Page 115 of Judas
“I have, or did you forget he had Sadie hung up to burn on a cross, and was using my neck as the anchor?! Still, I’d never do that to her—you did, and that deserves a pound of flesh.”
No, I didn’t forget. I was there for fucks sake. The entire ordeal moved quicker than I anticipated and was getting into position while Babel ran for her. Couldn’t look at her when we were in that forest, afraid I’d break under the pressure of her death. Forced to keep moving, I secured Lucien. The moment the gun went off, it was slung over my shoulder and I was barreling for him. Babel was barely done unraveling the cord from Nadia’s neck when I had Lucien on the ground allowing my fists to connect with his face, his body, anywhere I could clock him. Every bit of wrath powering the punches, terror bleeding all over the place.
If this is what she wants, what she needs, despite everything I’ve done to keep her alive? Then so be it.
“Come get your pound then, baby.”
Chapter forty
Babalon
“Come get your pound of flesh then, baby,” he says, like he doesn’t think I’ll do it.
Mocking me, daring me to go for him like I’d used to do to him in the past—albeit less violently. This time, stupid fucking man, he doesn’t realize that knife combat was where I excelled when I went through guard training. Taking down men much bigger than him—Hank comes to mind. Hank had a good half a foot on Kace and another fifty pounds if not more. He was good at shooting, me less so, knifing his bitch ass though? Top of the damn class.
Idiot probably thinks I’m irrational enough to bum rush him without thinking of the consequences. The thing is, anger has put me in a state of mental calm, clarity I’ve not experienced in what feels like years. Vision is sharp. Nostrils flared to allow a better flow of air into my lungs, filling them to capacity. Pushing more oxygen-rich blood to my limbs needed to avoid muscular fatigue. His scent fills my nose, no longer hanging onto thesterile scent of prison now that I’m focused enough to decipher the notes. Cinnamon, amber, slightly manly from the shower gel.
Kace has his arms lifted in a defensive stance. Standing with one leg further back which I note as the weaker of the two—leading with your dominant is instinctual after all. Lucien is to my right, I knocked him out cold. To my left is the sofa, straight ahead is Kace and at his feet is the billy club.
Go on, pick it up.
My inner voice says. What I used to hear as his voice encouraging me through the shittiest parts of my adult life, has now returned to my inner monologue and the edge in her pitch matches the way in which my emotions have shifted from anger to pure conviction.
My predator matches his.
Kace reaches for the club and that’s all it takes. Turning to the side, I yank the crowbar he used to resound Lucien’s knees and hurl it at him. He ducks and I move. Rushing him, instead of swinging the knife first, I kick the billy club away from him so he doesn’t have anything but his bare hands to defend himself with. Snapping his head up, after looking for the club, his mismatched eyes meet mine and I swing with my left fist. Blocking with his right is going to be awkward and jarring.
Rebounding from the left hook he wasn’t prepared for, he blocked it with his right forearm. This time, however, I swing the blade on him. Fucker leans back, the blade missing him by centimeters. Seeing the way his vision follows the black edge of the knife, he’s distracted just enough for me to follow the swing with a twist and roundhouse kick to his side.
“Son of a bitch!” Kace hollers, folding in on his side instinctively.
Catching myself back in a stance where I’m ready to strike again, he foregoes defense and rushes me. My skin can feel everything, every switch in the atmosphere, electricity betweenthe both of us, the displacement of Lucien’s body lingering nearby, even the size of the couch and random living room furniture—hyper aware.
His shoulder meets my torso and I retaliate by bringing my elbow down into his upper back as hard as I can. Unable to withstand his weight and size, we both crash to the floor. Sounds of dry crinkling material under us broadcasting our brawl—if there’s anything remaining on the barrier, it’s sure to get knocked off now.
Dull pain radiates up my back when we land hard on the floor, his body bulldozing to the side next, hitting the front of the couch. His movement shoves the couch back, the weight of it silent when sliding across the lush carpet it sits upon. During the impact, I lost control of the knife. Flipping over onto my stomach, hands pushing to the floor, I locate the blade and make for it when I spot it next to one of the legs of Lucien’s chair.
On my knees in an instant, I’m scurrying for it right as Kace grabs an ankle and tows me back closer to him. He starts to crawl over me when it’s no longer fight or flight, it’s kill or be killed. Twisting, left arm bent, I swing it and ram it into the side of his face. He dishes a jab back, crushing is fist into my kidney from the way I’m restrained at the waist. The way his voice sounds—filled with remorse.
“Fuck, Nadia, stop!!”
Giving nothing in return, I roll over as pain releases through my torso, inducing the need to vomit—asshole hits hard. Scrambling away from him, he grabs me and drags me back again, this time by both legs. Hyperawareness takes hold once more. I can only feel him, he’s where I can't see him, where I have no control.
Dread sinks low in my belly, dulling the pain from how hard he hit me in my lower back. All while my head transports me back to the pit. Sweat slicks my spine, my hands go clammy,and I start to heave. The memory, the trauma, phantom touches I’ve tried so long to forget come back solely due to feeling him… Kace, the man who’d never harm me in such a way… at my back. Try as I may, locking onto something else, something to ground me, seems impossible.
“Shut the fuck up, bitch.”
“That's all you got? Calling me a bitch? Big bad Aryan brotherhood and the only insult you have is bitch?”
“Let me in, slut, or I’ll cut you open.”
“Go die,” I mutter.
“Knock it off, you’re cutting into my time.”
Please… I— I want Kace.
“Alright princess. It’s time for me to take what is owed. Now you be a good slut and be still.”
