“Hello? Don’t I get a ‘thank you’?”

“Thank you,” he said obediently, as though he knew he’d ticked her off.

“You’re welcome. But now you owe me a favor.”

Before he could object, she clicked off and stared down at her phone. She didn’t even have a favor in mind, really—she just wanted to maintain the healthy push-and-pull of their newfound relationship. She’d learned that was a key to working with bossy men—never let them think they had the upper hand.

She stepped into the corridor and halted. It was dark.

Leigh’s blood turned cold.

Her office was pitch-black, no light spilling into the hallway. Her stomach clenched as she stood frozen in the corridor.

A shadow shifted. She gasped and stepped backward.

A hand clamped over her face.

CHAPTER NINE

Leigh jammed her elbow back, but it was like hitting a wall. Fingers dug into her skin, cupping tightly over her nose and mouth. Bucking and twisting, she tried to suck in air.

Another hand reached around and grabbed her wrist. Pain shot up her arm as her phone clattered to the floor.

Panicked, Leigh tried to stomp his foot, but he lifted her off her feet and slammed her into the wall. The grip on her wrist tightened and he twisted her arm behind her back.

Leigh’s vision blurred. Shock and pain reverberated through her. She couldn’t get air. She stomped once again, this time connecting with something, and a howl pierced her ear.

Leigh jammed her elbow back, dislodging his weight. She lurched sideways, accidentally kicking her phone, and it shot down the hall like a hockey puck. She lunged away, but then he was on her again with a grunt, and she crashed to her knees.

Pain zinged through her, and he slammed her to the floor, knocking the wind from her. She gasped for air as he reached for her wrists and tried to pin her arms behind her. No, no, no! She couldn’t let him pin her. She squirmed and bucked, trying to pull her arms free. He shifted his weight to the side, and she twisted, trying to get a knee between his legs. A blast of hot breath hit her face, and she was staring into two bulging gray eyes glaring out from a black ski mask.

The ski mask sent a lightning bolt of panic through her. She jerked her knee up hard. He made a surprised ooof! sound, spraying her face with spittle. He rolled onto his side, and she seized the opportunity to scramble out from under him, kicking and shrieking as she stumbled to her feet and sprinted for the nearest door, the only door. She raced through and slammed it behind her, then threw the thumb latch.

Leigh’s heart thundered as she stood in the darkness, gasping for air. She was in the windowless back office that they used as a storage room.