The Trophy Wife Read Online Free PDF Page A

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    Emily stood perfectly still, listening to the tap of the water that dripped from her body. There was no answer. No sound of anyone moving about in her bedroom. Slowly, she convinced herself that she must have been mistaken. It must have been some other mechanical sound. A thermostat relay closing to signal for more heat. The alarm system recycling. She turned the water back on, cooled its temperature a bit, and reached for the bar of soap.
    She was shocked by the sudden sound of the shower curtain ripping and the rattle of the plastic rings as they bounced against the bar. She turned just it time to catch a glimpse of the curtain falling on top of her and then felt powerful arms wrapped around her like a rope, tying her into the curtain. She screamed into the darkness that suddenly enveloped her, until a hand pressed the curtain over her face. She snapped her head angrily from side to side, trying to free her mouth, but the hand pressed tighter. In terror, she tried to gulp in air, but the curtain sealed her face like a plastic bag. Jesus, she thought, they’re going to suffocate me. She forced her hand up inside the plastic, pushing her attacker’s hand upward so that she could gulp a mouthful of air. Then she bit through the curtain.
    â€œAhh!” a pained voice screamed in the darkness. Emily dug her nails into her bite marks and ripped a hole through the fabric. There was an explosion of light, suddenly darkened by a woolen ski mask. She could see angry eyes blazing and then felt the snap of a fist that drove the curtain against her temple. Her knees buckled. Her feet were sliding and she couldn’t free her arms to get a handhold. She collapsed in the arms that were holding her prisoner.
    â€œGet her!” the pained voice screamed.
    Another man’s voice. “Hold her still, for Christ’s sake!”
    The arms crushed around her and she felt herself being dragged over the edge of the tub.
    â€œShoot her. Stick the damn thing through the curtain!”
    â€œHold her still, dammit!”
    Her head and shoulders were being wrestled down to the bathroom floor. The edge of the tub was digging into her belly, her legs dangling uselessly in space. She screamed again and this time heard the echo of her voice rattling off the walls.
    â€œDo it!”
    She felt a sharp pin prick plunge into her thigh and then the pressure of a hypodermic injection.
    â€œOh, Jesus!” It was more a prayer than a curse. “Oh, Jesus!”
    She expected to feel her body going limp as darkness closed across her mind. But nothing happened. She was still aware of the sting of the needle and more aware of the pain that the edge of the tub was causing across her hips. She started to scream again, but once more the tattered curtain was pressed against her face. Then she found a foothold against the wall behind the tub and pushed herself furiously at the body that was holding her. She felt the man in the mask topple backward and crash against the vanity cabinet.
    â€œFuck!” he yelled. “Grab hold of her legs.”
    She kicked and felt her heel score hard into someone’s body. The second voice yelped in pain. “Damn you!” A fist struck through the curtain into her side, driving the air out of her body.
    â€œJust hold her! Don’t kill her.”
    â€œShe kicked me in the face.”
    â€œShe can’t kick you if you hold her.”
    Emily tried to kick again, but was amazed to find that her legs didn’t work. The pain across her midsection had gone away. And she really didn’t mind the strong hand that was pressing the shower curtain over her mouth. She could hear the water still running, falling on the curtain like rain on a roof. I hope they remember to turn the water off, she thought. And then she lapsed into blissful sleep.
    When they knew the drug had taken its effect, the two men loosened their grip. One turned off the shower while the other twisted his face