Page 93 of Guarded from Danger

As I look into the eyes of my old friend turned enemy, time seems to slow.

I’m only going to get one chance at this.

“Okay,” I tell her, letting my fear show in my voice. “Just don’t shoot.”

And on a slow intake of breath, I move.

First, I reach my right hand towards the water bottle, taking my time with it.

My eyes follow Kali’s, and the moment she glances away from my left hand, I press my earring hard.

“Faster,” she barks. “You’re taking too much time. Drink it. Now.”

“Iwill,” I snap, anger pushing past the fear.

How dare she? How could she?

While her gaze is still on the bottle, I quickly reach into my purse to grab the little canister of pepper spray and hide it in my hand.

“Faster!”

The bottle near my lap now, I glance up at Kali. “I’m going to do it. Just… stop pointing the gun at me. Please.”

“No.” She squeezes the trigger, a hair’s breadth from going off. “Drink the fucking water,Lucy. Or I’ll shoot you.”

As carefully as I can, I begin to unscrew the cap while keeping the tiny canister tucked in my hand.

And then.

I fumble the bottle.

It starts to fall.

Kali snaps, “Are you kidding?—”

But for just a second, she’s not looking at me.

The gun dips.

I hold my breath.

Then.

I spray the noxious liquid into her face.

Kali shrieks. Claps a hand over her eyes.

My panicked paralysis broken, I jump to my feet.

Kali lunges at me, but her eyes are squeezed nearly shut, red and swollen and wet with tears.

I use that move Xavier showed me—the heel strike—and drive the fleshy part of my palm into her face.

“You bitch!”

She’s disoriented, her vision compromised, and now there’s blood streaming from her nose to her chin. But she still has thatgun.

With a howl of rage, Kali leaps at me, but I manage to duck away.

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