Abby's fingers grazed over the discolored skin.

"Impossible," she whispered. "It was a dream. No, a nightmare. There's no...no way. No, it's impossible."

Memories gushed forward of Bryce, being a bit too rough in his lovemaking. He used to purposely leave a hickey when he knew she had an upcoming job interview. It was yet another way to control her.

"No Bryce! I told you I have a job interview tomorrow!"

"For what? I can support you. Are you trying to leave me? What? Did you stop loving me all of a sudden?"

"Of course not. I just want to have a job. To earn my own money," she'd argue.

"Don't you trust me to support you?"

"That's not what this is about, Bryce."

"It's not? Then explain to me what this is about. Why do you all of a sudden feel the need to get a job?"

"It's not all of a sudden. I have a degree. I want to use it."

"Yeah right. Tell me the truth, Abby. Do you want to meet other men? Is that it? leave me for another man? You think I'll let you go? Baby, I'll follow you to the ends of the earth if you ever left me. I'd be your shadow. You wouldn't be able to take a dump without me knowing about it."

"That's disgusting, Bryce."

"No, that's what's going to happen if you ever try to leave me. You're mine, Abby."

Abby shook the past from her head and clutched her beaded bracelet. She took several deep breaths. "Stop it. He can't hurt you anymore. No one can hurt you. No one!" There was no way Bryce would be able to get to her. None.

There was no one else in this cabin except her and her new boss, Alex Carter. She would never have imagined him as the type to secretly try and attack her in her sleep but Abby knew first-hand that disturbed people came in all shapes and sizes.

Anger bubbled deep in her belly as she thought of Alex Carter pretending to be concerned after she had woken from her nightmare. Had he just been afraid of being caught?

"Pervert!" Abby hissed. She pulled on her robe and made her way to his bedroom, her footsteps sounding like angry beats on a drum. Her fury was the melody pushing her forward.

She didn't bother with knocking. She didn't feel the need as Abby assumed he had already tasted her against her will. As far as she was concerned, he was guilty and her anger already convicted him.

Her unexpected entry caught him off-guard and he mumbled something before recovering and remembering where he was at. "Ms. Redding, what exactly do you think you're doing?"

A moment of panic welled up in her. What if I'm wrong and he's not a pervert? Abby squashed down the doubt as she reminded herself that it was just the two of them in the cabin. Her index finger pointed towards him in accusation."What am I doing here? What were you doing in my room?"

His brows narrowed together. "Are you sleepwalking right now?" He looked down and mumbled, "Damn it all to Hell. I knew I shouldn't have hired someone from Pathways."

"You monster!" Abby screeched.

Alex Carter mirrored a finger back at Abby and shouted, "I don't care if you're sleepwalking! I demand you wake up and get out of my room this instant!"

"I'm not sleepwalking! I'm here because you just came into my room without my permission." Abby attempted to take an intimidating step forward when she realized it was just her and Alex Carter in a room and she had no weapon to protect herself.

"Of course I was just in your room. You were screaming like a madwoman. Was I supposed to ignore you?" Alex sighed in frustration and muttered something about never hiring a charity case again.

"What did you call me? A charity case?" Abby growled. "Is that why you think you can take advantage of me? Because no one will believe me against the super-powerful businessman, Alex Carter?"

Alex was slowly massaging his temples. "This isn't happening right now. This isn't happening."

"I'm not some woman who cried wolf the first time. What did you think would happen if you came on to me in my sleep? That I'd think it was a dream? That I'd forget about it? That I'd overlook it and be grateful because someone finally gave me a job? I'll have you know that I worked hard for my degree."

"Get out," Alex repeated softly.

"No! Not until you admit what you did was wrong and apologize."

"You're right." Alex slowly turned his head towards Abby, his mouth a grim line. "I was wrong. I was wrong to hire you, a total psychopath. Believe me when I say that I am deeply regretful of my decision."

Abby could feel her mouth hanging open in shock. "What did you say?"

"Do you have hearing problems in addition to mental problems?" Alex asked before removing himself from his bed. "I hired you as a personal assistant. Nothing more. Nothing less. Yet here you are storming into my room in the middle of the night to accuse me of...what was it again? Attacking you in your sleep?" Alex actually had the gall to laugh. "Do you even know who I am? Why would I need to attack you? Ahhh but you think I'm some sort of pervert, don't you?" His laughter mocked her. "Do you do this to all your bosses or am I the lucky one?"

"It's not funny." Abby could feel tears threatening to escape.

"Oh but it is. At least to me. Why in the world would someone like me want someone like you as a bed partner?" Alex took a step forward, causing Abby to take a step back.

"What's that supposed to mean? Someone like me?"

"Exactly what you think it means. I only hired you as a favor to my mother and her philanthropic ways but this is asking too much of me. I'm a businessman, not a psychiatrist. I can't help you with whatever crazy episode you're going through right now. First thing in the morning, I expect you to pack your bags and get out of my sight. Consider yourself fired."

Abby felt her nails drawing blood from the palms of her hands. She should've known better than to expect an apology. She was doubting herself as it was but logically, it was only the two of them in the cabin. Who else could've attacked her? "Fired? Do you actually think I'd want to work with someone like you? I know all about you. You're garbage!"

Abby felt Alex's attack before she saw it coming. She was pushed up against the wall.

"Don't you ever call me that again, do you understand?"

Abby struggled out of his grip. He wasn't really hurting her but it was uncomfortable. "Let me go!"

"Let me say this one more time. I didn't go into your room to attack you. The only time I stepped inside your room was to check on you because you were screaming bloody murder. If I could've ignored it, I would have."

"If you didn't attack me, then how did I get the hickey on my neck?" Abby muttered.

"I don't know. Maybe you gave it to yourself."

She gasped in anger. "Why would I?"

"I don't know. Did you plan this? Did you pinch your neck or something until it looks like you'll have a hickey and then barge in here thinking I'd pay you to keep your mouth shut?" Alex loosened his hold and stepped back. "I have more money and more lawyers at my disposal than you can imagine. You really are crazy if you think you could get one over on me."

"Stop calling me that."

"Why not? It's the truth, isn't it?" Alex leaned forward and smirked. "You've even been to the loony bin, haven't you?"

Abby wanted to crawl into the wall her back was pressed against. All of the anger and bravery she had while storming into Alex Carter's room had quickly dissipated into a cloud of shame and surprise. Abby frowned. "What did you say?"

"Oh, come on. You didn't think I'd hire someone as my personal assistant without knowing every single detail about them, did you?"

"Then...then you know...about--"

"Bryce Cruise? Your ex-boyfriend? Oh, I know all about him. I know every one of your secrets, Abby Redding."

"Then you know--"

Alex leaned forward, his hand against the wall above her shoulder. "How you killed him? I know all about that too."