“I get her next then?” the first man hollered as the giant continued moving.

“Don’t worry. I’ll get her nice and prepared for you,” he replied back.

“Fine. I’m gonna search this place then.” The first man stomped out of the ER.

Pushing Lindsey down on a hospital bed, her attacker leaned close as he pointed his disgusting finger in her face and smiled, his rotten teeth showing.

“We’re gonna have us a good time, sweetness. If you cooperate and do what you’re told to do, then no one gets hurt. If you fight me, then I’m going to carve you up into so many pieces they won’t be able to identify your body unless they’re real good with puzzles,” he told her.

Then to make sure she understood he was serious, he took out a huge knife and stabbed it into the bed only a foot from her face.

“Where is Sandy?” she asked. The more she kept him talking, the more time she was giving herself.

“She’s tied up at the moment,” he said with a chuckle, standing there, admiring her. In that moment, Lindsey had a sick feeling that her friend was gone. He’d done what he’d wanted with Sandy, and then disposed of her like he was planning on doing to Lindsey.

“Please don’t hurt me,” she begged. She hadn’t given up, but the situation seemed so hopeless.

He backed up a bit and Lindsey knew she had to try something. She lunged for the door. But she made it no more than a foot when his meaty hand wrapped around her arm and swung her back to him before shoving her face first into the mattress.

Time stopped having meaning as he yanked at the tie in her hair. When it was loose, he pulled the long strands while he pushed up against her behind. She choked back sobs and bile as he struggled to undo the drawstring on her pants.

If he got them off, the battle would be over. She continued fighting against him, but she knew she was losing. Tears streamed down her cheeks as the struggle continued. She could hear his belt buckle jingle and felt him fidgeting with his own pants. The sounds of his grunts and her whimpers mixed through the air. Then she could feel that he’d gotten his pants down and only her scrubs barred him from violating her.

“That feels good now, doesn’t it, princess?” he jeered as he pressed himself against her.

As he struggled again to get her pants undone, Lindsey remembered the scalpel in her pocket. Reaching down, she managed to pull it out, and then she struck without giving it a second thought.

With all her might, she swung her arm backward, aiming as high on his leg as she could go, hoping to hit his femoral artery. God willing, he’d be too busy bleeding out to retaliate. Then she could call for help.

Lindsey knew she hit something, because his howl of pain and rage assaulted her ears before she managed to pull the blade out and push him away.

He stumbled back and Lindsey turned around, trying to decide whether to stab him again or make a run for it. He made the decision for her when he lunged back into her face, his cruel eyes completely arctic now.

His hands circled her neck, and instantly her vision blurred as he looked into her eyes with vengeful hatred. She knew if she lived through the night, that look would haunt her for years to come. Lifting her arm again, she stabbed him once more, this time in the side.

The man let go of her neck and punched her hard enough that the room went black. When she became aware again, she felt deep pain in her abdomen, and then felt the stickiness of blood as it trickled down her side.

Lindsey felt a tear slip as she realized she was going to die. There was nothing she could do to stop this man. It was over. The last thoughts were of the pain her family was going to go through. Her mother and father would be devastated. Her brothers would seek revenge. So much pain was going to be caused by this evil man, and she’d been too weak to stop it.

Devastation consumed her.

“I warned you to play nice, you stupid whore.” He screamed obscenities at her as he lifted the scalpel and sliced her again. The pain stopped and she knew that was bad—knew that meant her time was almost up. She just hoped they caught this bastard before he could ever harm another person again.

As his arm lifted to administer the final blow, a gleam of victory in his eyes, his clear intent to go for her throat, a banging sound echoed off the ER walls.

Everything slowed down as she watched disbelief enter the man’s eyes for the briefest of moments, and then his arm dropped and he fell on top of her, pinning her to the bed beneath his lifeless body.

The next few minutes were a blur as his weight was lifted and a torrent of activity overtook the room. Lindsey knew if she did make it through the night, her life would never be the same again. She came in and out of consciousness as she was lifted, her clothes removed, a needle painfully stuck in her arm—and then the lights went out.

CHAPTER ONE

Sitting in the corner of the pew, Lindsey kept her large bag beside her so no one would sit too close. Even with that layer of protection, her body was pressed uncomfortably hard into the wall as she stared straight ahead, not wanting to make eye contact—not wanting anyone to speak to her.

She hadn’t told anyone she was coming to the funeral of Doctor Ted Stamos, but she couldn’t miss it even though her injuries weren’t remotely close to being healed.

It had been only a week since the stabbing, since the moment she’d nearly lost her life. The doctor had told Lindsey she was lucky she’d been assaulted in a hospital; otherwise, there wouldn’t have been time to stop the bleeding.

Rubbing her fingers beneath her silk shirt, she felt the bandages on her lower abdomen and grimaced. Lucky wouldn’t exactly be the word she would use.