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Letting out a sigh, I push the thoughts aside and focus on getting home. It’s only a short fifteen-minute walk, but with these heavy bags, it almost feels like a lifetime.
Just like on my way out, I keep myself glued to the shadows as I slink through the streets, going out of my way to take the back streets rather than make myself vulnerable on the main roads.
When a tingle sails down my spine, I slow my steps, my gaze traveling up and down the deserted street. I thought sticking to the shadows would keep me safe and concealed, but creeping around dark corners poses another risk I didn’t think about before. There’s no winning here.
Not able to see anything, I keep myself moving, determined to get out of here, when I hear the rustling of fallen leaves behind me. My head whips around, and again, I see nothing but the deserted street I’ve just walked.
My heart races as my palms grow sweaty, realizing this is it. Empire has found me already, and now they’re lying in wait, needing me to get off the streets before they make their attack, but like fuck I’ll be making it that easy for them.
Turning the corner onto my street, I peer up ahead, seeing my home, but I don’t dare risk taking off toward it. Instead, I slip into the yard of the corner block, slinking across the lawn like some kind of jungle cat before hiding around the side of the house and silently lowering my groceries to the ground.
Reaching behind me, I slip my hand into the small pocket at the back of my workout leggings, slowly unzipping it and reaching in until my fingers close around the handle of the paper knife.
I peer out from around the corner, knowing in my gut that someone is there.
A moment passes, and just when I think I’m hearing things, that I’m going crazy with paranoia and that it’s safe to step out and continue home, a hand clamps over my mouth from behind, and a body presses firmly against my back.
I go to scream, but the big hand muffles the sound as I’m dragged back, and my fear hits an all-time high. I didn’t come all this way, suffer through kidnapping, imprisonment, and gunshot wounds just to be taken out now. If I’m going to survive this, I need to fight, and I need to do it now.
Clutching the paper knife tighter in my hand, I ram my elbow back into the asshole’s stomach, and as the familiar oomph sounds through the yard, anger explodes through my chest. Tearing out of his arms, I whip around to find Dylan Fucking Delgardo.
“Fuck,” Dylan spits.
Knowing there’s only going to be a second before he recovers and comes at me again, I spring into action, reaching up and gripping the back of his head before slamming it down against my knee. Pain rocks through my knee but every second is worth it to hear the sweet sound of his nose shattering into a million pieces.
Blood spurts across the lawn as Dylan roars in agony and falls back against the side of the house. “FUCK. You broke my fucking nose, you little bitch,” he grunts before reaching for me, his eyes flashing with wicked plans. “Now you’re really gonna fucking pay for it.”
Not daring to back down, I shove right into him, pressing the paper knife against his throat and watching as he stumbles back against the wall again with nowhere to go. “Touch me one more fucking time and see what happens, you sick pervert,” I growl, leaning into him as his eyes widen with fear.
“You won’t fucking do it,” he says before spitting a mouthful of blood at me.
I clench my jaw. Maybe the sixteen-year-old girl he used to know might not have done it, but the woman I am now is someone who’s learning just how far she’d go to protect herself . . . and fuck. I think the boys were also learning that lesson right along with me.
Not wanting to prove him right, I pull my hand back, and just as his eyes flash with relief, I barrel toward him, the paper knife sinking deep into his chest. His eyes widen, his gaze dropping to my hand as he screams in agony.
I shove a little harder, sinking the blunt blade deeper as I smile up at the asshole. “Fuck, I love it when assholes like you underestimate me. It always makes for such a lovely teaching opportunity, don’t you think?”
And with that, I yank hard on the paper knife, tearing it out of the wound before tossing it into the grass. Sparing only a single moment, I watch Dylan fall to the ground, blood coating the front of his dirty shirt. Then determined to get my ass back home, I scoop up my groceries and run, hoping like fuck that I’ve left Dylan Delgardo for dead.
