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He pushed his knife deeper into her side, making her wince, but effectively reminding her not to involve anyone.
“Fine,” Kirsty said as her heart raced out of control.
“Where is it?” Brandon said in her ear. “Upstairs in the flat, or in the shop?”
“Shop,” Kirsty said.
They walked to the front door. Kirsty pulled her keys out from the pocket in her dress. She fumbled as Brandon held her arm tightly. Tight enough for there to be bruises. If she made it out alive.
“Hurry up,” he snapped.
Kirsty dropped the keys. Brandon cursed loud enough for the carol singer standing closest to hear. She scowled at him. Kirsty picked the keys from the icy ground with fingers that were tingling so badly she could hardly feel the metal in her hand. Breathe. Just breathe, she told herself. Slow. Shallow. Breathe. Brandon poked the blade into her and she whimpered. Her throat began to close up.
“Give me the damn keys,” Brandon ordered.
“I don’t think so,” said the steely voice she knew so well.
Relief made tears fall—Lake was here. Brandon’s head snapped around.
“What the hell are you supposed to be?” Brandon sneered as the singers grew silent.
When Kirsty saw Lake, her eyes went wide. Her hero had ridden in wearing only his underpants. Her relief at seeing him was almost overwhelming.
“I see underpants, but I don’t see a cape,” Brandon told Lake. “You want to back off, Superman? This is none of your business.”
“He doesn’t need to be superhuman to kick your scrawny wee bum,” Betty called out as she ran up beside Lake.
She bent over double and gasped for breath. A second later Kirsty noticed a line form behind Lake. She felt some of the tension ease from her throat. The women of Invertary had come out in force and they looked meaner than a pack of rabid dogs.
“They’re your backup?” Brandon scoffed. “What do you think they’ll do? Talk me to death?”
The women growled and took a step forward. Lake held his hand up to stop them, and they all stopped dead.
“Release Kirsty now,” Lake ordered.
“Or what?” Brandon laughed. “You’ll get your granny there to sit on me?”
“I’ll granny you, you rude wee smell.” Betty rolled up her sleeves on her robe.
“Let go of Kirsty now,” Lake said easily. “These women are itching to get their hands on you. I’m pretty sure that they’ve been planning your death since you walked out on Kirsty. Trust me, they’re creative. You don’t want this going their way.”
Brandon flashed his knife and some of the women gasped. He yanked Kirsty closer. She winced at the pain of his grip. Lake never took his eyes off of Brandon, but Kirsty knew he was aware of everything she felt. She could see it in the way his jaw clenched each time she felt pain.
“I’m the one with the power here,” Brandon said.
Kirsty groaned as Brandon twisted the knife in her side.
“Breathe slowly, babe,” Lake told her. “This will be over soon.”
Brandon laughed hard.
“You’re with that?” he said as he gestured to Lake. “Oh, how the mighty have fallen.”
Kirsty ignored him and concentrated on breathing, which was a whole lot easier now that Lake was there.
“Get out of the way, Lake,” Shona shouted. “We’ll sort him out.”
“I’ve been practising for this,” Jean said.
