Page 271 of Entangled

I freeze, falling to my hands and knees. Should I get up? Every familiar, animal part of me tells me to obey. Toflee.

Flash.

A man has his arm wrapped around Heather’s neck from behind, and she grapples with him with a furious screech.

Flash.

“Run, Eden!” Dom snaps.

Flash.

The rubble scratches my hands. No. No, no, no. I can’t do this again. I can’t leave her.

Flash.

The man kicks out the back of her knee, sending her to the ground. He raises his gun.

Flash.

I’m on him. How did I get on him? My body feels bruised, and he’s thrashing underneath me. My gun has stopped shaking. I feel the cold storm rise in me, the way it did while I brewed my soup.

This isright.

Flash.

The lever. My other hand slams down over it, unlatching the safety as he clubs the side of my head.

Bang.

Silence.

I breathe hard, blinking against the throbbing pain in my head. I feel something hot and wet dribble down my temple... and realize the man is still and silent underneath me.

The dust begins to settle around me. The battle has stopped.

Everythingis still and silent.

“Eden? Are you okay?” Heather touches my shoulder, and I swing the gun around toward her as my heart leaps.

She raises her hands quickly. “Just me, babe. Be a waste if you killed me now after you went to all that trouble to save me.”

Save her? I saved Heather?

I turn to look down at the man, and Heather grips my wrist, pulling me up instead. “No, no. You don’t need to do that. You did good, Eden.”

When I’m standing, she slides the safety back on my gun. I feel dizzy, and I wait for the nausea to hit—the revulsion or shame—only it doesn’t come. I think I’m... okay.

“You’re not hurt?” I finally think to ask.

When I see the outline of her nod, I pull her into a hug, my heart hammering so hard, I’m sure she must be able to feel it.

How did this even happen? How could they have known we were here?

“Hey, it’s okay, I’m okay.”

“Eden!” Dom yanks me off Heather by my shirt, and I fall into him. His eyes are battered gold in the gloomy light. “You didn’t run.”

“You said to stay. You said to run. Quite honestly, it was all very confusing in the moment,” I stammer.

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