Upon exiting the conference room, I took a quick detour to the ladies room to fix my hair and makeup. My clothes were still a little wrinkled, but that could easily be explained; having sat in a conference room for nine hours. But I couldn’t have explained my smeared lipstick or my tangled tresses. Rafe’s lovemaking had wreaked havoc on my hair. Doing my best to finger comb the tangles out, I twisted it back up into the familiar chignon and secured it with my clip. This would have to do.

Leaving the ladies room, I scanned the lobby real quick to make sure the coast was clear before heading to the elevators. My heart pounded in my chest and didn’t calm down until the doors opened and I was safely inside. Pressing the button for my floor, I leaned my head back against the wall. But my relief was short-lived.

A hand shot out just before the doors closed. To my dismay, the hand belonged to none other than Alistair. What was he doing downstairs? Why wasn’t he with my father?

“Going somewhere?” he sneered at me.

His tone caused the tiny hairs on the back of my neck to stand up. Something told me this wasn’t his usual obstinacy. He was vibrating with undisguised anger. I didn’t want to spend even a second alone with him. Not with him like this.

“Actually, I just remembered I forgot something,” I said as I made to exit the elevator.

But he was too quick. “Not so fast,” he hissed as he sprang in front of me blocking my way. I couldn’t shove past him before the elevator doors closed.

“What the hell do you think you are doing Alistair!” I yelled.

His face flushed with rage, his blue eyes seething. Scared, I took a step back.

“I think the better question is, what do you think you are doing? Or rather, WHO do you think you are doing!” he spat as he advanced toward me.

He knew. I don’t know how he knew. But he knew. Rafe and I had been so careful. But somehow Alistair knew we had been together. There was nowhere for me to go. I was trapped in the elevator with him.

Trying to diffuse the situation I put my hands up. “I don’t know what you mean Alistair,” I said as I tried to remain calm. But that only seemed to enrage him more.

He grabbed my wrists and screamed,“You know EXACTLY what I mean! I saw the two of you leave the conference room.”

“I don’t know what you think you saw Alistair but…”

“Shut-up!” he screamed, spittle spewing from his mouth. He was really scaring me. “I’m not stupid. I know what I saw, you stupid little cunt. I know when someone’s been fucked, and honey you looked like you were ridden hard and put away wet!”

“What I do or don’t do, is none of your business,” I yelled back, fighting his grip.

This only succeeded in angering him more. “Oh, it’s very much my business sweetheart. What would daddy think if he knew his precious little girl was really daddy’s little whore? Using her sweet little cunt to secure business deals.”

I cringed at his vulgarity. “Ow! That’s enough. You’re hurting me Alistair,” I pleaded as I tried to wrench my hands from his grasp.

But he only gripped them tighter. “What, you let Rafe put his hands on you; a commoner, an American at that,” he said in disgust. “Well, I want a little piece too.”

He was surprisingly strong, and he wrenched my hands back pinning them to the wall. Fear and bile rose in my throat as he pressed his knee in between my legs forcing them open. I could feel his erection pressing into my belly, and it made me want to hurl. I fought like a wildcat, hissing and spitting, trying to kick my way free.

He let go of one of my hands, only to slap me across the face so hard I saw stars. I would have fallen if he hadn’t pinned me against the wall with his body. Taking advantage of my disorientation, he ripped open my pants sending the clasp flying. Wrenching the zipper down, he forced his hand into my pants. He palmed my sex roughly, and I cried out as he forced first one finger than the other. Tears ran down my cheeks as my brain disconnected from my body, not wanting to accept that it was being assaulted so violently.

But I refused to give in. Alistair was going to rape me right here in this elevator if I didn’t do something. And quick. Blocking out the pain, I let a low moan escape my lips and feigned swooning.

Mistaking the moan for pleasure, Alistair released his grip on my other hand and began to press sloppy, disgusting kisses all over my face and neck. Taking advantage of his distraction, I slammed my heeled foot down on his instep sharply.

“What the fuck!” he yelled in pain.

I didn’t give him a chance to recover. As soon as he backed up hopping on his good foot, I reared up and kneed him in the balls as hard as I could. He dropped like a stone, only a faint gurgling sound escaping his lips.

Hitting the ‘door open’ button I cried with relief when the doors opened on my floor. Racing out of the elevators, I pulled my key card from my pocket almost dropping it in my haste to escape Alistair. I glanced worriedly over my shoulder to make sure he wasn’t coming. The elevator doors had closed, and there was no one in the hall. Finally, I heard the click of the lock and wrenched the door open.

I slammed the doors shut, my fingers shaking as I frantically grabbed for the security chain. It took three tries before I got it lined up properly. Once it was in place, I sank to my knees against the door. I don’t know how long I sat on the cool marble of the entry way, violent sobs and tremors wrenched from my body as I replayed the events in the elevator over and over in my mind. I knew Alistair was trouble, but I never thought he would be so violent or cruel.

Finally, the sobs turned to soft hiccups, and I felt a little more in control of myself. I struggled to my feet and headed straight to the bathroom. I didn’t dare look in the mirror. I couldn’t bear to see any reminders of Alistair’s attack. Putting the jets as hot as they could go, I quickly stripped off my clothes and stepped under the scalding spray. I stayed in the shower, long after the water grew cold trying to scrub the memory of Alistair’s touch from my skin.