Bound by Danger by Terry Spear Read Free Book Online

asphalt as Deidre’s pumps ran to intercept them.
    “Excuse me!” she cried out in desperation. They just couldn’t get near the dark. “Stop!”
    The man fumbled with his truck keys and dropped them to the pavement. The woman giggled. He leaned down to get them, and she rested her hand on his shoulder.
    Then like a panther lunging from the dark, a man jumped out at the woman. Dressed in black sweats, he had blended with the dark.
    Either too shocked or inebriated to scream, the woman stared at the man who raised his blade to strike her. “Jared!” the woman finally squealed and stepped back.
    Deidre’s heart pounded. Could she remember the right maneuver to disarm a knife-wielding attacker? She shoved the woman aside and faced the man. His eyes grew cold and hard as he waved his blade at her.
    “Get out of the way!” he growled.
    Deidre knew the knife wasn’t meant for her, but she wasn’t about to let the man harm the other woman if she could prevent it.
    Watching him wave the weapon, she knew she couldn’t disarm him at that point. But as soon as he thrust it at her belly, she quickly shifted her body to avoid contact. Pushing his knife hand aside with her left hand diffused his momentum. Before he could recover, she grabbed his wrist and jerked it back. With her left hand pressuring his wrist backwards, she grabbed hold of the blade with her right hand and pushed the knife’s handle hard against his thumb. Not being able to grasp the blade any longer, he lost his grip. She pulled the knife free.
    He stumbled back and dashed into the darkness. She turned to see the inebriated man keeled over on the asphalt, passed out. The woman sobbed next to him. Deidre crouched beside her. “Go get someone from the dance club to come out here.”
    The woman nodded and rose unsteadily to her feet. Deidre watched the shadows for further signs of trouble as the man at her feet snored loudly. She waited, her breath unsteady with worry, hoping the assailant wouldn’t return again before help arrived.
    Then after several tense minutes, a bouncer from the club ran outside. “The police are on their way, miss.” He took the nine-inch blade from her hand.
    She wanted to get back to the club. She desired to dance close to Dave again, but she didn’t want him to know what had happened out here. “Can I go—”
    “The police will need a statement from you.”
    Deidre sighed deeply. “At least let me go back inside to let my friends know where I am.”
    “Sure, miss.”
    ***
    Dave watched the woman who had been behind Deidre in line exit the restroom. Deidre wouldn’t take much longer to leave now either. Three more women walked out, and Dave grew concerned. He hurried back to Charlie and Marilyn as they took another break.
    “I’m worried about Deidre. She’s taking too long at the ladies’ room.”
    Marilyn glared at him.
    “Check on her, will you?” His words were more of an order than a question.
    Charlie narrowed his eyes at Dave as Marilyn shrugged and wandered off at a stroll. Dave could have kicked her butt into faster gear, she made him so mad.
    Charlie folded his arms. “So what’s this all about?”
    Dave could tell by the irritation in Charlie’s voice, he thought Dave had caused the problem with Deidre’s disappearance when all along it was Charlie and Marilyn’s actions that had angered her. “She went to the ladies’ room after she saw you kissing Marilyn, that’s all.”
    “Oh?”
    “Yeah. For whatever reason, the two ladies don’t get along.”
    “Oh.”
    Marilyn waved to Dave over the heads of the dance club patrons, and he hurried with Charlie to the restroom. “She’s not in there, Dave.”
    ***
    Knowing everyone would have missed her by now, Deidre hurried back inside the club. Charlie, Marilyn, and Dave were questioning some of the ladies standing in line beside the restroom, the looks on their faces showing concern. As quickly as she could move through the crowd, she grabbed