Page 171 of To Catch a Sub

The same way it never occurred to him to fear her.

Colette released the tiny fold of fabric she’d been pinching with her thumb. The sleeve of Rolf’s shirt slid down to her elbow, exposing her arm.

And the long, thin knife she gripped in that hand.

Damien looked shocked for only a moment.

Then he wasn’t looking at anything as she stabbed the knife into his eye. He reeled back, but not far or fast enough to avoid the blade. She felt an odd popping sensation when she pierced his eyeball. She’d put all her rage and fear into it, stabbing hard enough that the long knife broke through the delicate bone at the back of the orbit and pierced his brain.

Damien staggered back, screaming.

Landon and Andrei stared at her.

Colette watched Damien fall to the ground, one hand on the knife in his eye. He tried to pull it out, but it must have been stuck in the bone, because he only yanked once before going silent and falling onto his back.

Colette walked over, staring down at the man who terrorized her. He was still breathing.

“Frontal lobe damage won’t kill him,” Andrei said as he joined her. “Though wiggling it around like that…he might have lobotomized himself.”

“Rolf said not to kill anyone, yes?” Colette looked over at Andrei.

He shrugged. “True.”

“It was self-defense,” she added.

Andrei snorted, before clearing his throat and nodding. “Yes, of course. You didn’t set that up so you could stab him.”

Strong hands caught Colette, whirling her around. Landon gripped her upper arms, gaze frantic as it raked up and down her. He shook her, just a little, and Colette swayed in his hold.

“I think you might have broken Landon,” Andrei observed.

“What’s going on?” Rolf demanded, jogging over to join them in the shadows under the big tree.

“Colette stabbed Damien in the eye. Self-defense. Not sure how much of his frontal cortex is left. Seeing her stab someone has broken Landon, who lost the ability to speak.” Andrei didn’t bother to hide his amusement as he summarized.

Colette snorted out a laugh. Nothing about this was actually funny. It was all horrible and traumatic, but it felt so good to be something other than afraid, even if it was only a momentary reprieve.

“That’s not what… Argh.” Landon shook her again, then hauled her against his chest in a tight hug.

Colette hissed in pain, and he jerked back, keeping a hold of her shoulders.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she said with a smile, reaching up to stroke his cheek.

He closed his eyes, breath hot and wet against her wrist. But he shook his head. “No, it’s not.”

Landon spun her around, then pulled her back against his chest. Hugging her from behind because chest to chest wasn’t an option.

He was warm and solid and safe at her back.

“I thought he was going to kill you. I thought he’d crush your trachea or snap your neck before I could stop him.” Landon rested his cheek on her head. “I thought I was going to lose the woman I love.”

Colette gasped, not surprised at his words, but that he’d said them.

Andrei rolled his eyes, muttering, “Now he says it...”

“Landon—”