Page 58 of Reckoning

We cross a street, walk down another, then cross at a set of traffic lights. Sofia is ahead of us and Eric is ahead of her. We keep far enough back that neither of them are aware of our presence.

But as we move further away from the crowds, as the bustle of the nearby restaurants die I realise something else. That it’s not just us following Sofia. No, there’s a whole group of men behind her, stalking her.

Goosebumps erupt over my skin as I realise what this is.

This is a set up. This is an ambush.

Sofia clearly thinks she’s got the upper hand when really she’s about to be seriously fucked.

I curse her under my breath, curse her stupidity, her naiveté, did she really think she could just hunt them down and they wouldn’t notice? Did she really think it would be this easy?

As Eric turns into an alleyway, I know it’s game on. That this is the end point.

Whatever is going down, it’s happening now.

* * *

I can hear their taunts.

Before I even get in the yard, I can hear the voices, the tone, the disgusting words.

When I lay eyes on them I freeze. She’s surrounded. There’s a pack of them, five in total, all taunting, prowling, like she’s a piece of meat they’re about to seriously fuck up. As my eyes focus on their faces I recognise them, I see their names flash, names we’d pinned to the board. Apparently fate really is on our side.

And then she snarls, she slashes out and I see that flash of metal.

Jesus Fucking Christ. She’s armed?

Did she set this up? Did she come here, tonight with the intention of killing them? With the intention of getting revenge?

My dick comes to life at that thought. I knew she wasn’t that fragile thing the world perceives her to be but to see her now, she’s magnificent.

Only, that thought barely lasts a second before I realise she’s in serious trouble.

She’s got no control. She doesn’t know how to actually protect herself. She’s not registering half of what they’re doing, how they’re cornering her.

She might have rage, she might have fury, but her lack of skill is going to kick her in the arse.

I jerk my head, ordering my men to go in, to take over.

In my hand, my own knife feels heavy. Five are too many to take anyway. Five are too many to keep. I hate that some of my prey will get an easier end than they deserve.

Maybe I’ll punish Sofia for that. Maybe.

I dive in, throwing myself right into the heat of this war. And that’s what it feels like.

I slash, I lunge, fighting my way across the yard to where she is.

A man falls at her feet. I don’t need to see the blood know covering her to know that she did it, she killed him.

But she stares at her hands, she gulps like she’s suddenly in some death-spiral.

“Reid.” I yell.

We need to get her out of here. We need to get her back home. But as that thought registers I see her knees buckle like everything is suddenly too much.

I rush forward, sweeping her up into my arms.

She whispers my name and it sounds like a prayer on her lips. It sounds like a hymn.

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