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I took a step before Hutton came running at me.
I barely had time to react, to put up my hands defensively, before he flew past me and tackled someone behind me.
I whirled around.
Hutton was wrestling on the carpeted floor with a man who held a long blade in his hand. Hutton had him pinned down but the man was fighting hard. His teeth were gritted and his eyes were on me.
"Fuck," Jake swore. "Get that knife off him. Bring up the lights. Lock the doors. See if anyone else is armed." He put an arm around me protectively and hustled me over to the bar. To a place where no one could stand behind, or jump out at us. Or at me.
My heart hammered in my chest. What the absolute fuck?
Hutton was still wrestling the would-be assassin for the knife. It was clear the man had already realised he was dead, he might as well try to finish what he came here for first. He tried to slash at Hutton’s face, but only managed a slice across one cheek before Hutton grabbed his wrist and slammed it against the floor.
Cooper stepped on the attacker’s arm and pressed down hard with his shoe.
The attacker snarled, but Hutton forced his hand open and snatched the knife. Before he could throw it, Ben was beside him. He took it from him and tucked the blade away on his hip.
Between the three of them, they hauled the assassin to his feet.
"How the fuck did he get that in here?" Jake growled. "Security must have been too busy watching over the traitor to do their jobs properly." He narrowed angry eyes at Ben.
Ben looked as rattled as I’d ever seen him. That is, calm except the furrowing of his brow and the lines around his eyes. If anything happened to me, he would blame himself. Jake would blame him too, even though he was supposed to watch Hutton, not the people coming and going.
I wanted to give him a reassuring smile, but I was shaken. I expected someone to come after me, but not like that. This was direct, even for Dagen. It was crude.
Blood trickled down Hutton's face from the slice on his cheek. If it wasn't for him… A witch could heal a knife wound unless it went straight through my heart. I could have been dead right now.
"Ivory?" Jake asked softly.
His voice brought me out of myself. Here I was, the big bad wolf, the head of Ivory Claw, the… wolf mother, if you like, and I was rattled by some random asshole with a knife.
I nodded and forced my icy composure back into place. I set my gaze on the would-be assassin.
"I would ask who hired you, but it's pretty fucking obvious." My voice was pure ice. "Dagen sent you to your death."
The attacker bared his teeth. "Fuck you, bitch."
I gave him a dangerous smile. "It was going to be a quick death. Now, not so much." For calling me a bitch, I would let the guys take all the time they wanted. I inhaled the smell of fear and black wolf. The first was intoxicating. The second was nauseating.
Jake placed his hand on my lower back. "This could have been a setup." I didn't need to follow his gaze to know he looked directly at Hutton. "Convenient that he justhappenedto be there."
"I had no idea this was going to happen," Hutton argued.
"I've seen this guy before." Cooper nodded toward Hutton. "At my uncle's garage."
Hutton pressed his lips together in a firm line. "I was trying to help Silas get away from Dagen. All he had to do—"
"Save it," Jake snapped. "We don't have time for your shit right now. Take that asshole downstairs. Let's get some answers out of him." He turned to me and his expression softened. "Wanna come and join in some torture?"
I smiled. "You say the most romantic things. But I want to speak to Hutton."
"Not without me there," he insisted.
"You can come," I said. "Or you can join in the torture." I raked a fingernail slowly down the back of his hand until his breath hitched.
"You're going to make me choose between you and torturing this asshole?" His expression was pained.
I raised my eyebrows at him.
