Page 41 of Rule
I parry a strike from the largest of the six men, using his momentum against him and sending him crashing into a stack of crates. Another foe charges at me, his eyes wild with fury. Sidestepping his attack, I slash his exposed flank before delivering a powerful elbow to his temple, knocking him out cold.
“Lucky,” Tristan says in my ear.
“You need to fuck off,” I grit out, making him laugh, but he is distracting me from my fear and making me even more determined to end this quickly.
The remaining Inner Circle members hesitate, their confidence waning as they witness their comrades fall one by one. I seize the opportunity, hurling another throwing star at the nearest attacker, its sharp edges sinking deep into his shoulder. Lucius cries out in pain, dropping to his knees.
Without hesitation, I charge forward, my blade slicing through the air as I aim for him. It connects with his arm, drawing blood and a cry of pain from him. The others react instantly, moving to surround me.
"Is that all you've got?" I sneer, glancing around at the circle of men closing in on me. Their eyes are filled with rage, but beneath it, I detect a flicker of fear.
"Far from it," one of them replies, lunging toward me. I barely have time to dodge his attack, feeling the wind from his weapon graze my cheek. My heart races, adrenaline pumping through my veins as I counterattack, managing to wound him in the side.
"Scarlet!" Max's voice echoes in my head, urging me to stay focused. I grit my teeth, sweat beading on my forehead as I fend off their relentless assault.
The battle intensifies, their attacks growing more ferocious. A sharp sting as a blade slices across my thigh, the pain searing through me, makes me stagger back, trying to ignore the pulsing agony as blood pours down my leg.
"Pathetic," Lucius taunts, his smile cruel and sadistic. "You really thought you could take us on?"
"Shut it," I snarl through gritted teeth, mustering every ounce of strength to launch myself at him. He easily blocks my attack, his laughter ringing in my ears as he delivers a swift kick to my injured leg, sending me crashing to the ground.
The pain is almost unbearable, but I refuse to give in. I can feel the support of my men urging me on, their love and faith in me giving me the strength to continue. Determined not to let them down, I push myself up, my vision blurred from the pain but my resolve unwavering.
"Is that allyou'vegot?" I repeat, my voice hoarse as I stare down the Inner Circle. "Because I'm just getting started."
The pain in my leg flares, but I refuse to let it cloud my focus. "You think you have me cornered?" I spit, glaring at the six smug faces before me. "You underestimate me."
"Enough!" Lucius barks, his patience clearly wearing thin. "Finish her off!"
As they charge forward as a unit, I force myself to concentrate on their movements, searching for any weakness I can exploit. My mind races, calculating every possible outcome while discarding those that would lead to failure.
"Scarlet," Hugo whispers in my head, soothing and warm. "Remember what we practiced. Their arrogance is your advantage."
Acknowledging his words with a brief nod, I clench my jaw tightly. The Inner Circle expects a desperate, disoriented opponent – and that's exactly what I'll give them.
"Take your best shot," I taunt.
The strike comes from my left, but I anticipate it, ducking just in time. I feel the wind from the missed blow against my cheek, and as the attacker stumbles past me, I quickly deliver a sharp elbow to his face. He crumples to the ground with a grunt.
"Never underestimate a woman who's built her million-pound agency from the ground up.”
I dodge a flurry of blows from two attackers, using their momentum against them and sending them crashing into each other. Spotting an opening in another member's defense, I deliver a swift kick that sends him stumbling backward.
"Stay focused," Miles' voice echoes in my ear, and I heed his advice, shifting my attention to the remaining opponents. They've regrouped, adjusting their strategy, now attacking me in tandem with perfectly synchronized strikes.
I begin to weave my way through their onslaught, anticipating each move before it comes, countering and striking back in rapid succession. My body moves as though it has a mind of its own, my lovers' strengths combining into an unstoppable force within me.
"Is this really all you've got?" I taunt again, bloodied but unbowed. "I expected more."
The final adversaries circle me warily, their faces twisted with desperation. I glance at my side, blood seeping through my fingers, but force myself to focus. I cannot afford to falter now.
With a defiant roar, I charge toward the remaining men, my knives flashing like silver lightning. I dodge a wild blow, closing the distance and driving my blade into Lucius’s abdomen. As he crumples to the floor, I spin on my heel, narrowly avoiding a strike.
Weary but determined, I lock eyes with my next opponent. I feint to the left, drawing his attention away from my real target – his exposed neck. With a swift and decisive movement, I slash my knife across his throat, the fight draining from his eyes as he falls to the ground.
“Two down,” Max murmurs. “You have to end them, Scarlet.”
“Fucking give me a minute,” I rasp, panting heavily. “And fuck this archaic bullshit.”
