Page 130 of Fragile Sanctuary

Hell.

I’d hoped it would spook him enough that he’d turn himself in. But my wager had been wrong.

I started after him again, refusing to lose sight of the figure. He didn’t get to terrorize Rho. Hurt her. That familiar surge of fury gave me a dose of adrenaline, helping me gain on the man.

“Cops are en route. There’s no way out of this,” I yelled.

He only kept running, reaching the trees and disappearing into the thickest foliage.

“Damn it,” I muttered, slowing.

I stopped for a brief second to listen.

The snap of twigs to my right told me where he was. I followed the sounds as quietly as possible. The task was nearly impossible, withthe moon providing the only light. I picked my way through brush and trees, but then the noises stopped altogether.

I slowed, trying to see into the dark.

A fist crashed into the side of my face out of nowhere. The force of it had me stumbling back a step and seeing stars, but instinct had me blocking the next blow and returning the strike.

The man grunted as my left fist connected with his jaw. It was his turn to fall back. I couldn’t make out a face, just shadows beneath the hood of a black sweatshirt.

I raised my gun. “Don’t fucking move.”

But the man wasn’t in his right mind. “You’re not going to hurt her!”

He charged.

I fired.

The shot clipped the man’s shoulder just before he collided with me. He screamed out in pain but kept right on going.

We hit the ground with enough force to knock the wind out of me.

He pressed his forearm into my neck, cutting off my air supply. So, I did the only thing I could. I punched him right in the bullet wound.

He cried out in agony.

It distracted him enough that I was able to clock him with the butt of my gun. The man went down like a ton of bricks.

I shoved him off me, struggling to my feet just as someone crashed through the trees. I whirled, aiming my weapon.

Rho skidded to a stop in front of me, her eyes going wide. She stood there in tie-dyed sweats, her hair wild, and her feet fucking bare. Tears glimmered in her eyes. “You’re okay?”

“Where are your shoes?” I barked.

She didn’t say a word; simply threw herself at me. “You’re okay.”

Her arms ran up and down me as if checking for wounds. “You’re okay,” she said again.

“I’m good, Reckless.”

She shuddered against me, her head bobbing up and down in a staccato nod. She let out another breath. “Where is—? Oh, God.”

Rho jolted as she took in the figure out cold on the ground.

I pulled back, trying to take in her face. “You know him?”

Her eyes cut to me, and I saw so much hurt there. “Felix. The first boy I ever kissed.”

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