Chapter 5 #2
He turns around, looks at the dagger, and only then realizes the throw has wounded him. His eyes drift to his arm, where blood is already seeping through the sleeve.
“What the fuck?”
Sometimes I hate that as a woman I’m often underestimated by men. On the other hand, it gives me an advantage because I’m a danger they don’t expect. The threat I pose is inversely proportional to their disregard.
“This is the only warning you’ll get. I want to know where your brother is.” I get to the point while pulling out a second knife.
“What? This is all because of my brother? I have no idea where he is! And even if I did, you’re delusional if you think I’d tell you anything.”
“You see, that’s the problem...” Playing with the blade in my hand, I laugh, watching him, transfixed. I feel a rush of excitement. “You’re not telling the truth at all, and...”
Usually, when I point out people’s foolishness, they react in one of two ways. Some go on the offensive, while others retreat. David immediately goes into attack mode.
By lunging at me, this asshole seals his fate.
Before his full weight falls on me, I move the dagger away so I don’t accidentally kill him. God knows I should hurt him, but not before he tells me where Charles Baker is.
The son of a bitch weighs as much as a small whale, because when his body pins me to the floor, I can’t breathe for a moment. But that’s not enough to defeat me.
Before David can take another breath, I hit him in the face with the hilt of the knife.
Surprised by my movement and the force of the blow, he rolls off me.
I immediately seize the moment, jumping onto him, crushing his shoulders with my knees.
Before he can take another breath, my dagger is already pressing against his carotid artery.
“David, you know that cutting this spot gives you a few minutes before you pass out? And cutting both carotid arteries will give you only sixty seconds? Don’t mess with me. I’m really nice, and you’re a shitty host. Where’s Charles?”
“Jesus,” he groans, closing his eyes. When he opens them again, fear's present in them, though I know he’s trying to control it. “Don’t know what he’s done now, but we’re not close. I have no idea where he might be—”
Now I need to be more persuasive.
“Wouldn’t provoke her if I were you. Better tell the truth,” says a low, masculine voice.
A shiver runs through my body, and I feel all the hairs on my skin stand on end. That voice... That voice is like a mist-shrouded mystery, like tempting fruit and sin at the same time. It’s so rough, yet seductive.
I don’t take my eyes off David, but all my senses are on high alert.
How the hell did I not sense we weren’t alone here? This has never happened before. It shouldn’t have happened!
A dark silhouette stands casually against the wall, legs crossed at the ankles, watching us.
The lights from outside illuminate his figure to a small extent. He’s dressed in dark pants and a black leather jacket. On his face is a balaclava with a skull and crossbones.
He’s definitely taller than I am. Broad chest, built arms and shoulders signal what’s underneath. A mountain of muscles, that’s what. And a potential problem for me.
“Cool style,” I joke.
“Yours isn’t bad either. I’m intrigued. I imagined you a little differently.”
His words wash over me like ice-cold rain. It doesn’t take me long to understand who this man is.
Something I don’t understand flashes in his dark eyes.
Instinct kicks in. Everything happens so fast.
With my left hand, I reach for the knife hidden in my shoe and, at the same time, like a cat, I jump up, landing on my feet, assuming a position ready to attack. All this in a second.
But he’s not any slower, because before I can rise from David’s body, the shuriken whizzes right past my face.
Probably to scare me or warn me. I don’t like either option.
The movement of his hand before he releases the weapon is so fast that it’s almost invisible.
If he really wanted to hurt me, I wouldn’t stand a chance.
Adrenaline rushes to my head, my ears ring, my heart beats faster. With slow movements, he pushes himself away from the wall and, like a predator, moves toward me. Step by step, until he’s on the other side of David, who’s still lying on the ground.
Now the dark eyes are much more clear, and they aren’t dark at all. They’re gray. Those eyes shimmer even more as he moves his gaze over my body. I do the same and have to admit something suddenly awakens in me.
Up close, this man is even bigger. Standing nonchalantly with his legs wide apart, one hand in his pocket, a shiny knife in the other, built of muscles I’m sure of even beneath his clothes, he intrigues me. The feeling starts somewhere in the pit of my belly, but I scold myself for it right away.
He’s your enemy! Don’t even go there.
The scent reaches my nose and makes me feel slightly dizzy. Whatever it is, it reminds me of money and wildness. With a hint of cedar and something fruity with a smoky undertone.
I grimace. At work, I always try to be scentless, to leave nothing behind, not even a whiff. This jerk, however, is confident, sure nothing can threaten him. He fears nothing.
I take a step back and to the left, and he does the same. We start dancing around poor David, but we don’t take our eyes off each other. David is less important right now and poses no threat.
“Shadow.” The man’s low voice fills the space.
“Jackal,” I reply, hoping he hears the contempt in my voice.
“Nice to see you here.” I’m sure there’s a smug expression hidden behind that mask.
“Don’t get used to it. Few have survived to tell the story.”
A low growl escapes his throat. “I could say the same about me. And here we are. What are you doing here, Shadow?”
“Having a nice evening with my new friend. And you?”
“I was just about to have a little chat with our mutual friend.”
My eyes narrow to slits.
Oh no. No way.
We continue to circle slowly around David. He’s still lying on the ground in the middle of the room. His eyes darting between us, unable to believe what’s happening. We must look like two vultures circling their prey.
“He’s mine, Jackal,” I growl.
“Not for long. I don’t have time to play twenty questions. Let me do it my way.”
“Fuck off. What do you say to that? Are you here because of him or for some other reason?”
“I don’t kiss and tell.” He laughs, and the sound does something to my body, giving me goosebumps.
“I said he’s mine. If you want, you can get in line and talk to him when I’m done.”
“Tempting offer, but we both know when you’re done with him, there won’t be anything left to pick up, and he’ll tell me shit. We can share.”
This time, I laugh. Shake my head. “You don’t believe what you’re saying. You’re not the type of guy who shares.”
“You’re absolutely right, I don’t share.” I have no idea how it’s even possible, but his voice gets even lower.
The Jackal. My number one enemy, apart from the police and the FBI, of course. I used to hate this man simply because he was so quick to establish himself in the underground. Hearing someone admire his actions made me grind my teeth. Now that I’ve met him, I can’t stand the guy even more.
David can’t fall into his hands. I was here first, and I can’t let the Jackal finish off my prey.
“You’re not going to play fair, are you?” I ask, even though I already know the answer.
The Jackal shrugs before replying, “I play to win, not to get points for fair play.”
That’s all I needed to hear. In a declaration of war between us, I jump over David, preparing to kick my opponent in the jaw.
Meanwhile, he takes two steps back and swings his knife.
Dodging the blade, I take the opportunity to spin around and cut his legs.
He falls on his back, and a smile spreads across my lips.
“The famous Jackal finally finds his place at Shadow’s feet. Too bad, but your place has always been beneath me,” I taunt.
This bastard is really fast with his hands. I see only a vague flash of steel before I manage to duck at the last second.
Apparently, the Jackal loves playing with knives as much as I do, because once again I avoid his toy. My distraction opens a door for him, and he doesn’t hesitate to take advantage of it.
He spins around, and I feel pain when his leg sweeps mine, this time sending me down on my back. The pain shoots through my body, but I ignore it altogether.
With my eyes, I find his shape as he leans over me. A blow lands on my cheek, but it’s not me hissing in pain. The Jackal jumps to the side to get out of my reach, allowing me to get up from the floor.
“What the fuck? What is this mask made of?” He waves his right hand, hoping the pain will go away faster.
I giggle like a teenager. “I don’t kiss and tell either.”
“Impressive, I admit.”
“Are you kidding? You’re that easy?”
He spreads his arms as if to say, What you see is what you get. But the Jackal is a cunning skunk. With his arms spread, in a second he grabs the vase from the dresser and throws it at me.
“Don’t be angry, honey. You can always leave, and I won’t tell anyone,” I tease again, ducking. I have a smile from ear to ear on my face, even though he can’t see it. This is great fun. At least until he lunges at me.
Once again, my back hits the floor. The extra weight of his body causes my breath to catch in my lungs for a moment.
We’re both panting like tired dogs. I look into the abyss of his silvery eyes until a certain thought strikes me.
His weight... The weight of his body crushing me isn’t unpleasant. Quite the opposite. Pleasure stirs somewhere deep inside.
I move my hips slightly, hoping to throw him off me, and I don’t even think—
“Careful. I might start thinking you’re attracted to me ,” he whispers directly into my ear.
When our eyes meet again, his are slightly narrowed and there’s a fire in them.
A deep breath.
This is impossible. Get a grip, woman. He’s your archenemy!
“Sleep well.” His low voice reaches me before a huge hand clad in a leather glove falls on my neck and begins to choke me. Before panic fully takes over my mind, I reach for a small pocket on the side of my pants.
My fingers touch a little throwing blade, and I pull it out.
The air is running out, and the world in front of my eyes starts to blur.
Fuck!
I have to do something right now.
Grabbing the blade, I stab him in the side. The knife hits him between the ribs, but it’s too short to kill him, only to wound him. A roar fills the room.
Taken by surprise, the Jackal lets go of my neck, and I take a few greedy breaths. He grabs his side, unable to believe what has happened. This allows me to free my leg from under his body. As soon as he removes the knife from his side, I brace myself against the ground and roll him off me.
Still struggling to breathe, I jump on top of him. Almost by accident, I hit the side of his body with my knee, for which I’m rewarded with a groan.
And then his hands grab my hips, and I’m overcome with confusion.
“What are you doing, you piece of shit?” I ask, breathing heavily.
His body is vibrating beneath me. “This is the most amazing foreplay of my life. Don’t ruin it.”
“This isn’t foreplay, and I’m not interested.” I’m about to smash his face with the object lying on the floor, but he lifts my hips and flips me over him with a deft movement.
“Fuck! Again? My ass will never recover from this,” I moan.
It’s true. Once again, I’m lying flat on my back.
“I’m at your service. I can always massage it, my poor baby.”
And then something very important occurs to me. I turn my head and don’t find what I’m looking for.
“Damn you,” I curse. “Because of you, my target got away.”
“He wasn’t your target; he was mine.”
I jump to my feet and kick him in the face with the tip of my shoe. His next groan gives me a hell of a lot of satisfaction.
“Get in my way again and, God help you, you won’t live to see the next morning.” I take another look at him lying there, into his amused eyes, and rush from the living room.