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She doubles over as he thrusts something into her gut. Though she only remains paralyzed for a split second, it feels like an eternity. Or maybe it’s that everything goes in slow motion. His hand slicing through the air, hitting her, then moving back out. The small black blade he’s holding is dripping blood, her blood, on the floor.
“Scarlet!” I drop from Gunn’s back and try to go to her, but he grabs me before I can get a step in.
Now everything speeds up. Scarlet falls against the wall, holding her side, gasping. But she’s as alert as ever, her green eyes darting from spot to spot.
Arran nears her again, probably wanting to finish her off. A mistake on his part, because, injured or not, she’s still able to kick ass. And that’s exactly what she does.
She swings one of her legs, knocking him off his feet. When he attempts to get up, she kicks him in the face.
Without waiting for him to recover, she runs in the opposite direction and disappears from sight. Gunn tosses me like a rag doll onto Arran and chases after her.
Arran stands and extends his hand to me. I slap it away. “You stabbed her!”
He seems taken aback. “She was trying to hurt you.”
“No she wasn’t. She’s my friend!”
Gunn returns, wiping sweat and blood from his brow. “Kid, that woman there is no one’s friend. She’s a hellcat.”
“Did Arran kill her?” I demand.
He purses his lips. “Did you not hear me say she’s a hellcat? They have like a thousand lives. It would take more than a little knife to do the trick.”
Arran grumbles something under his breath as he tucks the knife away. Then he comes to stand in front of me. “Skye called. She was afraid something would happen to you.”
Some of my anger fades when I hear the humble tone in his voice. “She called you?”
“Yes. But I wasn’t close enough. Gunn was.”
I turn to the big guy. “Sorry Scarlet got you in the head.”
“You mean this?” He points to the nasty scratch over his temple. “That was all you, kid.”
“Oh.” I grimace. “Sorry.”
Gunn peers out the window. “Looks like the cavalry is here.”
When I turn back to Arran, he’s on the phone. “We have her,” he says, looking at me. “She’ll be okay. I swear it.”
“Is that Skye?”
He nods as he continues to speak with Skye. “Go to Briar House instead and wait there. I’ll bring her to you.” Though I can’t make out what she’s saying on the other end, I can tell she’s crying. “I know,” Arran says. “I know. Me too. Let’s talk when we get there.”
“Where is she?” I ask him when he hangs up.
“Still on her way. But she’ll be in New York soon.”
“I messed up, didn’t I?” I ask, suddenly filled with embarrassment.
He reaches for me and squeezes my shoulder. “No, Maisie. I’m the one who fucked up. But I promise to do everything in my power to make it right.”
26
SKYE
I’m pacing the foyer like a caged lion, cracking my fingers, tugging my hair.
“She’s all right, Skye,” Emily says from the stairway, where she’s sitting, watching me. “You don’t have to worry anymore.”
