So much bigger and stronger, and he held her easily when she twisted against him.īut he hadn’t covered her mouth. “I’ve been watching…” His voice was still a rasp.

He spun her around and jerked her against his body-and those hands holding her so tightly hurt. Hard hands grabbed her and locked tight around her stomach. Instead, she backed up, fast.īut she didn’t get far. Every time she came inside the studio, she stepped in that spot and the floor squeaked beneath her. There was a weak spot near the front door. One of the men had even followed her to the dance studio. “Is…is someone there?” When she’d left her apartment, Trace’s men had been installing new locks and an alarm system. The building manager had promised her that the problem had been fixed.Ī faint rustle of sound reached her ears. She kept her hand on the barre as she made her way to the door.

Now, there was just night to deepen the darkness. Only then it had been daytime and sunlight had trickled through the windows, providing enough illumination for her to see. Dammit, this same problem had happened before. Every single light shut off at once, plunging her into total darkness. Her first dance class would start in three days. Then you went out onto the stage, and you danced some more. If your body was weak, you ignored the weakness. She’d grown used to ignoring pain over the years. That twinge would soon turn to an ache, but she’d ignore that, too. Skye rose onto her toes, ignoring the twinge in her left calf. Only the image staring back at her in the mirror didn’t look so certain. Skye knew that opportunity-that precious six months-was her chance. She’d put down her deposit and paid rent for a half a year. The studio had taken the last of her money. She’d sweated blood and tears for this place. There was a grim pride in her accomplishment. Right after she’d finished up the paint job. Just gotten the mirrors positioned a few moments ago. Sometimes, she wasn’t sure she’d ever really been that woman. She didn’t look like a star who belonged in the center of the lights.

Trace’s eyes flew open as the dream-his past-vanished. “Stop! You’re going to kill him!” Her voice. He drove his fist into Parker’s face, again and again. “Get out,” Parker said again, “or I’ll tell my parents to ship your ass out of here. Parker had one hand over her mouth, and one of his hands pinned her small wrists to the bed. “Get out, man, get out!” Parker snapped back, but he kept his voice low. “What the hell are you doing?” Trace demanded. Wasn’t crying out, not pleading.īecause Parker had his hand over her mouth.

The pretty girl who’d been too shy to speak to him before.īut he was sure her voice had been the one calling to him, begging, “Please, don’t…” The other was the girl…the one with the long hair and the sad eyes. He hadn’t seen that one when they’d brought him in to the house earlier that day. His fist shoved open the wooden door, revealing a small bedroom.

Mine to Take by Cynthia Eden