Free Love & Deception (Agents in Love - Book 1) by Chantel Rhondeau

you
resist? Don’t you want me?”
    “You aren’t God’s gift to women, Stephen.
Get away from me.” She took a shaky breath, but tried to put on a
brave front. “If you let me go, I won’t report this to the police.”
Not that she wanted the police involved anymore than Stephen
probably did.
    “You don’t need the police. Give me a
chance. I want to show you how great things could be between us.”
He covered her mouth in another rough kiss.
    Carlie squirmed beneath him and beat her
hands against his shoulder, desperate to get free. The killers had
found her and hired Stephen to get rid of her. That was the only
reason he would bring her here, pretending to be drunk, and then
have something he was ‘supposed to do.’ She had to get away. She
was sure his orders were to kill her after he had his fun. She
wouldn’t sleep with him. Fighting was the only option.
    He stroked her side, ignoring her struggles,
and his tongue broke through her closed lips.
    Hooking her fingers into claws, Carlie raked
them across his face.
    That got his attention.
    Stephen jerked back. The deep gouges in his
cheek filled with blood. “Bitch.” He sat up, but before she could
take advantage of that, he backhanded her, full force.
    Although tears blurred her vision, she
rolled away. She thought karate prepared her to take a hit, but
nothing could prepare her for that.
    Somewhat disoriented, she managed to roll
off the far side of the bed and onto the floor. Something tickled
against her cheek and she wiped away a streak of blood from her
split skin.
    The bed creaked and Stephen’s boots made
muffled thuds into the carpet. “I’ve never gone full out, you know,
Carlie? Not really.” He laughed. “Since you don’t want me, I get to
indulge my other fantasy. Beating a beautiful woman to death.”
    His footfalls came closer and closer. Carlie
scrambled to get her feet beneath her, crouching against the wall
as a wave of dizziness gripped her. She’d only have one chance.
Stephen could easily overpower her in a fair fight.
    He stepped to the end of the bed and stared
at her. A wide smile spread across his face. “This will be the
easiest money I’ve ever made.”
    Carlie lifted her hand to her bloody face
and huddled against the wall. “Please, Stephen. Don’t hurt me.”
    “Begging is such sweet music to my ears.” He
took a step forward. “Too bad that won’t save you. I don’t like
rejection, and I gave you so many chances.”
    Her knees shook beneath her and it was hard
to wait, but she had to surprise him. “Please, please, don’t hurt
me. I’ll do anything you say.”
    Another slow step. She could tell he enjoyed
her fear, enjoyed thinking about hurting her. Another step.
    “Please.”
    He cracked his knuckles, smiling like an
idiot. One more step.
    Carlie shot up, thrusting her fist into his
stomach with all her momentum.
    “Oomph.”
    Victorious, she didn’t stop there. Standing
the rest of the way, she gripped his shoulders and rammed her knee
into his crotch. Only to encounter the hard plastic of a protective
cup.
    The blow was still devastating enough that
he collapsed on the bed, shallow gasps coming from his mouth.
    Carlie jumped over his legs, intent on
reaching the doorway before he recovered. She was almost there,
only a few more steps.
    Fingers twined in her hair. Her head snapped
back, and he yanked out a chunk of hair.
    Without thinking, she spun into a high
roundhouse kick, putting more power behind it than she’d ever
dared. More hair ripped from her skull, but she ignored the pain as
the heel of her shoe connected with Stephen’s face. Blood exploded
from his nose.
    Though she thought for sure that would end
the fight, Stephen kept his feet and lunged for her. Wrapping his
hands around her neck, he rushed her into the hallway and slammed
her head against the wall. A sick smile crossed his face and his
fingers tightened against her windpipe.
    She punched repeatedly to his gut, but it
appeared to