red letters of the EXIT sign.But those letters were behind Turner.To escape, she’d have to somehow make it past him.
And now she was trapped.
“Thanks for coming to my planned destination.”He swiped a hand over his mouth, and blood smeared over his lips.“Bitch.”
“I don’t think name calling is necessary.”One bonus for her—there were lots of weapon options in that area.She saw big nets.A scary-looking hook.If she could grab something, she’d attack and fight with all of her strength against him.
“I was gonna make sure you were dead before the sharks got to you.”Turner advanced slowly.“But now, I don’t give a shit.If I have to do it, I’ll just hold your fucking head under the water while you fight.You can drown and get eaten by the sharks at the same damn time.”
“Guards are coming!”Ana yelled.And to think, she’d once thought Turner wasnice.
“Nah, they’re not coming.I asked for time alone with you.George is gonna make sure we’re not interrupted during our romantic interlude.He thinks I’ll give him free lessons at the dojo as payback.”
Her heart was about to jump out of her chest.“What is going to happen when my body is recovered?Don’t you think George will admit you were here with me?”
Turner’s eyes widened as he tried to look innocent.Hard to do with blood on his face.“I’ll say I left.You insisted on staying here all alone.Doing more yoga.But when the cops push me, I’ll say that IthoughtI saw someone suspicious lurking around.Wanna guess who that suspicious person will be?”
She did not want to guess.She wanted to scream for help over and over again.But Ana was afraid that if she screamed again, he’d attack.
“The new boyfriend.The one on steroids.I’ll say I saw him.”
She thought that she heard the creak of the stairs.Maybe the thud of rushing steps?“Kane isn’t on steroids.He’s just strong.”
“Not strong enough.Don’t see him here to help you?—”
