The CEO's Plaything

Sky trudged home after her night shift, the ache in her feet a dull reminder of the day's work. She was exhausted, her mind clouded by fatigue, yet there was a spark of anticipation flickering inside her.

Tonight was supposed to be special-it was her birthday, and Valentine's Day too. She'd spent all day entertaining fleeting fantasies, hoping Andrew might surprise her with something thoughtful.

She pictured herself stepping inside to find rose petals scattered across the floor, maybe even a romantic candle or two lighting up their tiny apartment. Something, anything, to show he'd remembered her.

But as she pushed open the door, the dream shattered almost immediately. Her eyes fell on the floor near the entrance, where a lacy bra lay, entwined with a pair of men's boxers.

Sky's breath caught. Her fingers tightened around the doorknob as the air around her thickened, suffocating her in disbelief. A chill crept up her spine, numbing her thoughts as she tried to swallow down the mounting dread.

"No... no, no, no," she whispered, voice barely audible, her words a desperate mantra as if saying it could turn back time, erase the scene in front of her.

Slowly, she closed the door behind her, shutting herself into a silence broken only by a sound that made her stomach twist-a low, drawn-out moan from further inside.

Heart pounding, she took another shaky step forward. Every instinct screamed at her to turn back, to flee, to leave whatever was unfolding inside unseen. But an awful curiosity urged her forward, compelling her feet to carry her toward the living room.

There, in the dim light, she saw them. Andrew, his face twisted in a wicked grin, his hands grabbing another woman's hips. The girl's back was to him, her head thrown back, lost in the pleasure he was giving her. The sight alone shattered something inside Sky, but then she heard his words, each one slicing through her heart like a cruel blade.

"God, yes, baby... you're so tight... so much better than your sister..."

Her sister. "No it can't be"

"Andrew!" she shrieked, her voice raw and jagged as she hurled her bag onto the floor. The sound startled them both, their heads snapping toward her in shock.

"Are you kidding me?! You're... you're a fucking bastard!" Her voice rose with each word, her anger spilling over, filling the air between them, until there was no trace left of the hope she'd carried home with her.

Andrew scrambled up, his face twisted in shock, sweat dripping from his forehead and trailing down his nose, collecting at his lips before falling.

But Sky barely noticed him-her gaze had shifted to the person now facing her, her heart sinking like a stone. There, standing in all her brazen confidence, was Brittany. Her little sister. Her eighteen-year-old sister.

Sky's heart shattered. She felt as if the ground had been yanked out from beneath her, leaving her spiraling. Her voice broke free in a desperate, furious scream.

"What the hell, Andrew?! You... you were screwing my little sister in my own house?!" Her voice cracked, the words clawing their way out as she paced wildly, her hands fisting into her hair, as if the pain might wake her from this nightmare. "Oh God, please... have mercy."

But there was no waking up. It was real. Every twisted, gut-wrenching detail was real. She didn't know where to turn, how to process it all; it was too much-far too much.

"Get a grip over yourself, Sky," Brittany said, her tone dripping with indifference as she crossed her arms over her bare chest, casting a bored glance in Sky's direction. Her expression twisted, a smirk tugging at her lips.

"Yeah, Andrew's fucking me. So what? What are you gonna do, huh?" Her voice turned mocking. "Guess he got tired of that loose pussy of yours."

For a moment, Sky felt as though she'd been punched. Was this really Brittany speaking? The sister she'd sacrificed everything for? The sister she'd protected, ever since their parents had died? Sky had given up her life, her dreams, just to make sure Brittany had a stable home.

Her voice broke, tears slipping down her face. "Brittany, you ungrateful little bitch," she choked out, slamming her hands down on the table.

"After Mom and Dad died, I took you in. I dropped out of college so you could have a chance at a future. I did everything for you! I fed you. I gave up everything just for you." Her voice rose, the hurt blending with an anger she hadn't known she could feel.

"You're just eighteen!" she shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Brittany. "Eighteen! And you're already doing this?! Letting some man use you like this?! Is this what I sacrificed everything for?" Her words were trembling, her heart pounding so hard she could hear it echoing in her ears. "And you have the audacity to stand there and disrespect me?"

Brittany scoffed, her eyes narrowing as she stepped closer, the smirk on her face deepening.

"You think I owe you something?" Brittany laughed bitterly, crossing her arms. "I didn't ask you to play mom, Sky. You were desperate for attention, playing the martyr, and now you're mad because I've got what you don't. You're just bitter because, deep down, you know Andrew would rather be with me than with a washed-up loser like you."

That was it. Sky's vision blurred with rage, her hands shaking as Brittany's words rang in her ears. Without thinking, she lifted her hand and slapped Brittany hard across the face, the sharp crack echoing through the room. Brittany staggered back, her hand flying up to her cheek, her expression shifting from shock to fury.

For a moment, there was only silence, thick with tension, as the two sisters stared each other down-Sky, breathless and trembling, and Brittany, seething with resentment, her eyes blazing with defiance.

Suddenly, Andrew stormed forward, his face twisted in fury, and slapped Sky hard across the face. The sharp sting radiated through her cheek, and she stumbled back, a bitter, searing pain that went deeper than the slap itself.

For a moment, she was too stunned to react, her hand moving slowly to her face as she looked up at him, her eyes wide with shock and heartbreak.

Her voice trembled as she spoke, barely a whisper at first. "Andrew... did you really just slap me?" Her words were filled with disbelief. She shook her head, as if trying to shake herself awake.

"Over her? Over my own sister?" The betrayal hit her like a tidal wave, anger and anguish tearing through her chest. "After everything I did for you... after all the sacrifices I made?"

Andrew only glared at her, a cold, twisted look in his eyes, and crossed his arms as if he'd done nothing wrong.

Sky's voice grew louder, rising with every word as the depth of her hurt spilled over. "I paid your school fees, Andrew! I worked long hours-grueling hours-to make sure you had a future.

" I built you up from nothing! I made you a man!" Her voice cracked, her body shaking with the enormity of what was crashing down around her. "And this... this is what I get?"

She turned to Brittany, her face contorted with rage and disbelief, but Brittany simply raised her chin, her lips curling into a smug, defiant smirk.

Sky could barely breathe as the shock of betrayal morphed into something darker, something bitter and raw.

Sky's voice dropped, each word slow and venomous. "You know what?" She jabbed her finger toward the door. "Both of you... out of my house." Her voice broke, but her determination did not. "I don't want to see your faces ever again. Just get out!"

Andrew scoffed, taking a step closer with a smug smirk on his face, his tone dripping with condescension. "Your house?" He laughed bitterly.

"You don't own this place, Sky. We bought it together, remember?" He had the audacity to look amused, like this was all some game, as he lazily pulled on his pants, casting an arm around Brittany's shoulders. Brittany clung to him, her expression triumphant as she looked Sky up and down with cold disdain.

Sky's hands clenched into tight fists, fury flashing in her eyes. "In case you forgot, I paid ninety percent of the rent, you pathetic excuse for a man," she spat, her words sharper than any slap. Her whole body trembled with barely restrained rage.

"So let me make myself crystal clear-get the hell out of my house before I lose every ounce of self-control I have left." She glared at him, pointing a trembling finger at the door.

Then her gaze shifted to Brittany, and something broke in her voice, a rawness that cut deeper than anything she'd said before.

"And you... you are no longer my sister." She spoke slowly, every word laced with venom. "I curse the day Mom brought you into this world." Her voice dropped to a hoarse whisper, filled with a grief that tore at her insides. "You are dead to me."

With a surge of finality, she grabbed Andrew and Brittany, pushing them roughly toward the door, not caring that they stumbled, half-dressed and reeling. Andrew tried to say something, but she didn't want to hear a single word.

As he opened his mouth, she snapped, "Screw you." And with that, she slammed the door with a resounding bang, cutting them off and sealing them out of her life.

As soon as the door slammed shut, the weight of everything crashed down on Sky. Her knees buckled, and she slid down the door, her back scraping against the rough wood as she crumpled to the floor.

The tears came in hot, relentless waves. Her hands shook as she clutched her chest, trying to hold herself together, but it was impossible.

They had betrayed her. The two people she had loved most in this world had turned on her, as if her love and loyalty had meant nothing at all.

Andrew, who she'd sacrificed so much for, and Brittany, her own sister-her baby sister. She had given up her dreams, her time, her entire life to support them both, and they'd torn it all apart like it was nothing.

Her mind replayed their words, each one a fresh wound, stinging and tearing at her as she tried to breathe through the pain.

With her head buried in her hands, she whispered to herself, "Why... Why did they do this?" But there was no answer, only the silence.

Sky sat there, her back against the door, feeling as if she'd lost not just them, but a part of herself she'd never get back. And all she could do was cry.

"I thought love was supposed to heal, not destroy. But now... now I'm left with nothing. No family, no love, no home. Just emptiness."

She paused, her eyes scanning the room as if searching for answers.

"But something inside me is stirring. A spark, a flame, a fire that refuses to be extinguished. I can feel it rising, burning away the pain."

Her voice dropped to a whisper.

"I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I do know one thing: I will rise from these ashes. I will rebuild, I will heal, and I will make them regret ever crossing me."

As determination ignited within her, Sky's gaze locked onto the door she had slammed shut just moments before.

"This is just the beginning."

Sky had crammed the last of her clothes into her suitcase, zipping it up with a snap that echoed around the empty room. She couldn't stand to be here another minute, not after what she'd seen.

Every glance at the couch clawed at her heart, a taunting reminder of her boyfriend, Andrew, entangled with her own sister on that very cushion.

The image haunted her like a relentless ghost, replaying itself every time she blinked. This wasn't a home anymore-it was a trap. The only way to free herself was to leave, to let the walls that bore witness hold the memories she refused to carry.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, vibrating with Andrew's apologies. Each text dripped with regret and excuses: "It was a mistake, Sky.

"It wasn't me. It was...it was the devil's work." She rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, "Blame it on the devil, huh? Typical. Take some responsibility, you son of a..." Her lips twisted into a bitter smile as she wished him the worst-a one-way ticket to misery.

With a sigh, she scooped up her little fluff ball, Fluffy, who had been circling her feet, sensing the tension in the air. She cradled him against her chest, burying her face in his soft fur, drawing a strange comfort from his small warmth.

"It's just you and me now, buddy. We're all we have." Her words wavered, her grip tightening until Fluffy whimpered softly, jolting her back to reality. Sky took a deep breath, forcing herself to hold back tears as she looked around the house one last time.

She had arranged everything-sold the house, packed her savings, booked a ticket to anywhere but here. Her flight left tomorrow morning, and she couldn't wait. Without another glance, she locked up the house, hailed a taxi, and headed to a hotel.

By 5 a.m., she found herself sprawled on the hotel bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, with Fluffy curled up beside her. Sleep had been elusive, replaced by a gnawing ache that seemed to burrow deeper with every passing hour.

Her phone had been blowing up with calls from her boss, reminders of her missed shifts. She ignored them all. Her life here was over, job and all. Screw the job. Screw everyone.

A sudden thought flickered in her mind, igniting a spark of rebellion. Sky sat up, a sly smirk playing on her lips. "What am I doing here, wallowing like a ghost?" she whispered to herself.

"I need a drink...and maybe something a little wilder." Her heart beat faster at the thought, a pulse of defiance drowning out the pain. "Screw you, Andrew. Screw you, Brittany. You think you've broken me? Guess again."

She leapt from the bed, flipping open her suitcase in search of something bold, something unforgettable. After a moment, she found it-a short, slinky dress that practically shimmered under the hotel lights.

She slipped into it, feeling her confidence creep back with each tug and adjustment. She finished the look with a swipe of red lipstick, taking one last look in the mirror.

Tonight, she was leaving all her baggage behind, one drink and one reckless decision at a time.

****

Sky ordered four shots of Sex on the Beach, topped off with a daring splash of vodka. Tonight, she wasn't just drinking; she was drowning her pain in whatever concoction would hit her the hardest.

She leaned against the bar, eyes scanning the dim room, the low buzz of conversation and the occasional burst of laughter feeling like salt on an open wound.

Just a few feet away, a couple was tucked close together in the corner booth, sharing a moment that was painfully familiar. They whispered and laughed softly, hands entwined, oblivious to the world around them.

The sight sent a vicious twist through her chest. Without thinking, Sky picked up her drink, downed it, and slid off her barstool, heading straight toward them, her heels clicking against the worn wooden floor.

She stopped just inches from the couple's table, planting her hand firmly on the surface and leaning down, a bitter smile curving on her lips.

"Y'all know what?" she started, her voice low and dripping with venom. "Enjoy it while you can

"Hold onto it tight. Because guess what? One day, he's gonna leave you. Yeah, you, miss doe-eyes over there. And you," she pointed at the boyfriend, her stare hard, "you'll probably end up screwing her sister on the same couch you promised her forever on. Because that's what men do, isn't it?" Her voice rose with every word, slicing through the air like a knife, her words laced with raw, burning pain.

The girl's eyes widened in horror, clutching her boyfriend's arm. He blinked, caught somewhere between anger and embarrassment, looking like he'd rather vanish than sit under Sky's fiery gaze.

"Don't believe him," Sky spat. "Men are scum. They're liars, manipulators-betrayers. He's got you fooled, but give it time. He'll tear your heart out, and you'll be the one left picking up the pieces."

The couple sat frozen, their faces pale under the dim bar lights, and before either could muster a reply, Sky turned on her heel, leaving them staring after her as she made her way back to her seat. She could almost feel their eyes on her, but she didn't care. Let them think she was crazy. Let them think whatever they want.

Back at the bar, the bartender had set her shots in a neat line. She gave him a brief nod of thanks, gripping the first glass tightly before tilting her head back, feeling the burn sear down her throat. One. Two. Three. Four. She barely tasted them, drinking to numb the ache that clawed at her chest. As she reached for the last glass, she noticed someone slumping onto the stool beside her.

A stale, sour smell hit her, and she winced before he even spoke. His clothes looked wrinkled and damp, as if he'd been pulled out of a dirty laundry pile and left to dry on a rainy day. And then he opened his mouth.

"Hey there, pretty lady." His voice was thick, each word slurred, carrying a waft of breath that was so foul, she recoiled instantly. Her hand shot up to cover her nose, her eyes narrowing as she took in the man beside her.

"Jesus," she muttered, taking a small step back. "Did something crawl in your mouth and die? Seriously, it's like a dumpster decided to call your breath home."

The man blinked, taken aback, his eyebrows pulling together in confusion. "Just wanted to say hi," he slurred, oblivious to the way she recoiled.

She rolled her eyes, leaning back with a disgusted laugh. "Buddy, 'hi' doesn't even cover it. If your breath could talk, it'd be begging for a toothbrush, mouthwash, maybe even an exorcist." She looked him up and down, her face twisted in a grimace.

"You smell like you wrestled a wet dog and lost. Honestly, I'd rather get hit by a bus than sit here and pretend I can't smell you."

The man's face flushed red, his drunken confidence visibly cracking as he stumbled off the stool, muttering something under his breath before lurching toward the exit. Sky smirked, shaking her head, satisfaction flooding her chest. Maybe she couldn't take back what happened, but she sure as hell could take control of tonight.

Turning back to the bar, she lifted her final shot, giving the bartender a raised brow as she drained the glass in one smooth gulp. "Another round," she ordered, her voice steady, though a slight slur crept into her words. Her eyes held a gleam of defiance as she gave him a crooked grin.

***

Sky tipped back another glass, savoring the burn as the music pulsed around her, drowning out the weight in her chest. She swayed in time with the beat, her head bobbing, letting the rhythm carry her away. For once, she didn't want to think. She just wanted to be here, in this hazy, reckless moment.

But the spell shattered when her phone buzzed, shrill and insistent, on the counter.

She ignored it, glancing at the glowing screen just long enough to see his name. Andrew. She snorted, rolling her eyes, and slid the phone face-down on the bar.

But the buzzing continued, persistent, grating, like he was reaching through the phone and tugging her back to him. She clenched her jaw, trying to drown it out, but it wouldn't stop.

Finally, in one sharp, annoyed motion, she grabbed the phone and held it up, practically yelling to be heard over the music. "What, Andrew? What the fuck do you want?"

On the other end, his voice came through, harsh and angry. "What the fuck, Sky? Why did you sell the house? Who the hell do you think you are?"

Sky felt a dark, bitter laugh bubble up as she shook her head, her voice dripping with disdain.

"Me? Who do I think I am? I'm the girl who had to watch her boyfriend screw her own sister on the couch where we used to sit and make plans for our future." Her voice cracked slightly, but she pushed on, her words sharp as glass.

"You don't get to ask me anything, Andrew. Go back to Brittany, or better yet, go back to whatever hole you crawled out of, and leave me the hell alone."

"Sky, where are you?" he demanded, his tone filled with false authority. "Where are you? I'm coming to meet you right now."

The audacity of his words made her laugh-a low, humorless sound that was more pain than anything else. "Oh, you're coming to find me? Do you think I care?"

She felt tears prickling at the edges of her eyes, and her grip tightened around the phone, her fingers trembling. "You're a pathetic excuse for a human being, Andrew. A liar, a coward, a goddamn parasite. I don't need you. I don't need anything from you."

Without waiting for his response, she ended the call with one final, furious swipe. The bar felt smaller, hotter, like the walls were closing in on her. She didn't want to hear his voice again, didn't want to give him any more of her time, her thoughts, her pain. She'd given him enough.

Her breath came in ragged gasps as she looked at the phone, her fingers shaking as she stared at his name still lingering on the screen. With a surge of anger, she raised her hand and hurled the phone out the nearest window, hearing the satisfying crack of glass and plastic against the pavement below.

She turned back to her drink, lifting it with a shaky hand. "To freedom," she whispered to herself, swallowing the words along with the burning liquor, letting the warmth spread through her chest and drown out everything else, if only for a moment.

She stumbled off her stool, her legs wobbly from the drinks, and made her way toward the bathroom. The dim hallway was narrow, filled with the faint stench of spilled beer and disinfectant.

She pushed open the grimy bathroom door and instantly recoiled. The bathroom was a disaster-a single fluorescent light flickered overhead, casting shadows on walls smeared with god-knows-what. Brown stains streaked across the cracked tiles, and the floor was wet, with suspicious smears near the stall doors.

"Ugh, hell no," she muttered, wrinkling her nose and pressing her hand over her mouth to block out the stench.

But there was no other option; she was here now, and she couldn't hold it in any longer. "Just in and out," she whispered to herself, forcing her feet forward, her heels clicking against the sticky floor.

But just as she reached for the stall door, she felt a sharp yank from behind, her scalp screaming in pain as someone grabbed a fistful of her hair.

The force sent her stumbling backward, her head hitting the filthy bathroom floor with a sickening thud. Stars exploded behind her eyes, and the world spun as she tried to gather her senses, panic rising like bile in her throat.

Skye's world blurred, and her pulse thundered in her ears as she was slammed down to the cold, unforgiving floor.

Her skull screamed with pain as the back of her head collided with the hard surface, sending sharp waves of dizziness through her body. Her hair-her long, thick hair-was being yanked so hard it felt like her scalp might tear off.

She opened her mouth, a guttural scream of rage and fear escaping her lips, but it was cut short as her breath hitched.

"Shut up," a voice growled, deep and menacing. The sound of it made her blood run cold. Andrew.

"Andrew, what the hell are you doing here? Let go of my hair, please!" Her voice was shaky, filled with terror and disbelief. She twisted under him, but his grip was unyielding, his fingers like iron around her hair, forcing her head back.

He chuckled, the sound low and twisted, vibrating in the space around them. The laugh was like a slap to her face, mocking, full of cruelty. "You thought you could leave me, huh?" he said, his voice as venomous as a serpent's hiss.

His breath was hot against her neck as he leaned in, his lips grazing the sensitive skin behind her ear, sending a shudder through her spine.

She froze, every instinct in her body screaming to run, but her body was paralyzed under his weight. "You thought you could just run off?" he whispered, his lips brushing her ear. "Don't you remember? Your location is always on. That's how I found you."

Skye's stomach turned as his words sank in, like poison spreading through her veins. She tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened, dragging her head back painfully, forcing her to look at him. His hand moved from her hair to her face, holding her there, eyes glinting with a sick satisfaction. "I told myself I was going to marry you," he sneered, his lips curling into a cruel smile. "So you think you can leave me? No, Sky, that's not how it works."

Skye's chest tightened. The man before her was no longer the one she thought she knew. This wasn't love. This was something darker. "You're a monster," she spat, trying to claw at his hand, but it was no use. He was too strong.

Andrew's eyes gleamed with malice as he looked her up and down, scanning her body with a gaze that felt like it was burning her skin. "God, you look hot," he muttered, his eyes flickering over her, lingering on her chest, on the curve of her waist, before lowering to her hips. "You've always been hot, Sky. You know that?"

Before she could even register what was happening, his hand was on her ass, squeezing it roughly, like he owned her. The force of it made her gasp in shock and disgust. "Don't touch me!" she snarled, trying to shove him off, but his grip on her was too tight. "Let go!"

But Andrew didn't listen. He simply smirked, his lips curling into a grin that made her stomach churn. "You can scream all you want. You're not going anywhere. You're mine, Sky. I told you that." His hand slid under her shirt, brushing against her skin as he stroked her side. "I always get what I want. Always."

Skye's breathing hitched as he leaned closer, his face hovering over hers, the proximity suffocating. She could feel the heat of his breath on her skin, could smell the faint hint of alcohol in his exhale. He was drunk, or maybe just deranged. She didn't care.

"You're insane," she whispered, her voice barely a breath as she struggled beneath him, her body trembling with the weight of it all. "You're a fucking psycho."

Andrew's grip on her tightened again, his fingers digging into her skin as he dragged her up, her body jerking against him. "Oh, I'm the psycho?" he sneered, his lips pulling back in a twisted grin.

"Then why the hell are you still here, huh? If I'm a psycho, why aren't you running away?" He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against her ear, his breath hot and foul. "You can't leave me, Sky. I own you. I own every inch of you."

"Please, stop," she begged, her voice breaking as tears filled her eyes. "Let me go. Just let me go. I swear, I'll do anything."

His laughter was dark, cruel. He inhaled deeply, like he was savoring the scent of her, before muttering under his breath, "You know, I've always wanted you. Always wanted to fuck you. But you think I just want to take you like that? Nah. You're gonna beg for me, Sky. Beg for me to fuck you. And when I'm done with you, you'll realize how wrong you were to leave me."

"Stop," she gasped, her body trembling with fear and disgust. "I'll never beg you for anything. I'll never be yours."

Andrew's expression turned cold, calculating. "Then maybe you'll beg me here," he said, his voice low and dangerous. He grabbed her waist, jerking her forward so their bodies collided. He could feel the resistance in her, the way her body stiffened, but it only fueled his twisted pleasure. "I could take you right here, right now, Sky. Right here, on the floor. You think I won't?"

Her heart raced, pounding in her chest. She could feel every inch of him pressing against her, his hands everywhere, his lips against her skin. She recoiled in disgust, but she knew he wasn't going to stop. She was trapped, stuck in this nightmare, and the man she thought she knew was gone-replaced by something much darker, much more terrifying.

"Please, Andrew. I'll do whatever you want. Just let me go," she cried out, desperation clawing at her voice, but he didn't care. He was too far gone.

"No," he growled. "You don't get to walk away. You're going to stay with me. You're going to be mine, Sky. Forever."

He moved on top of her with urgency, his body pressing down, trapping her beneath his weight. His hand slid under her dress, roughly cupping her breast, fingers digging in with a possessiveness that made her stomach twist.

He groaned as he felt the warmth of her skin, the sound thick with hunger. "Oh, fuck, baby. Your titties are so soft! I wanna fucking suck them!" he muttered, his voice rough, as though the words barely formed through his desperation as he pressed her titties.

"Please, don't make me do this. Just let me go-don't do this, Andrew... please."

But Andrew didn't hear her. He was too far gone. His face twisted in a dark, grimace of determination.

"

No! I want to fuck you here! On this dirty floor as a slut that you are! I'd fuck you the way I fucked your sister till you bleed!" he snapped, the word harsh as he pushed harder against her, fingers digging into her chest, as if marking her, making her his. "I'll never let you go. You're mine. Do you hear me? Mine."

The way his fingers tightened, pressing down, it felt suffocating. She gasped, trying to push him away, but his grip was like iron.

Slowly, he moved his other hand down, sliding it to the strap of her dress, pulling it down agonizingly slowly, his eyes never leaving hers as he saw the fear in them. He smiled, a twisted, satisfied smile, before leaning down, his breath hot against her ear. "Please," she whimpered, trembling. "Don't do this... don't..."

But before he could go down to her pussy and touch her, there was a sudden, blinding pain- fist collided with the side of his head, the sound of it a sickening crack as Andrew crumpled beneath the force. His body fell like a ragdoll, limp and lifeless, his breath shallow as he collapsed to the floor, the air knocked out of him.