backhanded her, the slap rocking her head. Stacy’s eyes were dazed and she raised one pale hand to the red spot on her cheek
“You bastard,” she gasped weakly.
Jason chuckled, a low, evil sound. “I’ve been called worse.” Twisting her arm, making her cry out, he moved her so that she was pinned against him, her back to his chest. Sobbing hysterically, Stacy shook her head, fighting to get away but her struggles were useless against the man’s iron grip.
Madison’s gasp was drowned out by Stacy’s cries.
Jason placed his hands gently on Stacy’s head, holding her immobile. Then, lightning fast, he yanked her head to one side, and a sickening crack filled the air. Stacy’s struggling ceased and she went limp in his arms.
Shock rolled over Madison and her stomach heaved as it tried to relieve itself of the rich food she had consumed earlier. She covered her mouth, desperately trying to restrain herself from throwing up.
Jason stared down at the woman he held, brushing the chestnut strands of hair from her lifeless face. “What a waste. I should have taken my time with you,” he murmured regretfully.
Near panic, Madison knew the smartest thing to do was to stay quiet. She could wait for him to leave and then go to the police as soon as she reached the shore. But damn it, a woman had been killed in front of her. And who were the cops going to believe? An everyday photographer or a mega millionaire? She needed proof. Quickly, before she had time to change her mind, she moved, knowing she made a grave mistake even as she did it. Yanking the camera from the bag, she rounded the corner with it raised with shaking hands and snapped several pictures of the man in front of her, his arms still wrapped around the dead woman.
The flash of the camera caught the killer’s attention and he turned, staring intently at Madison. His eyes were black and filled with deadly purpose. Dropping Stacy’s lifeless body onto the floor, he started toward her.
Her intake of breath was sharp and painful and she turned to run. He was coming for her. There was no way she could outrun him but she had to try. Making a break for it, she sprinted toward the stairs. Her already racing heart felt as though it was going to explode from her chest. If he caught her, she was dead. But if she could just make it to the top where there were people, she might have a chance. She didn’t have to look back to know that he was right on her heels. She burst through the double doors, looking left and right. She would never reach the stairwell before he caught up to her. Ducking down behind the long wooden bench, she put her hand over her mouth, trying to quiet her rapid breathing.
Jason burst into the room and skidded to a stop. Madison knew she couldn’t just wait for him to find her but if she moved, he would be on her in no time. She was trapped. Taking big gulps of air, she fought off a suffocating panic. Her mind raced, trying to figure out what to do when she got an idea. Robert was going to kill her but she would rather face his wrath than that of the man on the other side of the room.
Holding her breath, she extracted the slim memory from the side of the Nikon that she still held in a near death grip. She shoved it deep inside her bra, the cold square of plastic pressing against her breast.
Closing her eyes for a split second, she opened them, throwing the camera as hard as she could in the opposite direction of the stairwell, careful to keep it below the level of the benches. It crashed against the steel floor, shattering upon impact. She jumped up from her hiding spot and was off like a shot, heading straight for the stairs, never looking back. Jason took the bait but cursed out loud when she exploded from behind the bench to his right and chased her running full tilt. Reaching the stairwell, she launched herself up the wide metal steps that led to the next level. But that was as far as she made it.
Halfway up the stairs, the sexy
“You bastard,” she gasped weakly.
Jason chuckled, a low, evil sound. “I’ve been called worse.” Twisting her arm, making her cry out, he moved her so that she was pinned against him, her back to his chest. Sobbing hysterically, Stacy shook her head, fighting to get away but her struggles were useless against the man’s iron grip.
Madison’s gasp was drowned out by Stacy’s cries.
Jason placed his hands gently on Stacy’s head, holding her immobile. Then, lightning fast, he yanked her head to one side, and a sickening crack filled the air. Stacy’s struggling ceased and she went limp in his arms.
Shock rolled over Madison and her stomach heaved as it tried to relieve itself of the rich food she had consumed earlier. She covered her mouth, desperately trying to restrain herself from throwing up.
Jason stared down at the woman he held, brushing the chestnut strands of hair from her lifeless face. “What a waste. I should have taken my time with you,” he murmured regretfully.
Near panic, Madison knew the smartest thing to do was to stay quiet. She could wait for him to leave and then go to the police as soon as she reached the shore. But damn it, a woman had been killed in front of her. And who were the cops going to believe? An everyday photographer or a mega millionaire? She needed proof. Quickly, before she had time to change her mind, she moved, knowing she made a grave mistake even as she did it. Yanking the camera from the bag, she rounded the corner with it raised with shaking hands and snapped several pictures of the man in front of her, his arms still wrapped around the dead woman.
The flash of the camera caught the killer’s attention and he turned, staring intently at Madison. His eyes were black and filled with deadly purpose. Dropping Stacy’s lifeless body onto the floor, he started toward her.
Her intake of breath was sharp and painful and she turned to run. He was coming for her. There was no way she could outrun him but she had to try. Making a break for it, she sprinted toward the stairs. Her already racing heart felt as though it was going to explode from her chest. If he caught her, she was dead. But if she could just make it to the top where there were people, she might have a chance. She didn’t have to look back to know that he was right on her heels. She burst through the double doors, looking left and right. She would never reach the stairwell before he caught up to her. Ducking down behind the long wooden bench, she put her hand over her mouth, trying to quiet her rapid breathing.
Jason burst into the room and skidded to a stop. Madison knew she couldn’t just wait for him to find her but if she moved, he would be on her in no time. She was trapped. Taking big gulps of air, she fought off a suffocating panic. Her mind raced, trying to figure out what to do when she got an idea. Robert was going to kill her but she would rather face his wrath than that of the man on the other side of the room.
Holding her breath, she extracted the slim memory from the side of the Nikon that she still held in a near death grip. She shoved it deep inside her bra, the cold square of plastic pressing against her breast.
Closing her eyes for a split second, she opened them, throwing the camera as hard as she could in the opposite direction of the stairwell, careful to keep it below the level of the benches. It crashed against the steel floor, shattering upon impact. She jumped up from her hiding spot and was off like a shot, heading straight for the stairs, never looking back. Jason took the bait but cursed out loud when she exploded from behind the bench to his right and chased her running full tilt. Reaching the stairwell, she launched herself up the wide metal steps that led to the next level. But that was as far as she made it.
Halfway up the stairs, the sexy
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