Turn To Me Read Online Free PDF Page B

and yanked, the chain of the necklace biting painfully into my skin before it broke.  He stepped back, admiring his prize.
    “No!”  I leapt forward and grabbed his fist, clenched tightly around the pendant.  I had to get it back.  Surprised, he turned sharply to avoid my lunge, the movement causing the knife to bite into the skin of my arm.  I ignored the sharp burn.  “Give that back!”
    “Get off me,” he growled, shoving me away.  Furious, I came back at him again, grabbing the hand holding my necklace and sinking my teeth into it.  He yelled in pain.  Unable to get any leverage between us, his arm came down hard and he slammed a fist into my back.  I was forced to release him, the painful blow knocking the wind from my lungs and leaving me unprepared for his punch to my stomach.  I doubled over, the pain excruciating. 
    His hand closed around my neck and he pulled me upright before carelessly tossing me away.  I hit the ground hard, my hands taking the brunt of it, but still smacked the side of my face on the ground.  I couldn't move.  My face ached and my thigh burned from where it had scraped the asphalt, and I struggled to breathe properly through the pain in my back and stomach.
    “Fucking bitch,” I heard him mutter angrily.  His shoe scraped behind me and I made myself turn over, not wanting to have my back to him.  I saw the kick coming too late to protect myself and I cried out when it connected.  I curled into myself, trying to become as small a target as possible.  He hauled back to kick me again.
    A shape came hurtling out of the darkness, tackling the mugger to the ground.  I watched them grapple.  The knife glinted briefly in the light before it was kicked out of the thug's hand.  The sound of grunts and flesh hitting bone filled the alley.
    I struggled to sit up, sucking in a breath at the aches and pains, and saw my rescuer had gotten the upper hand as he straddled the attacker.  His fists continued to pummel the man, though I thought for sure he was unconscious by now, as still as he was.
    I stumbled to my feet, tottering forward carefully on my ill-used heels.  He still wasn't stopping, his blows landing punishingly hard as I winced, afraid he was going to kill him.  I moved as close as I dared.
    “Stop,” I implored, grabbing onto one of the man's arms with both my hands.  “You're going to kill him!”
    The man easily jerked his arm out of my grip, turning his head sharply to face me, and I froze in shock.
    It was Blane.  I didn't know where he'd come from or how he'd found me, but he had.  His face was a mask of rage as he took in my appearance and I took a shaky step back, afraid of what he might do.  I watched as the anger drained away from his face.  He spared one last glance for the unconscious mugger and I heard him snarl, “Fucking piece of shit,” then he stood and was at my side in an instant.
    “Are you all right?” he asked, turning me toward the light.  He sucked in a breath and I knew I must look awful, blood trailing in a thin stream down my arm from the shallow cut the knife had made.  I could feel my cheek swelling from where I'd hit the concrete.  Blane's finger gently brushed my cheekbone, coming away with blood.  Quickly removing his jacket, he placed it around my shoulders, pulling it tightly closed.  Shock started to set in and I began to shake.
    “Shh, Kat,” he whispered, pulling me into his arms.  “You're safe now.  I've got you.”
    Tears spilled over my eyes as I leaned into him and basked in the comfort he offered, deeply breathing in cologne mixed with the musky scent of his sweat.
    “Thank you,” I mumbled against his shirt.  In response, he pressed his lips lightly to my forehead.
    “Let's get you someplace warm,” he said, turning us toward the mouth of the alley.
    “Wait!”  I scrambled out of Blane's arms and ran back to the mugger.  Prying open his fist, I grabbed my necklace.  The man groaned but didn't