Page 7 of Promise of Hellfire

“Who looks like a bitch now,” I taunted, before balling up my fist and punching Bones, throwing my weight behind it. He staggered backward against the fencing. I kicked Key hard against the ribs before stalking toward Bones.

“What in the fuck?” He gritted out before raising his hand to hit me in the side of the face again. I inhaled through my nose before grabbing his shirt.

“Your friend said that I should have cut my hair before tonight, but I guess you should have remembered to take off your shirt.” I jerked him forward before pushing him back against the fence again. His head hit the metal, and he grunted as I raised my leg and kneed him. My blow didn’t land on his outer thigh, and he crumbled to the ground, holding his groin. “You need better aim. This should have been easy for you.”

The man who I had left on the ground started trying to stand as I walked toward him. I clicked my tongue. “I don’t think so.” Kicking him again in the ribs, I watched with fascination as scarlet dripped down his face from his nose.

The surrounding crowd roared as Bones finally stood. An angry haze surrounded him as he approached me with a murderous expression. “It’s not over yet.”

Despite the volume of the crowd, the sound of police sirens echoed around the concrete walls from outside. “Sorry, we’ll have to pick this back up later, ladies,” I taunted, and walked backward to the gate, not wanting to remove my gaze from either of them. He came at me quickly and grabbed for me as I slipped out of the gate. People were shoving each other, trying to make their way to an exit.

I found Ignacio standing stock still, jaw clenched, staring at me. “We’ve gotta go. Like five minutes ago.”

I grabbed my shirt from his hands and shrugged it on as we started walking calmly. “Get out of here. I’ll text you later.” I pulled my jacket on and tucked my gun back into my waistband. “The stakes are higher if you get caught. They’re going to ask why you’re here. If I get arrested, maybe I can talk my way out of it.”

He shook his head. “Fine. Later, don’t claim I left you hanging, though.”

I patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, I won’t.”

Ignacio disappeared into the crowd, and I said a silent prayer to whoever was listening that he could vanish before he was caught. Was what we were doing illegal? Sure, but on the grand scale of illegal things in Strathmore, this was pretty small.

As I navigated the crowd, bodies pushing against my back, a megaphone from outside sounded through the thick air, warning people to stop what they were doing. I glanced around at the sheer number of people still surrounding me and decided to take a chance. There was no way there were enough patrol cars or vans to escort everyone to jail, much less enough cells to hold all of us overnight. I just had to make it to my motorcycle. I picked up my pace, the exit within sight.

Suddenly, something jerked me backward against the body behind me. “I told you this wasn’t over yet,” Bones stated, his breath hot against my ear.

Chapter four

Ethan

“Areyouseriousrightnow? We both need to get out of here. I’ll give you my number and we can continue this at a later time,” I said, trying to keep my tone even as a sharp object pierced the skin on my neck.

“You’re so arrogant. I should just leave you here, bleeding out on the concrete. See if the pigs get to you in time,” the man behind me seethed.

I watched as the crowd trickled out, everyone mostly gone from the building. “Doubtful at best. They’re not exactly competent and most of them are crooked. I would know,” I chuckled.

“Why the hell are you laughing? Are you crazy? I’m threatening to kill you,” he gritted out.

“Maybe I am crazy. It’s been a long day. I really need you to let me go. You still have time to make a run for it still.”

The knife, or what I assumed was a knife, pressed harder into my skin and something dripped down my neck.

“Drop the knife,’’ a familiar voice called out, “or I'll shoot you.”

Ignacio.I thought I told him to leave and I could handle this myself.

“Who the hell are you?” the man behind me asked.

“Strathmore PD,” Ignacio answered. “Drop the knife now and put your hands up. All of you.”

I sighed and put my hands over my head. Earlier, I thought the night couldn’t get worse. Obviously, I was wrong. When I heard the metal clatter to the floor, I dropped to my knees. Hunter was right. I would complain too much about a bullet wound.

Unfamiliar uniformed officers swarmed us, pulling my arms behind my back roughly and cuffing me before patting me down. The large officer behind me drew the gun from my waistband and gave me a hard stare.

“Do you have a permit for this?” he asked.

I sighed again. “Yes, I have a permit for that. I thought you were supposed to ask me if I had any drugs or weapons before you searched me?” I raised one eyebrow.

“Detective Reyes, I need you to escort him to the station.” He shoved me hard in the shoulder and I stumbled forward.

---