Page 89 of Talon

Chapter 25: Talon

I glare at the man standing over Jessica. Rage surges down my arms to pool in my fists. Without a doubt, this is the guy I fought outside Sienna’s house. He’s the same height and build as the bastard who put Jessica through hell. It has to be him. I need to end this now before he has a chance to hurt her any further. My muscles tense, and I lunge toward him.

“Kyle, look out!” Allison screams.

Instead to trying to get away from me, Kyle skirts the autopsy table and rushes forward.

“Stay the hell away from her!” I shout.

I slam my fist into his jaw, but he quickly recovers. We trade blows, each one landing heavily on the other’s body. We’re evenly matched in strength, but I’ve got something he doesn’t have—love. I’ll protect Jessica at any cost. If that means dying for her, so be it.

Reaching for the gun in my cut, I manage to pull it free, but before I can point it at him, Kyle anticipates my move. He swats my arm, sending the weapon skidding across the floor. It disappears under an autopsy table, leaving me cursing internally.

“Without your gun, you don’t stand a fucking chance,” Kyle taunts, a sick grin plastered across his face.

“I don’t need a gun to take you down. I’m more of a hands-on guy anyway.” I raise my fists to cover my face.

Ducking and weaving, I land a solid kick to his ribs. He grunts and briefly hunches forward before quickly recovering. Retaliating with a punch to my face, he sends me staggering backward. I knock over a tray of dissection instruments. They clatter to the floor, spreading out in every direction. They’ll be a trip hazard for one of us. Hopefully, it won’t be me.

“Is that all you got?” I spit, wiping blood from my mouth.

“Hardly,” he sneers, launching himself at me once again.

I dodge his attack and counter with a blow to his gut. For a moment, I think I’ve got him, but then he manages to grab hold of me, throwing me off balance. My back slams against the tile floor, knocking the wind out of me.

“Thought you’d win, didn’t you?” he snarls, pinning me down by my wrists and pressing his knee into my chest.“If you knew who I was, you wouldn’t be so fucking cocky. I get paid to deal with assholes like you.”

“Get off me, you bastard!” I struggle to break free from his grip.

Kyle isn’t letting up. He releases my wrists only to grab my neck instead. Strangling me, he glares at me with so much hatred he reminds me of Blackstone. The look in Kyle’s eyes tells me everything I need to know. He won’t stop until one of us is defeated, and with Jessica’s life on the line, I can’t afford to lose.

“See you in hell,” he growls, tightening his grip around my throat.

I summon every ounce of strength I have left. Tightening my core, I pull my legs up and hook my boot through his legs. I push him off balance, tossing him onto the floor beside me. His sudden change in position forces him to let go of my throat.

Gasping, I buck my hips, throwing him off me. He rolls away while I scramble to get to my feet. Backing up, I stumble over the instruments on the tile floor. I swoop down and grab a scalpel. It’s not much, but it’s the only weapon within reach. Slashing forward, I stalk toward Kyle.

From across the room, the sound of Jessica’s scream breaks my concentration. I glance over to find her grappling with Allison. Jessica was just tied to the table. How the hell did she get free? The bindings must have been too loose. I want to help her, but my lapse in attention is all Kyle needs to reengage. He takes advantage of my momentary distraction, rushing me like a linebacker and tackling me to the floor. This time, I manage to get out from underneath him while throwing an elbow to his face, stunning him.

I jump up and turn toward the women.

“Let go!” Jessica snarls at Allison, landing a solid blow to her stepmother’s face. Allison staggers, then crumbles to the ground, unconscious. Jessica’s eyes meet mine for a split second before shifting their focus to Kyle.“Watch out!”

I duck in time to miss Kyle’s fist. I deliver a swift knee to his groin, catching him exactly where it hurts the most. He howls in pain and releases me. Bent forward, he staggers and bangs his shoulder into the steel table.

Seizing the opportunity, I search for anything I can use to my advantage. I don’t have much time before he recovers. Spotting a nearby fire extinguisher, I grab it and swing it at Kyle’s head, knocking him to the ground. But just as I’m about to deliver the final blow, Kyle suddenly flips our positions and slams me to the ground. My head smacks against the cold tile floor, stars exploding behind my eyes. I struggle beneath him, but he’s got me pinned down with an iron grip.

“Thought you had me, didn’t you?” he sneers.“You know, I was going to make her death fast, but now, I’m thinking I might take my time.”

My heart races as panic sets in. I can’t let him win. I know exactly what a man like him could do to a woman. Jessica doesn’t deserve that fate. No one does.

“Get … off … me!” I snarl.

“No. I’m going to enjoy watching you die!” He moves his knee over my sternum and presses down, stealing my oxygen.

“Jessica, run!” I whisper, hoping she’ll be able to hear me. If I can buy her some time, maybe she can get help.

“Like hell,” Kyle snarls. His gaze briefly shifts toward Jessica before returning to me. That split second is enough for me to free one hand and punch him directly in the jaw.

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