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I feel the crush of my ribs. I breathe harder, forcing air into my lungs.
I strike with my legs; a sharp jab to his calf, then his instep.
He grunts, and for a split second, his hold on me wavers. It’s not enough to break free, but I can breathe. One full breath.
But they’ve used up too much time, risked being seen for too long.
A second man slips between me and the car, coming at me from the front. His hand reaches for me, for my throat. I feel his fingers wrap around it, then squeeze.
He’s cutting off my air supply. I can’t breathe.
I struggle; it’s innate. My lungs fight for air, my hands claw at his fingers.
And I count.
One… two… three…
He knows what he’s doing. He’s applying pressure to my carotid artery. I’ve got ten seconds. Ten seconds until I lapse into unconsciousness. I need him to let go in nine.
Four… five…
My vision blurs and black spots dance across it. I force every instinct in me to stop fighting.
Six… seven…
I go limp. And hope he’s not counting.
Eight… nine…
He lets go.
I squeezed my eyes shut and cleared my head.
And then an arm snaked around my chest.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Brute
Raven gasped.
Gabe and Vito held their breath.
Deo, Nico, and Leo stared at the computer screen.
I don’t know if I made a sound. All that existed was the white-hot rage that pumped through my veins and the crazy blonde on the computer screen.Mycrazy blonde.
Some tatted asshole had his arms around her, but she could take him. All she had to do was land one good blow; she was so fast, the asshole wouldn’t even see it coming. He’d struggle to breathe, loosen his grip, gasp for breath. She’d break free and be ready for the other asshole standing two feet away.
But she wasn’t going to do that. It wasn’t part of the goddamned plan.
All I could do was watch as she struggled half-heartedly until the other asshole’s hand wrapped around her throat.
The struggle got real. She flailed and kicked. But it was uncoordinated. Innate.
My lungs constricted; I couldfeelit. I could feel her losing oxygen, her muscles growing weak, her head spinning.
I thought I’d been prepared for this. There wasn’t anything Brute Hastings couldn’t handle. But standing here, watching Greta on the screen, watching a man strangle her, I’d never been so damn close to losing my mind. For one brief moment, I regretted falling for the girl becausethiswas hell. Fuck fire and brimstone; this was torment unlike anything I could ever have imagined.
