Distracted By You: Book 1 in The Exeter Running Girls Series, стр. 55

“I’m going to the bathroom.” I broke the silence with this statement. “Too much alcohol.” I stood up and tried to be as steady on my feet as possible. In fact, I was running away to hide in the bathroom for a bit, collect my nerves, but they didn’t need to know that.

“Okay, do you want us to come with?” Cara asked as she walked back carrying ciders for the three of them.

“No, it’s fine. I won’t be long. Enjoy the drinks,” I turned my head away and wandered to the bathroom.

It was down a different flight of stairs to the pool table, through a long corridor that split into two doors at the end. One for men, one for women. I hurried into the women’s and did my business before resting my hands on one of the bathroom sinks, looking into the mirror at my odd reflection.

I even looked tipsy. My weird white hair was a mess, there were still shadows under my eyes from a lack of sleep and my lipstick was smeared. I corrected it just as the door to the bathroom opened. I didn’t look around to see who it was, just continued to stare at my reflection before looking down with a sigh.

The next sound I heard was the lock on the main door to the bathroom turning.

That’s odd.

I looked back up to the reflection in the mirror and trained my eyes towards the door rather than my face.

It was Kyle.

He leaned against the door with his arms folded, a lazy smile across his face.

“Hello, darling.”

The voice sent a bolt of fear as strong as lightning through my body. I reached for my handbag on the side of the sink, desperate for my phone, but he was suddenly next to me, his hand holding the bag closed with my fingers still trapped inside.

“Ow!” I tried to pull my hand away but couldn’t. I looked up at him – he was stood too close, leering down at me. “You’re hurting me, Kyle.” I attempted reason. It was a good starting point. “You do realise you’ve gone from creepy to an absolute weirdo.”

He flicked the hair out of his eyes and slowly dragged the handbag away. My hand slipped out onto the edge of the sink.

He didn’t say anything. He stepped back with the movement, just waiting, and watching for what I would do next.

After a beat of silence, I bolted for the door, but he was in the way faster than I could move. I scurried back and he followed, pressuring me all the way until my back was pressed against the white tiled wall. He wasn’t touching me. He just had his hands against the tiles either side of my face. His cheek was twitching slightly, his eyes scurrying up and down my clothes.

“Kyle – get away from me.”

“So like Rosie.” His words made me flinch. He dropped one of his hands to my face and I tried to recoil away, but I was trapped by the tiles and his arms. He touched my cheek. His hand was cold.

“I am not Rosie.” My voice was seething, practically hissing through my lips.

“But you’re like her.” He said again.

That lightning bolt of fire flashed again inside me.

He reached for me. He moved the hand that was on my cheek to my neck and held it pinned against the wall as his other hand went for the button on my jeans.

“No!” I screamed, fully ready to employ what Blake had taught me, yet furious he’d never said what to do if someone grabs your throat.

I used the heel of my boot and stamped as hard as I could on Kyle’s toe. It shocked him enough to reel back slightly, allowing me to get my elbow between us and pull a hard jab against his nose – he stumbled away.

His hands released me as he clutched his face in pain.

I tried to run around him to get to the door, but he grabbed my elbow and forced me back towards him – my eyes returned to his face, there was blood seeping out of his nose, but he didn’t care. His eyes flashed with unwavering intent.

I employed another move of Blake’s. As Kyle dragged me towards him, I brought my hand down flat on his wrist, the sharp chop wasn’t very effective though, he merely used it to turn me against him until my back was facing him.

“No!” I screamed. “Let go of me!”

Yet he wouldn’t. His arms were crossed in front of me. I kicked wildly into the air, but nothing happened.

There was banging on the other side of the door.

“Ivy? Ivy!” It was Leonora. Probably come to see where I was as it was taking too long.

“Leonora! Help!” I squealed before Kyle’s hand came over my mouth. I screamed against it, but no sound came out beyond a strangled cry.

She shouted my name – I think she attempted to kick the door as well, huge clattering thuds, but then it stopped suddenly. Footsteps ran away.

“No! Leo –” Before I could finish screaming her name, I was flat against the floor. My hands were pressed against the titles, trying to push myself up as Kyle pinned me down. He had his knees either side, keeping me pressed against the floor. With one hand, he had both my wrists held together, the other he had slithered underneath me and popped open my jeans button. “No!” I tried to wriggle free.

That lightning bolt of fear was crashing again and again.

“How could you?” I lifted my head up to scream at him. “What would Rosie think of you now?”

He hesitated, his right hand on the waist of my jeans, his left hand