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“Fucking prick.” The bigger guy stands up straight, and I brace myself for his attack. This time, I let him get a punch in, his knuckles kiss my jaw, and I swing my head to the side. He knows how to throw a punch and put all his weight behind it. I reward him in kind before his partner comes at me with a kick to the back of my knee that almost takes me down.
I manage to stay on my feet, but the distraction is all the big guy needs. He lands a blow to the side of my head that makes everything spin while stars sparkle in front of me.
I stagger, a little dazed, and the two of them laugh. The little guy takes advantage with a series of blows to my kidneys.
“Fucking dirty fighters,” I grunt, throwing him off me hard enough that he hits the ground and sends muddy water splashing up.
“Maybe you should’ve watched who you were fucking with.”
The big one lands another punch against the side of my face, and the impact makes my teeth cut into my cheek. The coppery taste of blood pools in my mouth. The pain affects me but in a different way than other people. It fuels me, heightens my senses, and makes me thirsty for more.
With a roar, I take him by the head and butt mine against his. He staggers against the wall, dazed, while I catch my breath and they climb to their feet. I get the sense they’re beginning to regret this, and my heart sinks. I’m not finished with them. Not by a long shot. I won’t be finished until I’m in the agony I deserve, dammit.
“Come on.” I’m swaying slightly and have to spit out a mouthful of blood before adding, “More.”
They exchange a look that I know is confusion even though they keep going in and out of focus. “This guy for real?” one of them mutters to the other.
“Fucked in the head,” the other one agrees.
“That’s right.” I lift my fists and tuck in my chin. When they hesitate, I throw a couple of jabs that make them lean back to avoid being hit. The big guy cocks his fist, and I lower mine slightly to give him room.
The entire world falls on its side once he makes contact with my jaw. No, it’s me dropping to my knees and then onto my side in a puddle of dank, muddy water.
The little light around me is beginning to drain away in favor of encroaching darkness. I welcome it, smiling a little as everything starts to fade away. No rage, no helplessness, no guilt. Just darkness.
“Lucas? Oh, my god!”
It’s a faint sound coming from far away. I fight to open my eyes, staring down the length of the alley. Somebody is there. A girl.
“Lucas!” She’s screaming, and her feet slap against the pavement. For someone reason, I could swear I see Delilah. But there’s no way; it can’t be Delilah. I must be seeing things because I know she’s what I need deep inside. What I crave hardest. But it isn’t her that’s here.
Though damned if it doesn’t look and sound like her running toward me. I push myself back onto my knees, prepared to tell her to stop and go away. There’s nothing for her here.
Either I’m too slow, or she’s too fast. No matter the reason, Delilah—it’s her, it’s really her even if I don’t know how—tries to get between me and the man now preparing to deliver one final strike. He has time to pull his fist back but not enough time to avoid hitting her altogether.
His fist lands on the back of her head. Instantly, it’s light out, her body dropping like a sack of potatoes. My heart’s in my throat by the time she lands against me, unconscious but breathing. “Delilah,” I whisper, ignoring the pain radiating through my body in favor of holding her for a moment before lowering her the rest of the way to the ground.
“Oh, shit,” one of the men whispers. “Come on. We better get outta here.”
Like hell.
Something snaps inside me, and I climb to my feet in a flash. I take the smaller of the two men by the back of his collar and pull hard enough to knock him on his back. He lands hard, stunned for a moment, which is all the time it takes for me to lean down, haul him up part way by his jacket, and start pounding on his face until I hear the satisfying crunching of bone. His buddy makes the mistake of trying to pull me off—my elbow connecting with his nose is enough to make him fall back, shouting in pain behind his hands.
I return my attention to my prey, his face unrecognizable now. He’s gurgling blood, choking on it. The sound is music to my ears. I drop him, and his head bounces off the pavement. He lies still, the gurgling stopping all at once.
I turn my attention to his friend. I’m not finished.
“No… please…” The big guy’s eyes bulge as he realizes I’m coming for him next, his feet slipping on the wet pavement when he tries to run. “No, don’t, I won’t tell anybody.”
He’s right. He won’t.
I take hold of him and throw him against the brick wall face-first. It stuns him, and he tries to swing at me. I easily duck it before taking him by the back of the head and smashing his face against the brick once, twice, until there’s nothing but a red smear on the wall that follows his progress as he slowly slides down its length, landing in a lifeless heap.
I want to roar in triumph as I look over what I’ve done. My blood’s pumping, adrenaline coursing, blocking out everything but the pure rush of domination.
Until my gaze lands on an unconscious Delilah, and reality rushes back in.
I pull out my phone, my bloody fingers streaking the screen when I tap Nic’s contact entry.
