Page 26 of Stone

Suddenly, a man in a suit charged forward and darted at them.

Knox lifted a foot and kicked the man. With a growl, the guy caught his balance and launched himself at Knox.

Swinging his arm, Knox slammed a fist into the man’s jaw. He snapped several more punches into his torso. The man grunted, and looked dazed. Knox’s next kick sent the man crashing into some tables and chairs in front of a store. People screamed and scattered.

Knox grabbed Nola’s arm, and dragged her through the chaos. He thrust open the door and towed her outside. On the street, they sprinted down the sidewalk, then he pulled her across the road. He dodged the cars, but one honked at them.

“Down.” He yanked her down behind some parked cars.

She was gasping for air. Knox ran a hand down her back, then lifted his head up enough to peer through the car’s windows. On the other side of the street, he saw several of Zolotov’s thugs spill outside of the market, searching the sidewalk.

The men broke off, moving in different directions. They didn’t cross the street.

“Stay low.” Knox tugged her behind him, and they hurried to the next corner and slipped onto the next street.

They were out of sight of the Market now. He straightened. “Just walk at a regular pace.” He slung an arm around her shoulders.

“My brain says run,” she said. “Fast.”

“There’s just one more block, and we’ll be at the safe house. You’re doing great.”

“Well, I need a drink. A big one.”

He squeezed her closer. “That can be arranged, Sprite.”

Okay, this was not what she expected from a Sentinel Security safe house.

Nola’s blood was still pumping through her veins as Knox ushered her into the apartment building.

It wasn’t very nice.

The tiny entry was dirty, and smelled like stale smoke. Somewhere, a baby wailed, and she heard a TV being played loudly.

“This place is…”

“Safe.” He urged her up the stairs.

On the next floor, he stopped at a dark-wood door, and unlocked it.

“Where did you get the key?” she asked.

“It was in the bag Devyn left us.” The door opened.

They stepped into a small, empty entry. The floor was an ugly, stained linoleum. Nola wrinkled her nose. She really expected more from Killian.

There was a second door ahead of them, but unlike the first, this one had a fancy keypad lock.

Knox pressed in a code, and the lock beeped. The door swung open.

Nola stepped inside, and her mouth dropped open. “Oh, this is more like it.”

It was like a tiny oasis in the middle of dingy chaos.

The apartment was a spacious studio. There was a small, modern kitchenette that ran along the side wall. Then it opened up into a living area, with a large bed to one side. The walls were bright white, and the place looked fresh and modern.

As Knox locked the door, she realized the apartment was soundproofed. She couldn’t hear the crying baby or the television anymore.

“I had no idea this cute apartment was in this building.”

---