Page 14 of Stone

Oh, no. She looked up, and every cell in her body froze. The armed man was striding toward her, the gun swinging her way.

No. She didn’t want to die.

She wanted to fall in love. A proper, all-consuming love. She wanted a baby. She wanted to sell that penthouse and get her big commission. She wanted to buy more sexy shoes.

One day, she wanted a messy house, and regular, hot sex, and to get gray hairs.

She didn’t stop to think. She launched herself upward and rammed straight into the man’s legs.

He staggered backward, his shot going wild and hitting the ceiling.

Nola straightened, then kicked her leg up, right between the man’s thick thighs. She kicked as hard as she could.

He dropped the gun, and let out a pained gurgle.

She reared back and kicked him again. This time, he doubled over.

Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.

Panic coursed through her. She raced over to George, and dropped down beside the moaning doorman.

“Come on, George.” She helped him sit up. “We need to get out of here.” She slung an arm around his back. “Ready?”

He nodded, his face gray. As they rose, she almost staggered under his weight. The bloodstain on his white shirt was growing. She couldn’t leave him here. They’d kill him.

“We need to run,” she told him.

He nodded again, his face twisted in pain. Together, they hobbled to the front door. They got outside, and the sounds of the city hit her. A passersby gasped and cried out at the sight of the blood.

“He needs help,” Nola cried. “Someone call 9-1-1. There’s a man inside with a gun.”

A small crowd gathered. Two men took George off her. A woman nearby was already on her cellphone. Nola clasped her hands together and saw she had blood on her pretty, blue shirt.

Then she turned and looked back through the glass. The other thugs had entered the lobby.

Including the cold-eyed, older man who’d executed the man upstairs.

He met her gaze through the glass.

Fuck.

Nola whirled and ran.

She sprinted down the sidewalk, her bare feet scraping on the concrete. Ugh, the ground was so dirty.

She glanced back and saw three men spilling out of the High Line Tower. They didn’t have any guns out, but they were clearly looking for her.

She looked forward and kept running.

Two big men in dark suits appeared ahead of her and she stumbled to a panicked stop. God, were they with these murderers as well? How many more of them were out here?

As her heart thudded hard, the two men walked straight past her.

She pressed a shaky hand to her chest.

She couldn’t stay on the street. They’d be looking for her.

She glanced around, then ducked into an alley. Something crumbled beneath her bare foot, and she winced.

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