out a sentence of condemnation that made the hairs on the back of his neck lift. She moved smoothly
around the couch and strode toward . . . Nigel? What the hell?
She grabbed Nigel around the neck and squeezed. His face turned red and he coughed and choked,
digging his fingers into the wall behind him, but he did nothing to fight back.
“Chase, stop her.” Alex pulled Chase to his feet. “You can’t let her kill him.”
“Me?”
“You’re the only one who can.”
Chase saw the worry in Alex’s expression and nodded. He hurried over to Sabrina. Chase put his
hand on Sabrina’s. “Sabrina. Stop.”
She looked at him, her eyes still wild and angry, unblinking. “He tried to kill you.”
“How do you know?”
“I saw it. In his mind.” She looked back at him. “See? He doesn’t resist. He knows he is guilty.”
“Okay, but Sabrina. I know him. He’s my friend.”
“A friend would not do that to another.”
Chase looked at her hand, white against the red of Nigel’s neck. “Please, Sabrina. Stop.” He
cupped her cheek. “Look at me.”
She stared at him and her eyes flickered. Finally, she blinked and Nigel fell from her grip. Her
pupils returned and her eyes widened as she looked at Nigel, laying on the ground, coughing and
sputtering. “I—” She looked back at Chase. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
And disappeared from sight.
The hall was silent as Chase stared at the empty space. Then, as if a spell was lifted, men began
to move and speak softly. Shaw, Nigel’s father, appeared next to his son and sat him up.
Richard put his hand on Chase’s shoulder. “Are you all right?”
“She was really here . . .” Chase whispered, looking at Richard.
“She saved you.”
Chase nodded and then sucked in a breath, anger filling him. He glared at Nigel who was still
coughing. “What the fuck, man? I thought we were friends!” No matter that Sabrina had almost choked
him to death. Chase’s fists balled at his sides and he was ready to fight.
Nigel looked up, a terrified expression in his eyes. “I-I don’t know . . . I didn’t know what I
was . . . doing . . .”