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His hands were raised defensively but he toed closer, preparing to strike. I sidestepped around slowly, positioning my back away from the rail. He was too damn big to push over the side. I knew he was strong too.
His training was far more extensive than my own. My best bet was to get him away from Arie and try to stall. Maybe I’d get lucky.
When the door was close, I barreled through it, forcing him into the office space behind me. He reached out to grasp me, but I forced my limbs to move faster.
Without a plan, I threw the door open and rushed into the hall for the staircase. I knew that it was a bad idea. That I would be trapped. But all I could think about was getting to Romero.
Castiel’s snarling breaths were so close I could feel them gusting on my skin. His nails scraped my back, catching the ends of my hair and yanking several strands out. I ran harder, jerking left into the stairwell, and was leaping down the first three when the impossibly hard body of my captor hit mine.
I curled in on myself, knowing I’d hit the stone with zero padding. My hip took the brunt of my fall. Pain stole my breath. Castiel gripped my wrists, attempting to flatten me on the landing. I struggled against him, trying to breathe through the sharp agony half of my body was in.
Prying my legs apart with his knees, he leaned his body over mine, making it difficult to maneuver away.
“I want Romero to find you with my cum soaking your snatch, knowing I fucked you before I wrung your pretty neck.”
A tiny sliver of fear accompanied the maelstrom of fury whipping through my body. This dude had serious fucking issues.
He used one hand to keep my wrists locked in place, using the other to undo his buttons. I wrapped my legs around his waist and spun myself just enough to break his grasp. Winding my arm back, I balled my hand and sent it directly into Castiel’s nose.
The satisfying crack jarred him back. I pulled my knees to my chest, and with both feet kicked the jackass. Hard.
He fell back, head hitting the rail. I lunged to my feet and took off down the next flight. “Romero!” I screamed.
And faintly, I heard a deep voice shout back, too muffled to make out. Tears rushed to my eyes.
A fist clamped my hair, yanking me back. My scalp burned as a yelp escaped me. I threw my elbow out, managing to knock into his throat. When he slacked his hold I dove to the floor, gripped his ankles, and shoved them up with as much strength as I could conjure.
Castiel’s scream of alarm was cut short by his body striking metal. Then, a wet thump on concrete.
My breaths sawed painfully in and out, and all of me shook. Slowly, I went to the ledge and leaned over to glimpse the blood pooling, running like a steady stream. Castiel’s body was unmoving.
I closed my eyes, my lungs inexplicably tight.
This is no time for a panic attack, I reasoned with myself. As much as I wanted to race down to where the wall of furniture started—just past Castiel’s lifeless form—to dig my way to Romero, I needed to get Arie.
I turned to march up the stairs, forcing myself to take slow, even breaths. By the time I made it back onto the balcony, Arie’s hands were free and she was furiously pulling at the tape on her thighs.
“Hold on, I’m coming!” I called to her.
Her tear-soaked face lifted, and relief made her entire body sag. “Oh my god, Julietta. You’re okay.”
I nodded, trying to smile, but my lips wouldn’t curve. Looking around for a bar or something to swing the chair toward me, I heard the distinct sound of shouting and furniture crashing in the echoing stairwell.
My heart beat faster. He was almost here. I wanted to go to him, but the creaking of the rope and the groan of metal above kept me rooted in place.
I ran back inside the office, hoping to find a broom or a tool of some sort that could be used to pull Arie to safety.
“Jules, hurry! I think the pipe is going to snap!” she screamed.
My blood thundered in my ears. I’d survived Todd and Morgan, and now Castiel. Iwasn’t going to lose my best friend after everything else.
“Julietta!” Romero thundered.
“Up here!” I found a broom in the cupboard near his secretary’s desk and rushed back onto the balcony.
Just as I did, Arie’s form jostled, the rope lowering her by several feet. She swung, just as I had, preparing to lunge for the railing. Moving closer, I extended the broom, hoping to catch the cord and hold her close long enough to grab the edge.
The metal groaned again, and Arie’s face—contorted with concentration—glanced up. A whimper shook her slender frame.
