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licked her cheek. “Scream for me.” He ripped her blouse.
    Revulsion washed over her in waves.
    He chuckled. “I see someone already had a taste of you, little lady.” He ran his fingers over her scars. “How about I add one? Huh? A little reminder of me?”
    He cut a thin line from the top of her breasts, continued between them, slicing open the front clasp of her bra, down to her navel.
    She refused to scream but it hurt like hell. This was different, this was something new. It hadn’t happened this way before. Why weren’t they ripping her out of the VR?
    The cut was deep enough to leave a scar. A warm trail of blood followed the path of the knife. The pain was excruciating.
    “Scream for me, sweetheart.” He pulled his arm back.
    Mia looked away and waited for him to plunge the cold metal into her abdomen. Would she die quickly? She hoped so.
    She’d been strong enough to handle this world. To share her mind with criminals. In the end, it was her own memories of death and darkness that would kill her.
    She waited. The plunge didn’t come. The weight pressing on her chest disappeared. Mia opened her eyes. She blinked, taking time to adjust. Eddie dangled a few feet off the ground. Dylan had his large hand around the man’s throat. In the other, Dylan held the knife. His rage manifested itself as strength. In reality, he’d never be able to lift a man off the ground.
    He threw Eddie against the wall with such speed and ferocity, Mia winced. Power emanated from him. His muscles rippled with anger.
    Dylan spoke. His voice calm, deep, menacing to the core. His attention firmly fixed on Eddie. “How about you scream for me?”

Chapter Four
     
    Mia remained motionless on the wet alley floor, her breathing shallow. Her pulse thundered around her body. She shivered slightly, partly from the cold, partly from fear. Her torso and breasts were exposed to the damp night air. Blood congealed in a pool at her navel. She was thankful Dylan had returned.
    She shifted, winced as the pain lanced through her. She would have another scar, another stain of evil on her soul. The body experienced trauma and shock the same way in both worlds—getting cut here meant getting cut in the real world.
    Eddie lay unconscious, no longer posing any threat. Dylan turned his attention to her.
    He drank in her appearance. She felt no shame or embarrassment as he perused her body. She wouldn’t hide herself from him. She was enthralled by his physical responses—the nerve twitching in his jaw, moisture lingering on his lips as he licked them.
    When he growled, it was loud enough for her to hear. Loud enough for her to regain her senses. Feeling foolish, she pulled her shredded blouse around her. The cut hurt like hell.
    “Take a good look?” she barked. She shuffled away, scooted against the opposite wall. When she rested her head back, intense pain caused her to yelp. She’d gotten a head injury too. Fantastic.
    Dylan shrugged. “I didn’t see you hurrying to cover yourself, Doc.”
    He was so in control. No hint of the violence he had unleashed. Eddie stirred behind them. Mia flinched. How could she explain this construct?
    “Poor Dr. Simon.” He walked back, kicked Eddie and revealed her claw marks on his arms. “Looks like you put up a fight.”
    “Fuck you.” She wiped her mouth. It came away red.
    When did her mouth start to bleed? Surely her vitals were going crazy. Why weren’t her colleagues pulling her out?
    Dylan laughed, loud and hard. The sound reverberated around the alley. Eddie rolled over, moaning as Dylan turned his attention back to Mia.
    “What’s the matter? Truth hurt?” He tilted his head to the side. “Obviously this asshole is someone from your past. How did it feel when you were tearing at his flesh, wounding him, inflicting pain? Did it satisfy you? Did it excite you to get revenge?” He stalked toward her.
    “I felt hate. Intense hate. A primal urge to cause him enormous pain. I didn’t want to