Page 196 of Midnights
I swing blindly, fueled by rage and desperation. My fist connects with his gut, and the shock reverberates through my arm, sending a sharp jolt up my shoulder.
He grunts, doubling over, which gives me just enough time to take a staggering step back, gasping for breath.
When his head snaps up, his eyes burn with fury.
“Bitch.” His voice is drenched in venom.
I scoff. “How original.”
I’m still gasping for air, but I don’t retreat. My hands clench into fists at my sides, and I can feel the heat in my palms pulsing. He’s still watching me, but he doesn't move. His chest rises and falls in steady breaths while his hands flinch like he’s wondering how much it’s going to take before I break.
The street lights flicker again as thunder cracks overhead, shaking the pavement beneath me. I swear, for half a second, the shadows around him shift, curling at the edges. It almost looks like someone is standing right behind him, and my stomach drops. If there's more than one, I'm not sure if I can get out of this.
I swallow hard and try to ignore the way my pulse is hammering wildly against my ribs.Focus, Raven. Don’t let him see you panic.I keep my stance light, shifting on the balls of my feet.Or trying to.
Murderer? Probably not. But a lunatic? Oh, absolutely.
This time, when he moves, it’s more calculated. I pivot, expecting another wild swing, but he turns at the last second, dodging my elbow and slamming his fist into my ribs with enough force to steal my breath from my lungs. A sharp blistering pain explodes through my side, and I stumble.
He doesn't wait. Just yanks me back by the dress, and I go down hard, smacking into the mud with rain in my face like the world's worst wake-up call. My ribs flare as pain rips through my side and my vision spots. Shit.
I’m certain they’re broken now.
I need to move.
I roll just in time, his boot smashes into the ground where my ribs had been. The vibration rattles up through me, a brutal reminder of how close that was. I drag myself to my knees, and my whole body screams in protest.
He crouches down, tilting his head as he watches me. His lip curls, and when he speaks, his voice is a whisper. “We’ve been watching you.”
The words settle like a stone in my gut as I push up to my feet, ignoring the way my ribs desperately wish I wouldn't.
“That’s creepy as hell,” I mutter, my voice hoarse. “But hey, nice to have fans.”
His smirk deepens, and I don’t see his fist until it's too late.
There's a blinding crack as my head snaps sideways, and pain bursts through my jaw. My vision flashes and stars flicker at the edges of vision. My knees give out, and I hit the pavement.
Not good. This is not good.
I lift my head, the taste of blood sharp on my tongue, and glare up at him. He stands over me, waiting.
“Get up,” he taunts. “Let’s see if you really have it.”
Confusion lances through me, but I shove it aside and I force myself to get up. My legs tremble slightly, and every breath sends a jolt of pain through my ribs, but I will not give him the satisfaction of staying down.
“You’ve got the wrong girl,” I try to tell him. “Sorry to disappoint.”
His smirk is slow, and he's acting like he has all the time in the world to dismantle me piece by piece.Okay, he might be a murderer after all.
“You’re exactly who we’ve been looking for.”
A sick feeling rolls through my stomach, and it’s almost too much.
“Look,” I smile. “We don't have to do this. Save yourself the humiliation of getting your ass kicked by a girl in heels.”
His lip curls as his expression shifts into something darker. “You won’t get far,” he snarls, “we know who you are now. You’re reckless and we can smell you.”
“Ew,” I blurt before I can stop myself. “Did you just say you cansmellme? Gross.”
