Page 9 of Orlando
Orlando looked Liam in the eyes.“Run,” he ordered.
Getting wet had only slightly slowed the woman.She turned toward Liam, and for a moment, Liam thought she was about to kill him.She might have if Orlando hadn’t distracted her again by grabbing her shoulder and pulling her back.
“I’m not going to let you do that, Cynthia,” he said.
He knew her?It didn’t make sense, but then, nothing in Liam’s life did right now.He’d walked into the garden the way he always did, and his life had been normal.
It was anything but right now.
Cynthia tried to punch Orlando again, but he caught her fist and pushed her away.She kicked him in the stomach, causing him to double over.He’d told Liam to run, but instead, Liam took a step forward.He didn’t know how he was planning on helping Orlando, but he couldn’t just stand there and do nothing.
Liam had no idea how Orlando was still standing, but he was.He straightened his back, glared at Liam, and punched Cynthia in the face.Her head jerked back, the movement hard enough to get her to stumble and step back.
That still didn’t stop her.
“I told you to run,” Orlando yelled at Liam as he caught Cynthia around the waist and twirled them away.
He pushed her, causing her to fall on the wooden fence that surrounded Liam’s plot.She used the fence to keep herself upright, turned, and launched herself at Orlando again.
“I’m not leaving you,” Liam yelled back.
“She’s here to kill you!”
Liam didn’t understand.Why was this woman he’d never seen before here to kill him?What had he done?Or was she trying to rob him or something?That made even less sense because he didn’t have anything on him that would push someone to kill him just to get it.She didn’t seem to be in an altered state of mind, either.
She grabbed Orlando by the back of the neck and pushed him sideways.Orlando stumbled, and he might have fallen on his face if Liam hadn’t been there.It wasn’t much, but Liam rushed forward and caught Orlando.Orlando crashed against Liam’s chest, and for a few seconds, Liam wrapped his arms around him, hoping he was giving him stability.He’d need it if he wanted to continue fighting Cynthia.
Orlando looked up.His eyes were wide, his lips were parted, and he was panting slightly.He was as beautiful from up close as he had been from a distance, and for some reason, Liam found himself resisting the urge to lean down and kiss him.He might have given in if Cynthia hadn’t tried stabbing him.
He caught the glint of the knife from the corner of his eye seconds before Orlando moved.He jerked an arm up, blocking Cynthia’s arm and pushing it away.She didn’t react beyond trying to stab Liam again.
He let go of Orlando, who pushed away from him and was right back fighting Cynthia in seconds.Liam was getting dizzy with the quickness of their movements.He wasn’t sure he could continue keeping track, but he was glad he tried when he noticed Cynthia dive for the knife.The hose was still on the ground next to him where he’d dropped it to hug Orlando, and he quickly picked it up and aimed it at Cynthia.She got a face full of water and spluttered as she jerked back, giving Orlando enough time to pick up the gun and throw it toward the center of the garden.
“Will you fucking stop and talk to me?”Orlando asked.
Liam didn’t expect Cynthia to answer.He was curious about the relationship between the two, but now wasn’t the moment to ask.He’d rather not have someone aim a knife at his heart every time he opened his mouth.
“I can’t stop,” she said, shocking the hell out of Liam.
She wasn’t supposed to have such a sweet voice.She was trying to kill him, for fuck’s sake.
“Of course you can.”
“I have my orders.”
For some reason, that caused Orlando to stumble.Cynthia took advantage of it and rushed forward, and Liam aimed the hose at her again.
She stopped and glared at him.“Can you stop?”
What the fuck was happening?“Uh, no?You’re trying to kill me.”
“You shouldn’t have pissed off the council.”
Liam had no idea what she was talking about.“I pissed off the council?”
“Just stop,” Orlando said, stepping in between Liam and Cynthia.“He can’t have done anything bad enough to do that.”
“I wouldn’t have been sent to kill him if he hadn’t.”
