Into the Fray (Daring Escapes #3) - Margaret Daley Page 0,3

mumbling an appropriate response.

Several buildings away, she began to breathe normally again. A block away she started berating herself for getting so worked up. Several more streets over she’d be in a better section of the capital. She relaxed the stiff set of her shoulders and slowed her pace.

As she passed an alley, a tall, thin man moved from the shadow of a building and positioned himself in front of her. Behind him, emerged a huge man who had to weigh over two hundred fifty pounds. With her passage blocked, Tory stopped. Rivulets of sweat rolled down her body as she frantically looked back to where the short, stocky stranger wearing the straw hat had been standing. He was gone, the empty street a menacing reminder of how alone she was with these two men.

The tall, thin one came at her, backing her into the alley while the other man circled around to hinder any escape route. Their catcalls reverberated in her ears. Fear ballooned inside her, threatening to choke off her next breath. Deeper and deeper she moved into the alley, the men between her and the street. Her stomach knotted, more sweat streaming down her face. Glancing over her shoulder, praying that there was a way out of the alley, Tory saw only a boarded-up building at the dead end. Trapped—like a caged animal being readied for the slaughter.

Lord, help me.

She swung her attention back to Thin Man and nearly stumbled at the look of lust in his eyes. She caught herself, realizing the last place she wanted to be was on the ground. Gripping her purse, she slid it off her shoulder and used it as a shield, stark terror raging through her body. She backed away from the two men. Why had she left her handgun in her hotel room? An oversight because she was rushing to make the meeting with Guerrero after waking up late from two previous days of nonstop exhaustion, and she hadn’t realized the meeting would take place in this part of the capital.

"Hey, senorita, want to have some fun? Jose and I can give you something to remember us," Thin Man said in Spanish. He signaled a crude suggestion as he moved closer.

Her mouth went dry. Nausea roiled in her stomach. Time seemed to slow down, everything fading from her consciousness except the two men standing between her and freedom. Think! she shouted to herself, but her mind refused to put together one coherent thought.

She shifted her attention to the huge guy.

Thin Man shot forward, wrenching her bag from her hands and tossing it to the ground before she could swing it.

Completely vulnerable, she plastered herself against the boarded-up building, trying desperately to remain calm, to find a way out of this mess.

Tory could see every large pore on Thin Man's face, the heat of the afternoon making his skin shine with a film of perspiration. Her pulse pounded in her ears. She tried to step away from him, but he blocked her path by bracing his arms on either side of her head.

“Move. You’ve got my purse.” She slid her gaze to the handbag, trying to figure out if she could snatch it from the ground and get away.

Thin Man licked his lips in a lewd way. "No, I won’t. Things are just getting interesting."

Her temper snapped. She wouldn't make it easy for these men. She shoved at the one in front of her at the same time she brought her knee up into his groin. A string of cuss words flew from his mouth as he bent over in pain. Tory started to kick him again, but Jose seized her, pinning her arms against her while the large, muscular man encircled her. Flinging herself from side to side, she let out a blood-curdling scream that she hoped would wake the dead or at least someone taking a siesta.

Thin Man slowly straightened, fury lining his face. Tory opened her mouth again to scream.

"You will pay." Jose cackled and clamped his hand over her mouth and nose, cutting off her next breath.

Please, God, help me. What do I do?

A mist descended as she fought to drag air into her lungs. She didn't want to think about what these men were going to do to her, but her mind reeled with her grim future. Struggling to clear her mind, she bit down on his beefy palm and stomped her foot on his. His hand fell away from her face, and fresh air