Page 105 of Pitiful Lies

“What’s so special about a fat little nothing like you that Angel Fury would turn down a chance to fuck me?”

“Maybe it’s because I’m not a heartless bitch,” I spit the words at her.

She squeezes my face tighter, and I feel warm liquid dripping down my chin. I think this bitch cut me with her nails, and now I am even madder. The rattling at my feet intensifies.

I watch Giovanna raise her hand, she is lifting the gun to my temple.

Shit.

I know Angel is on his way, but he won’t get here in time. Sadness wells inside me. Sadness and regret.

I should have told him I love him. Should have said it every day.

Chen and the driver are dragging Margaret’s body off to the side.

One of them leaves and goes inside the other room, returning with a young man who is either dead or unconscious.

Chen is bent over, tying Margaret’s hands together. And it looks so much like a classic mob movie. The kind where they line up their enemies and shoot them before leaving town.

This bitch is going to kill me. And I don’t want to die like this.

Hell.

I don’t want to die at all. But if I am going out, I am going to do it my way.

“Any last words?” she says, moving back a step and taking aim.

“Yeah. Catch!” I shout just as I kick open the loose lid on Buffy’s tank.

The blank mamba is in a vicious mood. I’ve seen it before. I know when she is ready to strike. And as Giovanna looks down to see what I set in motion, it’s too late.

Buffy launches herself, the venomous serpent is in full on attack mode.

The snake bites her several times, and Giovanna screams, her gun, forgotten, drops to the floor. It goes off, hitting one of her guys. The driver, I think.

Chen is yelling, but I am too busy pushing myself back, away from where Giovanna is struggling to breathe. She is on the ground now and her face is grossly distorted. A side effect of the venom.

I am looking around frantically for Buffy, but I don’t see the snake.

“Where is it?” Chen shouts and lifts his gun.

But before he can start shooting, the garage doors bust open and there he is.

My Angel.

Three steps and Angel slices Chen’s throat with a wicked-looking blade. His eyes are glowing with rage, but that changes when he sees me and charges across the room.

Other men follow him, but I don’t pay attention. My focus is on him alone.

“Koukla. You hurt? You okay? Fuck. I got you,” he rumbles soothingly as he cuts my binds and pulls me into his arms.

Angel hugs me tight as I sob into his neck.

“I’m sorry. Giselle, I’m so fucking sorry. I failed. I should’ve protected you better,” he says over and over again, holding me so tight, repeating himself.

But I don’t understand. He didn’t fail. He saved me. He got here in time.

“You crazy man, you did nothing wrong.”

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