Page 51 of Mountain Protector

My heart is galloping at a breakneck pace, so loud in my head it’s hard to hear above it.

Fear wraps around my chest, squeezing until I’m breathless.

What does he want? Was he working with Vinnetti?Is this some kind of cruel joke and I have another crazy person after me?

Then, behind him, Knox appears.

Even at this distance, I can see the white-hot rage in his eyes.

Though I feel like falling to my knees in relief, I don’t want to give away Knox’s position.

Knox gives me a little nod, his expression softening for a second. A blink later, it’s like stone again.

I have to distract him.

“What—” My voice cracks. “What do you want?”

“Shut up!” The man jabs the gun in my direction, and my heart stops. His finger tightens on the trigger. His eyes are wild. “Where the fuck is he?”

Lifting my chin, I shove my fear down as I reply quietly, “Do you want me to answer? Or shut up?”

“You think you’re funny?” he spits as his face goes red.

Behind him, Knox advances, as silent and stealthy as a shadow.

“No. I just”—Oh, God, would he stop waving that gun—“I don’t know what you want.”

His features contort. “I want that asshole punished for what he did to me!”

What?

And then.

Everything happens at once.

Knox attacks, his limbs nearly a blur as he moves.

His arm chops down, and the crazy man screeches in pain.

The gun falls to the ground.

In one smooth kick, Knox sweeps the man’s legs out from under him and knocks him to the floor.

Then he’s flipped over, and Knox grabs his wrists, pinning them roughly behind him.

It all took a matter of seconds.

As Knox zip ties the man’s wrists together—where did those come from?—Knox looks up at me and says, “Lark. Kick the gun away. Don’t touch it, okay?”

I just stare at him, too stunned to move.

Full-body tremors are taking over, so violent my teeth are chattering.

“Lark. Sweetheart.”

“What?” Even my voice is shaking.

“It’s okay,” he soothes. “Don’t worry about the gun. I’ll take care of it. Just come out of the room, alright?”

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