Page 70 of Vows in Violence

Everyone continues to talk over each other.

Cassidy’s phone rings, cutting through the noise. As he stands up from the table and takes the call, stepping away from the group, everyone quiets down. As he talks, we hear the rat-a-tat-tat of gunfire. The room goes completely silent.

Cassidy hangs up and turns to us, his face grim. “Azrael has made the decision for us. They are here.”

I shoot to my feet, nearly knocking my chair over. Panic surges through me. “Where’s Vivi?”

Damon’s eyes widen in alarm, and the others look just as shocked. “We need to secure the premises,” Damon says urgently, already moving toward the door.

Luca pulls out his phone, rapidly issuing orders to his men. “Lock this place down.”

Cassidy joins in, barking commands to his own team over his device. “Get everyone inside, now! Secure the exits!”

I rush through the house, my heart pounding. Where could Vivi be? She was supposed to be safe here, but with Azrael making a move, nowhere is safe.

Chapter 27

Vivi

Carina holds a wooden-handledknife in her hands, tossing it deftly back and forth between the two. She crosses her steps as she circles me, not quite a sidestep. Something more. I try to match her steps, keeping my eyes locked with Carina’s.

I’m no novice to fighting. Angel taught me when I was a teenager, saying it was a skill all girls should have, especially in our world. He was right, even if I haven’t used my rough abilities yet.

He taught me that a person will broadcast every move with their eyes.

If you watch the body, you’ll probably end up surprised,cara. If you’re looking at the hands, you miss the feet, and vice versa.

Watch the eyes.

The eyes…they will always betray your opponent.

Carina has obviously been taught the same. She watches me without blinking, shifting slightly to get into a better position. I tense, anticipating.

Something changes in Carina’s eyes right before she lunges forward—the slightest narrowing and then a subtle flare.

I’m ready for her. I pivot on my feet and allow Carina’s momentum to send her past me. Once Carina is even with my body, I give a sharp shove to her shoulders. Carina stumbles forward but catches herself.

Damnit. So close.

Evie laughs and claps her hands.

“Look at that! You are starting to get it, Romanov. Maybe in a few months, you will be able to put her on the ground.”

Carina laughs. “She can try, but it’s not going to happen.”

On the other side of the room, Rowan spars with Lulu. Nothing much appears to be happening. Rowan is smaller, a ball of bouncing energy with her red curls springing lightly around her face as she moves on her toes. Lulu, although bolder than Rowan, is nonetheless too careful to be much of a threat.

“Hit her, Lulu! Damnit, you’re not here to be nice. Stop trying not to hurt her.” Evie obviously agrees with my observation.

I wipe the sweat from my upper lip and grin at Carina. Both Carina and Evie can take a hit, I’ve learned, and I’m finding it’s kind of fun to hit someone. I doubt I’d be able to strike out against Lulu or Rowan as hard as I am against Carina and Evie. It would feel wrong.

Carina pauses in circling me to watch the others with something like exasperation. “Are you two going to dance around all day, or are you going to try to take each other down? Fight, ladies.”

Rowan shoots her a glare. “Stop talking to me, Carina. You’re breaking my concentration.”

Rowan’s distraction gives Lulu her opening. Within seconds, she slides a foot out, catching Rowan by the ankle and hooking it toward her. Rowan falls onto her ass.

Rowan shouts. “Ow! LULU!”

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