Page 42 of R for Rough

I went still and looked out between the bushes, not seeing anything.

I’d wanted the forest and the darkness to intimidate me, to at least make me nervous, but the company of the others prevented that from happening. I’d be much more tense if I’d been alone. Now…I guessed the fight would be the ultimate fear play.

I took a couple of deep breaths and welcomed the silence.

Head in the game.

This area would be great for the takedown. The bushes wouldn’t cause too much harm if someone was pushed into them or on top of them.

I refastened the straps of my wrist guards and?—

I went rigid at the sound of eerie whistling slithering through the air. One, two, three… Three men whistling a slow tune that?—

“It’s them,” Abel whispered. “This is someWalking Deadbullshit. Mad and I just rewatched that show.”

Too bad it was fucking working. The tiny hairs along my neck stood up, and my heart started pounding.

My head whipped sideways before I could even make a conscious decision, and I narrowed my eyes at a fourth whistling sound. But I couldn’tseeanyone.

I balled my hands into fists, and my breaths came out in short puffs that misted in the air.

“Oh, we’ve struck gold,” someone drawled. Mister Colt, maybe. His Texas accent was unmistakable.

“Aye.” That was Ryan. “Sure reeks of brats and baby sluts.”

I clenched my jaw.

At long last, one man came into view when he emerged from the trees. Jameson.

“Who has the spiked gloves?” he asked.

Fuck! I hated vampire gloves. It better be a mind trick.

“I do.” Oh God, Griffin’s voice fucking shook me. Low and filled with danger.

I licked my lips nervously and repositioned my foot for a quick pounce. The underbrush was suddenly alive with too much rustling.

Two more men emerged—Colt and Ryan.

They were maybe twenty feet away.

Why weren’t they panting and wiping sweat off their foreheads? I needed them exhausted. Like old people were supposed to be.

“Look what we have here.”

I gasped; someone was way too close, fuckingbehindus, and then Angel screamed loudly. As shock tore through me, I still managed to jump into action, and I shot right up and spun around. Justin, Kit, and I ran for Angel right away. It was Madigan—then Griffin too! They grabbed at Angel, who didn’t waste time thrashing like she was being electrocuted.

“Pick on someone your own size, you goddamn ogres!” she yelled.

“Get her away from them and run!” I shouted. A second later, I crashed into Madigan, and he toppled over with a grunt. Justin and Kit attacked Griffin, and I scrambled to my feet and kicked and smacked at Madigan as he tried to get ahold of me. “I don’t fucking think so,” I snarled. “Run!”

The others were getting closer, and we had to split right fucking now unless we wanted to get captured in the first attack. Justin yelled orders for us to go north, and Angel and Kit pushed at Griffin.

“Slippery little fucker,” Madigan spat out.

I sucked in a quick breath and narrowly escaped his grasp, and then we were finally sprinting out of the bushes and into the darkness.

“Get them!” Ryan growled.

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