Page 116 of Hell Breaks Loose

As I tear the ribbing out of a seam on my corseted dress.

Even as I feel his hand clutch my throat, his other hand flying for my back, the glint of steel…

I shove my full weight into him, thrusting for his neck.

I know I can’t and won’t truly kill him.

But it will buy them time.

And if we die together, neither of us will have to live with?—

“FOR HELL!!” Ora’s shriek cracks the afternoon gloom.

A battering ram slams into Evan and me, launching us apart, across the lawn. Tumbling, I hit the ground, the breath blasted from my lungs.

I’m still seeing spots when I’m scooped up in tree trunk arms.

The thump of boots brings me around, and I look up to see Gavin, violence rolling off him in waves as he sprints for the back wall. Over his shoulder, I see Ora and the rest of the Block crashing through the swarms of Ghosts, forming a wedge for us to break through.

“Go! Go! We’ll cover your retreat!” Ora hollers, pulling a limp body off Alaya and dragging her to her feet. The two grin fiendishly at one another before jumping back into action.

Holding the line for our escape.

I don’t deserve them.

In our mad dash for the gap in the wall, I catch a glimpse of Evan, rising to give chase.

He’s so fucking fast.

Closing the distance to us too quickly.

When all of a sudden, Tell intercepts him, taking out his legs, sending the two of them into a heap. Tell pops up, swinging a fist down to finish Evan off.

‘Grab him!” I try to shout, but there’s no way.

The Ghosts are hot on our trail.

The Block is still outnumbered.

And we can only run, leaving some of our people behind. Leaving Evan there, unconscious in the dirt.

“We’ll get him. We’ll come back for him!” Gavin growls, and I almost believe him.

At least I know Evan’s alive.

Better than the day started.

Through the wall, we make for the trees, staying as close together as we can.

“Past the markers and hit the deck!” one of the bikers barks, waving us on.

The orange flags far to the left and right show us the way. The line we have to make it past.

And if it were just me, there would be no way.

But Gavin is a fucking truck.

With Tell hot on our heels, Alaya and Ora bringing up the rear with breakneck speed and a volley of suppressing fire, we clear the border. The rest of the crew leaps as something metallic snaps tight behind all of us.

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