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FUCK!
Pain flared again, as my bare skin scraped hard gravel. It rivaled the ringing in my head, and the agony blossoming in my jaw.
“The emeralds…”
I opened my mouth to speak, but Jarrett had already struck me again. I could tell he was taking pleasure in it. Finally taking revenge for his ruined face, and maybe even for what happened at my shop.
“Give me the—”
Suddenly I saw Jarrett’s eyes go wide, and his head jerk back in surprise. Someone had him by the hair.
Zane.
He was still woozy and groggy, and still covered in blood. But he was strong anyway. He yanked Jarrett all the way backwards, wrapping his legs around him to control his body. His forearms went around Jarrett’s neck and head, then squeezed him hard, into a tight chokehold.
Oh my God...
Jarrett’s eyes went almost instantly bloodshot. He scrambled with his hands, trying to pry Zane’s grip with his fingers. But the choke was too deep. He was locked too tightly to do anything, other than let his eyes roll back into the inevitable state of unconsciousness.
By the time Zane let go, Jarrett was a shade of purple that just about matched the shadows. He sat up with some effort, swaying back and forth as he smiled at me weakly.
“Zane…” I breathed. I was relieved and grateful, but only for a moment. “ZANE LOOK OUT—”
A half-second later, Louden’s baton — or club, or pipe, or whatever it was — came down across the back of Zane’s poor head. He slumped sideways across Jarrett, who was still not moving.
“ASSHOLE!”
Louden was standing over us, legs spread for balance. He was heaving from all the exertion, his chest rising and falling. But he was also grinning.
Erik…
I couldn’t see my other lover, which could only mean one thing. One very, very bad thing.
“Hi Julia,” Louden cackled. His bottom lip was split in half. I could see blood on his teeth. “About time we talked, don’t you think?”
I scrambled backwards on my ass and elbows, but Louden took one step forward. He glanced at Jarrett and shook his head in disgust.
“Useless as always,” he spat, blood-infused saliva dripping from one corner of his mouth. “You know the best part of this whole thing being over? Not having to deal with him anymore.”
“I have the emeralds,” I said, trying to stay calm. “I’ve been trying to give them to you—”
“You have some of the stones,” Louden interrupted. “Or so I’ve been told. I figured you’d sell a few of them while you were on the run. I was hoping you knew what you were doing, though.”
I reached into my pocket to pull out the pouch and immediately felt a weight being lifted. I’d been carrying it around with me everywhere I went, every single day.
“This whole thing could’ve been avoided,” said Louden, “if only—”
“You pulled a gun on me,” I snarled. “Let’s not forget about that part.”
My ex-boyfriend opened his mouth to say something, then stopped. Whatever it was, it was no big loss. It was sure to be a lie anyway.
“Take this,” I said, holding out the pouch. “And leave me alone.”
My words were pleading. But his eyes were hard.
“This should’ve been simple, Julia,” he said. “You made it so, so complicated.”
“I saved your life,” I told him. “Dragged you from the car.”
