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virtual creation. She had no idea where she was going.
    Occasionally other people were in the alleys with her. People she recognized from her past. On those occasions, she looked straight ahead. Was her unconscious somehow subtly changing Dylan’s reality?
    For the most part, she was alone in her thoughts. Alone with thoughts of Dylan Benjamin. A criminal mastermind. The man who stirred feelings in her she’d thought were dead.
    After the way he’d caressed her with such gentleness, did she believe he was capable of such destruction? Could she believe him capable of killing women? A thief, yes. A psychopathic murderer who toyed with his victims? No.
    She sighed. Dylan was an enigma. One she feared and desired. One she would never get to unravel now.
    She turned into yet another alley and stopped. This time she wasn’t alone.
    The rain cleared, leaving a cloudless night. Bathed in moonlight a few feet away were two men. In between them, being pushed from one to another, was a woman. Her terror was evident from her whimpers.
    One of the men tore her shirt, the other her skirt. The woman screamed, pleaded for them to stop.
    The men laughed. A high-pitched drunken cackle that made Mia sick to her stomach.
    Mia froze as they forced to woman to her knees. She couldn’t move. Couldn’t run. Couldn’t help the frightened woman. She’d been here before—in the real world. Surely this couldn’t be happening again? The computer program must have snatched this from her mind and imprinted it on this reality.
    Shit.
    Adrenaline coursed around her veins. She took a step back.
    One of the men turned his head in her direction. He saw Mia and flashed a lewd smile. “Well, looky what we have here.”
    Mia willed herself to move. She refused to let this play out the same way again.
    She wasn’t fast enough. The man gripped her arm and pulled her toward him. He pressed her body into his. His cock bit into her thigh. He had a mass of coarse, greasy blond hair.
    His hands roamed roughly over her body. “You like to watch, little lady? Turns you on, does it? Wish you could have a piece of the action?”
    As he breathed on her with putrid breath, Mia wanted to gag.
    “Well, you can watch first, sweetheart. Then it’s your turn.” He whirled her in his arms so they both faced the other man and the frightened girl. He held Mia in a bodylock. His arousal dug into her ass. He breathed heavily into her ear, whispering lewd comments, rubbing his crotch against her.
    Bile rose in her throat. No. No. No.
    It was happening exactly as it had all those years ago. She kept it hidden, locked away. She never thought about it, never allowed herself. And here it was playing out the same way as before.
    She had to stop it. She had to do something. Hatred boiled in her heart. Mustering all her strength, Mia clawed at the man’s arms. She drew blood. The man screamed and loosened his grip.
    She whirled around and slammed her fist against his jaw. She heard a crack. Pain lanced through her knuckles but she didn’t care. After running over to the woman, Mia pulled at the other man.
    “Get off her, you fuck.” Fury blinded her. Pure rage spurred her on, unleashing an animalistic need to hurt these men. She’d been a powerless teenager the first time, but not now.
    Someone grabbed her from behind and flung her to the ground. The impact made her gasp.
    Before she had time to recover, the man with putrid breath was on top her, knife against her heart. “If you move, bitch, I’ll pierce your heart like a fucking balloon.”
    Frightened, Mia froze.
    “Eddie, I don’t think this is a good idea.” The other man stood over them, holding the trembling woman by the arm.
    Eddie didn’t move. Didn’t flinch. “Leave. Now. I’ll handle this.”
    Exactly what he’d said the first time.
    “But Eddie…” The other man looked scared.
    Eddie’s head snapped in his direction. “I said leave !”
    He took the girl, left, leaving Mia alone with Eddie.
    He