Palming the back of his head, I hammered his face into the concrete floor. Blood spurted from his nose, and I heard a sickening crunch. I rolled the guy on his back and pounded his stomach. He swung at me, but I ducked and hopped up to my feet.
Grabbing his shirt, I yanked him up and tossed his ass at the wall ten feet away. I was on him in the next instant with my forearm across his throat.
“Hunter!” Lina yelled.
“Who are you?” I pushed harder. This guy had about three seconds to talk before he’d permanently lose the privilege to say another word. “You in with Christopher?”
The guy’s eyes flashed with confusion for a second before anger darkened them. He grinned and let out a laugh. “You’re so fucked, man.”
“Screw you. Now talk.” I cuffed his neck and squeezed. “Or so help me I’ll kill you for touching her. You hear me? I will kill you.”
His eyes widened, probably seeing the truth in my words, and he stilled. “Hired. Don’t know by who. Swear.”
I tightened my grip. “You’re lying.”
“No. Man. Did transaction over email. Swear.”
“Hunter!” Lina yelled her voice closer.
“Let him go.” Another voice joined the conversation. “Now.”
I glanced over my shoulder to find two campus security officers pointing their tasers at me.
“Wait.” Lina held up her hand and stepped in the line of the tasers. “That guy was attacking me. Hunter helped me.”
I squeezed Baldy’s neck harder. “Talk.”
He coughed. “Told…you.”
“Hunter.” Lina touched my shoulder. “Let…him…go.”
“He…touched you.”
“Please.” She drew in a breath. “Hunter.”
“Was…going to take you.” I tried to focus through the rage storming my vision. The thought of Lina getting hurt again. Being taken.
“I…need…to go.” Lina’s voice was faint, airy.
I turned around and saw her chest heaving. Tears rimmed her eyes, and her jaw was tight.
“Hunter…” Her knees bent, and she tumbled toward me.
I tossed the guy to the side and dove for Lina as she melted to the floor. Cradling her head so it wouldn’t hit the hard floor, I slid beneath her so she landed on me instead. “Lina!”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Hunter
The guards hustled toward the guy I’d been holding and aimed their weapons at him.
“Hunter!” George rolled to his side. “Angelina.”
Another round of rent-a-cops came hustling in, weapons pulled along with the other two guys from Marshal’s team. Where the hell had they been?
Lina lay limp in my arms, unconsciousness slowing her breathing and calming her face. Damn those guys for scaring her so badly.
“She hurt?” George stumbled toward me. Blood dribbled from the side of his mouth.