Paxton remained calm and alert. In that frozen second between standoff and fighting she noticed his eyes flash. Years of combat had taught her to keep her expression unreadable— no fear, no invitational smirk. She waited. She was banking on him to misjudge her capabilities. Many did. He started to circle her, she followed, preparing for his first strike. Her knife gleamed in the downlights. She knew if he struck, it would be with the intent to kill.
“Let’s dance, bitch,” he growled as he lunged.
Paxton dodged to the side in one fluid move as he snapped out a fist. The blow intended for her jaw grazed her ear. It was hard enough to disorient her. She swiveled on her heel and slashed out with the knife. She smirked in satisfaction as she felt the blade connect.
His menacing eyes were a blazing red as he swiveled around. “I’m going to enjoy cutting you up with your own blade, bitch.”
Luca charged into her balled fists. His neck thrashed backward as her hands collided with his cheekbone. He stumbled, tripping over a small bench as he rubbed his cheek. She’d taken him by surprise, which spiked his anger higher. For moments there was stillness on both sides. If hatred was visible the air would have glowed scarlet. He moved fast and landed a blow that connected with her shoulder. The hit was so hard, she lost her grip on the knife as she fell back against the wall. He closed in on her immediately, landing another forceful blow to the side of her face. Her head jerked back. She tasted that familiar copper tang in her mouth. The room swirled but she forced her body to react.
“Bastard,” Paxton sneered as she twisted her hip and flexed her knee up between his legs.
“You fucking cunt!” His raw cry of pain chased him as he stumbled back, bending over as he concentrated to breathe through the pain throbbing in his groin.
Paxton picked up her knife as she blinked the blurriness from her eyes as this time she circled him. He might be fast, but she was more focused, not staring in his eyes, but at his chest, the center point for all attacks. Whichever part of his body he was going to use, she would be ready. He wouldn’t catch her unawares again. This time, he came with a leg. She sidestepped and with a quick jab, stabbed him just above the knee.
“Jesus!” he screamed.
Paxton followed up and was on him in a second. Each blow was precise, an exhale of breath with each one.
Breathe. Remember the deep breath… the added strength behind each blow.The voice of her trainer echoed in her mind.
Her fist landed in his gut, cutting off his oxygen flow. With each decisive and strategically placed blow his strength faded, aided by the cuts she added in between. He started to get slower, she got faster, penetrating his defenses as she hammered at all his vulnerable spots.
“You’re gonna die, you fucking whore,” he roared as he charged, slamming a fist in her stomach, and knocking the knife from her hand with a brutal fist. He’d managed to center all his fury in one surge of power. He locked her in a stranglehold before she could recover.
“Let her go.”
The warning came from the door, the voice low and deadly. Paxton caught Jared’s gaze. The murdering glint in its depths was unmistakable.
“Who the fuck are you?”
“You forgot so quickly, Luc?”
Luca’s body turned to stone. Only one person had ever called him Luc. He stared at the man standing at the door; his body was relaxed, his arms hung loosely by his side. He appeared calm but his golden eyes glowed ominously. The recognition staggered Luca.
“You... it can’t be! You’re dead! I watched... it can’t be.” Luca stammered in disbelief as his mind struggled to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
“And yet... here I am. This is your last warning.” Jared took a step closer but stopped as Paxton gasped under the increased pressure of the arm locked around her throat.
“Let her go... brother.”
Chapter Eighteen
“Angelo? Is it really you?”
Paxton was as stunned as Luca, since Jared had told her the gory tale of how Marco Boneiro had killed his oldest son. However, when Luca’s hold around her throat relaxed for a split second, she used the opportunity to headbutt him with a vicious blow to his nose.
He howled in pain as he clawed at the bleeding appendage. Jared took her hand and hauled her away from his grasp. Paxton balked at being pushed behind him as he took a protective stance in front of her.
“Don’t piss me off any further, Paxton. Stay where you are.”
The fury in his voice was enough to check the warrior in her.
“Marco made the biggest mistake that will now cost him everything thirty-five-years on. Care to tell me what that was? Let’s see how well he trained you, brother dear.”
“He should have waited to make sure you died.” Luca was visibly struggling with the turn of events. “I can’t believe you survived. I’ve had the same nightmare for years... watching those three sharks circling you.” His eyes glowed as he studied Jared. “How? How did you survive?”
“Does it matter?”