She’s terrified, but she’s braver than any woman I’ve ever met. She should’ve run already; she should be squealin’ half this fuckin’ town down.
Removing my knife from Lance’s throat, he relaxes against my chest and lets out a huff of relief… until I extend my hand and offer her my prized blade.
I’ve never in my life handed my knife to anyone of my own free will.
Hesitantly, she watches my hand, but it takes only seconds before she accepts my offering.
“You choose, Blondie. It’s your ribs that ache. Your ankle. And your pussy he was gonna use.”
“What do you wa–”
“He was gonna kill you. I promise you that. You were a dead woman. Every minute you live from now on is borrowed time. Cherish it. Make something of it. Now you choose his fate.”
“Bishop! Let me g–”
I pull his hair tighter and elicit a cry of cowardice from his throat. “Shut the fuck up, Lance. We talked about this. The Reaper is here for you. Bet you never expected her to be so pretty.”
“You want…” Holding my knife like it was a snake, her eyes flick between it and me. Lance doesn’t exist in her world. She sees me, she sees my blade. “You want me to kill him?”
“I want you to do whatever helps you sleep at night. Tomorrow, when you’re all alone in your bed, I want you to feel safe and not wonder if he’s coming back for another go.”
Finally, her eyes flick back to his. Flynn screeches in my ear. Abel’s pissed. I’m paid to make Abel safe. I’m paid to coordinate tonight’s delivery, but instead, I stand in an alleyway and defend a woman whose eyes make me a little sick in the gut.
Stepping forward on shaky legs, she looks up and waits for Lance’s eyes to meet hers. I loosen my hold on his hair, and when she rolls the blade between two dainty hands, I wonder if she’ll actually do it. “Were you going to kill me… Lance?” Her eyes flick to mine in question.
I nod.
“Lance…” She goes back to him. “You were going to kill me?”
Unremorseful, he licks his lips. “I woulda fucked you the best you ever got. Then I woulda let you sleep. Whatever happens…”
“The best I ever got?” She runs the pad of her thumb along the blade and sends chills through my blood. She’s gonna do it. Good for her. “How do you know the best I ever got?” She nods over his shoulder… to me. “My boyfriend might disagree.”
“Your boyf–” He sputters. “She’s yours? No. She’s just a–”
“You call her a bitch again, and I’ll slit your throat with your own blade.”
“Bishop!” Flynn’s raging voice throbs in my brain. “The package is two minutes away. Do your fuckin’ job!”
“I can’t.” I’m speaking to Flynn, but my eyes are for the blonde. “Do what you’ve gotta do, then get the fuck home and don’t come out again. This is your only warning. There are a million Lance’s in this world, and I won’t be around to stop him next time.”
Nodding contemplatively, she bites her lip and studies the blade. With shaking hands, she holds it with her finger and thumb, and offers it back. “I can’t… I’m not…” Finally accepting the enormity of what’s happened to her tonight, whatalmosthappened, her breath comes out on a shudder. “I’m going home.”
“Go that way.” Accepting my knife, I nod to my right. The opposite direction to where my work will take me in a minute and a half. “Don’t stop until you hit Main. Call your people. Never come back here again.”
Shock finally sets in. Her eyes water.
She’s not as badass as she thinks she is.
Without another word, she turns on her sexy heels and runs. Skidding to a stop, she collects her bag and its spilled contents, and with them clutched to her heaving chest, her eyes meet mine for the last time.
“Go. Never come back. This place isn’t for girls like you. Don’t step over to this side of town again.”
As soon as she rounds the corner, I spin Lance to face me.
“Bishop, I didn’t know she was–”
In shock, his eyes lock onto mine as my blade slides along his throat and opens his jugular. With his pants around his ankles, Lance brings his hands to his throat to stop the wave of pulsing blood that rains over my boots. “She won’t be able to sleep properly until you’re dead. I’m choosing her life over yours. You won’t hurt another woman again, Lance. I fuckin’ warned you.”