Page 171 of The Forbidden Note

“Round two?” I smirk.

Hall yells and comes at me again. I’m ready for him and brace myself. The moment he’s close, I duck and wrap my arms around his waist, tackling him to the ground.

My fist slams into his jaw and chest. Once, twice, three times.

Before I can get another blow in, I’m being hauled off by two thugs. One pounds me in the stomach while the other grabs me by the throat.

I choke, black creeping along the edge of my vision.

Hall jumps on top of me and rains blows on my head and stomach. I let him tire himself out before locking my legs around him and rolling us around. His eyes widen and I know I have the advantage.

Or at least I did.

Until his thugs wrench both of my hands and grab me off him again.

Hall grins, getting up from the grass. His shirt is hanging off his shoulder and he’s holding his ribs as if I did some permanent damage.

Good.

I smile when he limps toward me, but the smile turns into a roar of pain when he grabs my wrist and twists it back. “You’re a drummer, right?” He sneers in my face. His putrid breath washes over my cheek as he peels my wrist back further.

“Ah!” I scream.

“What will it feel like if you can’t drum ever again?”

“Zane!” Sol yells. I see him ram into the guys holding him down, fighting to get to me. He manages to knock one over, but there are two more to restrain him. They dog-pile on top of his body, squelching his frenzied and desperate attempts to be free.

“Hold him down,” Hall commands.

His thugs tighten their grip on me.

Hall twists my hand even further. Desperately, I throw myself to the ground so I can shake him loose and kick my leg to sweep Hall off balance, but his thugs grab me. I’m pinned to the pavement while Hall stomps on my wrist repeatedly.

I hear the bone crack.

My mouth opens in a howl of agony.

I can’t help it.

It’s the most excruciating pain I’ve ever felt.

The thugs release me and I sit up, my eyes locked on my hand. My wrist is hanging at an odd angle.

Hall grins evilly.

“What the hell are you doing?” someone yells.

Hall and his thugs freeze.

Rick prowls toward us, swinging something back and forth. “Back off!”

“He’s got a gun!” Hall shrieks.

The thugs don’t wait around for further instructions. They pile into the black van. Hall chases after them, looking like the pathetic punk that he is. The van is already moving by the time he jumps in.

“Are you guys, okay?” Rick asks as Hall and his thugs drive off.

“You and this gun again,” I say breathlessly.

---