Page 84 of Duplicity

He took another step toward her. “Fail-safe charges. In case the empire falls.”

Everyone in the house…

All those people…

“Stop it. Turn it off.” He was going to kill them all.

Lance chuckled. He rushed her, and her back hit a car. He slammed her up against it and put both hands around her neck.

His thick fingers squeezed the breath from her throat.

Cat choked against it, trying to breathe but unable to get air. Her injured arm was trapped between them. She slapped with her free one at his shoulder, his head, his hands. It was as if he didn’t even notice.

Spots erupted at the edges of her awareness.

Her body lost the ability to hold her up.

He kept squeezing, and all she could see was the evil look in his eyes.

What was he going to do to her? She didn’t want to know.Lord…Her thoughts shuttered, and her mind blanked.

She heard someone roar, and Lance was dragged away from her.

Cat fell to her hands and knees on the ground, gasping and coughing. Someone steadied her, holding her gently and taking care with her injuries.

A man said, “Lie down for me. Easy now.”

Her forehead touched the cold concrete floor.

A few feet away, Lance lay on his back. Simon was on him, punching Lance in the face over and over again.

The man by her said, “That’s enough.”

Peter stood beyond Simon, a deadly look on his face. “He’s almost done. He’s just working something out.”

Jasper was the one with her. She managed to focus on his face long enough to figure that out. Simon’s boss said, “Enough!”

Cat flinched.

“She needs an ambulance.”

Simon got up, easing to his feet, blood on his fists. He pushed back his hair, leaving blood in the strands. “We’ll take one of these cars.”

“Charges.” The word was barely audible. Did they hear her?

Peter went for a rack of key fobs on the wall. “Lamborghini or Porche?”

Cat whispered, “Charges.”

Jasper leaned down. “What was that?”

“Watch out.” Simon patted his boss’s shoulder.

Jasper said, “She’s trying to say something.”

Both of them leaned close. Cat said, “House…explode.”

Simon flinched.

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