who was standing next to her.
She was mesmerized by the strange object she cradled in the palm of her hand. Besides, her neck felt rubbery. As if her head was suddenly too heavy. She swayed, struggling to stay upright.
As her eyes began to dim, she caught sight of the snowflakes that had already coated her in a layer of white. A hysterical laugh bubbled in her throat.
Her nightmare was coming true.
Damn the snow.
* * *
I settle in my seat and take a second to calm my heart. It’s beating so hard I can feel the pulse in my throat. It’s not from fear. It’s pure adrenaline.
And it’s glorious.
Sitting in a dark corner, I study the woman lying naked in the center of the room. Far over her head a fluorescent bulb spills out a harsh pool of light. It reveals the slender limbs that are artistically arranged and the glossy curls that frame her pale face like a dark halo.
Most people would no doubt find her beautiful. Despite the years she’d managed to keep her trim body. And her youthful, girl-next-door features were discreetly maintained with layers of makeup. But all I see is a brittle veneer that disguises the ugliness below.
Randi Decker is a vain, shallow bitch who has never cared about anyone but herself. She bullied her classmates throughout school, and I assume she continued the abuse with her employees at the flower shop. She nagged her husband and ignored her daughter.
I smile, recalling how easy it’d been to lure Randi into my web. A few compliments in a chatroom and she was ready and eager for anything. She didn’t care that she was betraying her husband or that her daughter would be mortified if her cheating was exposed. Nothing mattered but her own pleasures.
Some things never changed....
No. I rise to my feet. I changed. I’m no longer a victim of fate. Now I control my destiny. Including those who once thought they were immune to justice.
* * *
Randi woke with a thick head and a coat of fuzz on her tongue. Ugh. Did she get tanked last night? It wouldn’t be the first time. Over the past couple of years she’d spent more and more evenings dulling the sharp edges of her life with a bottle of wine. Sometimes two.
Still, she didn’t remember overindulging. In fact, she couldn’t remember anything at all. Pressing her fingers against her throbbing temples, Randi slowly sat up and forced open her heavy lids.
The first thing she noticed was that she was naked. Completely and utterly naked. The realization sent shock-waves through her. She was never naked. Not unless she was in the shower. Her vanity couldn’t bear to reveal the stretch marks that marred her stomach or the droop of her once perky breasts. Even during sex she kept on her nightgown. Not that her husband noticed. He barely bothered to kiss her before he was shoved inside her and done.
Her second realization was that she was freezing.
Shivering, she pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. Then, with an effort, she forced herself to glance around. It was a wasted effort. Beyond the small circle of light there was nothing but darkness. A thick, blinding darkness.
Was she in a basement?
Yes. She had to be.
Now the question was how she’d gotten there.
Rocking back and forth, she searched her fuzzy brain. She didn’t have a basement at her house or even one at the shop....
Shop. The thought of her flower store stirred her memory. Oh, shit. She’d been going there to meet her mystery man, hadn’t she? And then she’d felt a pain in her neck. A needle? Maybe a tranq dart?
She squeezed her eyes shut. She’d been so certain that she held the upper hand. She’d planned for everything. Or at least that’s what she’d told herself.
And now she was naked and alone and terrified out of her freaking mind.
Bending her head, Randi did something she hadn’t done since she was five years old.
She prayed.
Chapter 5
It was Friday, which meant Lynne was able to sleep in until six o’clock. One intern was covering the herd wellness checks, while she would take care of the morning appointments at her clinic, and her other intern would arrive at noon to deal with afternoon appointments. As a bonus, it was her weekend off.
Usually she enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before heading to the clinic. This morning, however, she was just stepping out of the shower when the familiar sound of