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agreed; she really didn t want to be any deeper involved in what he was
doing than she already was.
She wasn t sure if it was good to know what he was up to and how
dangerous it was, or if it would be better to just be in the dark about the
whole thing. Either way, she d worry about him.
What she still couldn t believe was that someone his wife would
cheat on him because he was off doing this kind of work. He amazed her.
He was the type of man she d always dreamed of having. He could be
funny or serious. Gentle or& She grinned. Or very, very hard.
Vicky swept the hair into the dustpan and dumped it in the
garbage. After putting the cleaning supplies away, she went into her
office, turned off the computer, checked to make sure the safe was locked,
and grabbed her purse. Just as she was turning to lock her office door, the
sound of someone trying to get in the backdoor, trying to pick the lock,
made her jerk around.
In that split second she had a choice, lock herself into the office and
call the police if they hadn t cut the landline or race out the front and
use her cell to call for help. She turned to run for the front only to come to
a screeching halt when the glass of the front door shattered.
A man reached in, turned the lock, and blocked her only exit.
The the money s in the register, she said, keeping her voice
steady even though she was scared out of her wits. Most of the week s
deposit was in the safe locked inside her office, but she d been so eager to
get home, she hadn t bothered to clean out what little cash there was in
the register. She hoped it was enough.
Where s the girl, puta?
The girl?
Vicky blinked, took a step back, then another. I don t know what
you re talking about, she said, but realization dawned the longer she
stared at the stranger.
I bit his ear, scratched his eyes& Carlita s words came to mind like a
wave of arctic water.
90
Arresting Victoria by Madison Layle and Anna Leigh Keaton
The scratching at the backdoor grated on her already snapped
nerves, but she inched in that direction anyway, hoping to reach the
semi safe sanctuary of her office in time.
The backdoor s lock clicked open. It was too late.
Vicky lunged at the man in front of her, trying to shove past him,
trying to escape.
She failed.
The wiry weasel of a man, still sporting the wounds Carlita
inflicted on his face, blocked her path, knocked her off balance and into
another much stronger man, who pulled her up against his body.
A cart toppled during the struggle. Bottles, combs, and rollers
scattered.
She couldn t break the man s hold on her.
The weasel grabbed her neck in one hand and squeezed. She froze.
He grinned. You drive same car. Plate matches. So, no play games.
Where s the little whore?
Vicky remembered Carlita s tenacity, and that gave her strength to
fight back. No way would she let these men harm that girl again, even if
she did know where the safe house was, even if it cost her her life.
Some place safe from the likes of you, she said and then spat in
his face.
The man backhanded her across the face and whipped out a knife,
the blade looking lethally sharp.
Ow! The guy was stronger than he looked. His punch hurt like hell.
With the blade against her skin, terror sank in, and she cringed but didn t
struggle.
His breath reeked of alcohol and tobacco. No tell us now, puta? I
cut you up, and we see if you talk then, eh?
I don t know where she is. I gave her money, took her to the bus
station. I swear it, she lied.
Neither man seemed happy to hear that.
They spoke to each other in Spanish, and Vicky feared the worst.
It look like you owe us a whore. I say you come with us, puta. El
Jefe find way for you to pay him back for loss of girl.
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Arresting Victoria by Madison Layle and Anna Leigh Keaton
The men laughed.
She screamed.
The brick wall behind her clamped his gloved hand over her
mouth.
She bit as hard as she could, but since he didn t pull away, she
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