Page 28 of Running to You

Sam pushed her out of the way, and she stumbled, bumped against the back of the couch.

Turned to see Sam throw a punch at the guy, who backed up, swung toward him.

Something glinted in the man’s hand.

“Knife!”

Sam spun, squeezed the arm with the weapon between his upper arm and his rib cage, and elbowed the attacker in the face. The guy seemed about to go down, then levered back, trying to pull Sam off-balance.

From behind her, a hand slipped around her neck and yanked her off her feet.

“Sam!”

He looked, eyes wide with terror. The distraction had him stumbling back. He fell onto his attacker.

Eliza fought as the second man dragged her backward. Toward the door. She grabbed a table leg, but it slid, banging into the sofa.

He punched the side of her head.

Everything spun. The world grew dark at the edges.

No. No, she couldn’t pass out. She had to fight. She reached for something, anything, to stop herself from being taken away.

Sam was disappearing in the darkness.

And then, he turned her way. Launched himself across the space.

The arm around her neck loosened and was gone.

But everything was gray and fuzzy. The bangs and grunts faded. She fought the darkness, but the darkness was winning.

CHAPTER SEVEN

“Run!” Sam dodged a punch as he shouted the word.

But Eliza wasn’t moving. Dear God, please…

The first man—chubby face with a goatee—was still down. Sam had seen the second attacker coming, seen him grab Eliza.

Felt his heart stop.

Focus.

He heard his martial arts coach in his head, instructing him. He couldn’t save Eliza until he saved himself.

He’d allowed himself to be dragged down. On his way, he’d grabbed the paperweight off the desk.

Flipped himself over. Bashed Goatee’s head with it.

The guy went limp, allowing Sam to scramble off him. He dove at the second attacker—this one smaller with spiked blond hair—from the side. He got the guy away from Eliza.

She was free, but she didn’t run.

Which meant he had to defeat Spike. Fast, before the other one got to his feet.

This one was smaller than Goatee, scrappier. Fought dirty. Sam could fight dirty too. Spike came at him from the right. Sam moved to protect that side, feigned a stumble, flipped around. Kicked him in the chest. Pushed him off-balance, then swept his feet out from under him.

Spike went down, flat on his back. Gasping for breath.