Page 97 of Poisoned Promise
Again and again I smash his face until he trips over his own feet and falls to the floor.
Falling with him, I land over him and cut my knuckles on his teeth with the next swing.
I hate this.
I hate myself.
I’ve been so blind. So fucking blind for so many years.
Caught up in lies and grief and misplaced guilt while the woman I loved, the woman carrying my baby, was forced into a life of seclusion and secrecy just to keep herself alive.
I did this.
I will never be able to make up for it but I can damn well try.
“Fuck you!” I roar down at Reese. My next punch slips on the blood pouring from his broken nose and the burly guard hooks his hands under my arms, dragging me off.
Reese surges up with a yell, spraying blood and launching his fist at my face.
He lands two painful blows, then I kick him hard in the knee with enough force to twist his joint backward.
He screams in pain but it fuels his rage and he scrambles up just as I punch the guard and free myself.
With a roar, he tackles me against the door, and it immediately gives way from our combined weight.
Together, we crash out into the hall. He punches my gut.
I throw my elbow down hard on his back once, twice, three times, then grab a handful of his hair and wrench his head back.
He swings wildly and misses.
I slam my palm into his throat and he chokes, gagging as he rolls off me and gasps for air.
I’ll kill him.
I’ll kill him with my bare hands.
Fucking traitor!
He kicks at my ankle while scrambling away from him and I drip, but I let gravity drop me and slam my elbow down into his gut as I land.
He claws at my face, pulling my hair, punching me and twisting underneath him.
One nail catches on the edge of my eye and blinds me. I raise my fist. I’m mid-swing when the cold, cool barrel of a rifle thrusts painfully against my temple.
Everything freezes.
“Up!” barks the guard behind the rifle. “On your fucking feet!”
Panting harshly, I debate the satisfaction of punching this bastard once more and dying for it, but in the end I relent and lower my fist. Several hands grab at my arms and clothes, hauling me back up onto my feet.
The hallway is filled with guards on duty in case Dove escaped.
A very real threat given her talents.
They swarm us, and a handful drag Reese up from the ground while he spits out blood and a handful of teeth.
“I’ll kill you,” I snarl at him, earning the butt of a rifle sharp into my gut. Doubling over, air escapes me and refuses to come back but the angle gives me a glimpse of Dove through the broken door.
