Page 133 of Retaliation

A commotion broke out in the hallway, pulling her from the haze of her thoughts. She recognized Scorpion’s

voice, rough and raw with urgency, and her heart leaped in her chest. Her breath quickened as she strained to hear the conversation.

“What happened?” he barked, his voice loud and commanding, echoing through the sterile corridor.

“She was attacked,” Nick replied, his tone calm, but there was a slight edge to it, like he was trying to keep Scorpion from spiraling out of control.

She heard footsteps approaching her room, and before she could fully process it, Scorpion burst through the door. His eyes were wild with worry, his movements frantic as he rushed to her side. He grabbed her hand, clutching it tightly as if he needed to feel her pulse beneath his fingers to confirm she was still there.

“Hey,” she said softly, her voice warm despite the pain that laced through her body. She tried to smile, tried to reassure him even though she could feel his panic radiating off him.

“What happened?” he demanded, his voice rough, almost hoarse. His grip tightened on her hand, his concern wrapping around her like a vice. “Who did this to you?”

She hesitated, the vulnerability of the moment catching her off guard. Shame prickled at her skin. How could she think he would put her in harms way on purpose? So she forced herself to speak.

“When you left,” she began, her voice quiet, “I stayed in the park. I should have gone straight home, but… I needed to think. That’s when he came at me.”

Her eyes flickered down to the blanket covering her. “I tried to fight back, but I… I couldn’t stop him.”

His eyes darkened, his jaw clenched tightly. He wasn’t the type to sit back when the people he cared about were hurt. “Who?” he growled, though she knew he already suspected the answer.

“Reaper,” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. The name tasted bitter on her tongue, like poison itself. She could still feel his kicks, the cruel edge of his voice in her ears. The memory made her shudder.

Scorpion’s reaction was immediate. “That’s it,” he snarled, his voice thunderous. “I’m going to kill him. Right now.”

He started to turn, his fury propelling him toward the door, but she grabbed his arm, holding him back with whatever strength she could muster. “Not without me,” she said firmly, trying to push herself up despite the ache in her bones.

“No.” He pushed her back down, his touch soft even in his rage. “You’re not strong enough right now.” His eyes blazed with fury and determination, but there was something else there, too—a protective edge she recognized all too well. “I’ve got to do this. Now.”

And then, before she could protest again, he stomped out of the room, his boots heavy against the linoleum floor, his anger trailing after him like the storm waging a war outside.

She watched him go, her heart clenching tightly in

her chest. She wanted to follow him, to make sure he didn’t lose himself in his rage. But as the door clicked shut behind him, she realized that once again, she was left waiting.

Pain radiated through her body as she forced herself up from the hospital bed. Every inch of her screamed to stop, to lie back down, to let someone else handle this—but she couldn’t.

Not when Scorpion was out there alone.

Not when she knew what kind of monster Reaper was.

She limped after him, clutching her side, her breaths coming in sharp, shallow bursts. Each step was agony, but fear fueled her forward, overriding her body’s protests. She couldn’t let Scorpion do this alone.

She wouldn’t.

The storm rumbled overhead, the air thick and electric. The rain had paused for now. She kept her distance, knowing that if Scorpion saw her, he’d drag her right back to the hospital. Her body might be broken, but her determination was not. She kept to the shadows, moving as quietly as her injuries would allow.

Ahead, she saw him pull out his phone, his voice carrying through the night, sharp and commanding.

“Get the word out to Reaper. He’d better be at the clearing behind the old cotton factory in five minutes.”

She watched as he pocketed his phone and stalked off toward the industrial district.

She followed, her pace slower, the pain in her shoulder and ribs flaring with every movement. She bit down on the pain, forcing it to the back of her mind. Losing him now wasn’t an option.

But when she rounded the corner, he was gone.

Panic clawed at her chest as she pushed through the pain, her breath ragged, shallow. The storm loomed overhead, dark clouds churning, the low rumble of thunder pressing down on the world around her. The wind whipped at her skin. She limped through the darkness, each step more agonizing than the last. For a moment, she feared she had lost him completely—lost Scorpion to the night, to whatever danger awaited him at the end of this path.

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