STORY EXCERPT

Thump.

She heard the sound again.

The knob to her bedroom door was twisting open. She had locked it. She was sure of it as she tried to grab the wooden chair to push under the knob. It was too late. The door slowly opened.

It was dark in her room, and the only light shone from a reflection from the moonlight. The figure was big and round, not that much taller than she was.

“Señorita…”

He spoke slowly, his words drawn out. He was speaking Spanish, sounded drunk, and was obviously looking to claim Elloisa as his own tonight.

In an instant, his eyes were on her, her heart racing as he lunged towards her.

Elloisa held the chair in front of her as the man grabbed her from behind it.

She screamed, and he covered her mouth.

“Eresdemasiado joven y demasiado hermosa para darle tu cuerpo y tu alma a Dios.”

He told her in Spanish that she was too young and too beautiful to give her body and soul to God. The sick bastard was out of his mind, and she hadn’t gone through everything she just did to go out like this!

She kneed him in the groin and he laughed at her. Elloisa jumped over the bed and he chased her. She froze as she heard the click. He had a gun.

His back was towards the doorway. There he stood demanding she remove the robe. She’d rather die.

“¡Vete al diablo! Pendejo!” she yelled and he slammed the gun against her cheek. Elloisa fell to the floor.

The man was pulling off her robe and smiling. His ugly yellow and brown teeth reeked of booze and nastiness. Drool pooled by the corners of his mouth still containing remnants of his last meal. Her stomach cringed, ready to hurl, but she grabbed his hands, stopping him from removing her robe further.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, another figure appeared.

It grabbed the attacker by the neck. One twist, a crack, and the lifeless body fell to the floor.

It was so fast, she wasn’t certain that it was real.

Elloisa was in shock. She crab-walked backwards, her hands scraping against the concrete flooring. When she looked up and into the same dark brown eyes she had seen a day ago by the building in town, she froze in place.

Those eyes. There was something about those eyes. She panicked as she rapidly crawled across the floor and away from attacker number two.

  Elloisa grabbed for the gun on the floor and she jumped up, prepared to aim and fire, but she moved too quickly, causing herself to fall back onto the bed.

Two clicks were heard and she felt the barrel of the gun against her neck simultaneously as she held her gun against the second attacker’s neck.

They both froze.

All she had to do was pull the trigger.

So did he.

 But those eyes. Those dark brown eyes warned her not to.

“¡Deja caer y todo va a salir bien!”

“I don’t think so, buddy. Why don’t you put down the gun and everything will be all right,” she whispered, using his words against him. If he thought she would drop the gun just because he asked, then he was stupid.

He smirked at her. She barely saw the whiteness of his teeth.

“Who are you? What do you want from me?” she replied in English, still holding the gun but not as steady now that this man had her body pinned down with his.

If it wasn’t for the gun, she would have been sure he could devour her right up.

Those eyes stared at her then it clicked.

He was at the lab facility before. He was one of Armando’s men. She had seen him before with Ramos.

He must have read her mind because he made his move, and in one quick motion, the gun was no longer in her possession.

He pulled her up from the bed, and she couldn’t help the grateful feeling. The bed was too intimate, too enticing for the second attacker to have his way with her.

Then he pinned her against the wall, holding the barrel of the gun at her neck.

* * * *

What a gorgeous woman. No wonder Armando obsessed over her. Her eyes were the color of light chocolate with specks of green. Her skin was soft and bronze in color, and she smelled amazing, feminine, intoxicating. He stiffened a moment, surprised at his body and mind’s instant attraction. He had a job to do, and it started now. He was a soldier, and this was just another mission.

He was silent, and he heard Elloisa swallow hard. She was staring straight up at him. She was probably wondering how he found her and whether or not he would take her back to Sintorez. He spoke to her in Spanish, ensuring her that she was going to be okay. She had surprised him by getting the gun and holding it to his neck, but then she weakened and began to shake, so he made his move and got the gun away from her.

They were running out of time, and the longer he wedged his body against hers, the more he wanted to make good use of the bed. Taking the scumbag’s prize possession would put him on the kill list. Doing her would put him at number one. He smirked at the thought.

Her body shook beneath him and the look of fear in her eyes touched him for some insane reason. Was she trying to trick him as she probably tricked Armando?

“Please…Please, whoever you are. Don’t take me back…I’ll pay you. No me tome de nuevo...te voy a pagar,” she whispered.

“Are you Elloisa Givani?” he asked as he slowly pushed open her robe with purpose. If she didn’t answer him, there was only one other way to verify her identity. At least there was one perk to this assignment.