Page 140 of Pink Ink

Someone just…

He just…

I blink up.

There’s a dead man on me.

Nausea twists my stomach. Movement at the door kicks me out of my trance.

There’s someone else in the room.

Fear clamps its claws into me in a solid vise. I scramble to throw my attacker’s weight off me, then lunge for my bag to grab the can of mace. I hold it out in front of me, aimed, trembling and ready to let loose on the masked newcomer who snuck in without my notice.

A dead man was on me. His blood is still on me.

The intruder acts like I’m not even there, crouching down next to my attacker and lifting his mask off. I grab my phone, dial Maddox’s number, and shove it into my pocket to focus on the man.

Pick up. Pick up. Pick—

My attention catches on the gaping hole in the side of my attacker’s head. Red pools around him like a demonic halo. In the middle of the sea of crimson is the blade he was going to kill me with.

I was going to die. He was trying to murder me. He—He—I can’t get enough air into my lungs. It’s hard to hear anything beyond the roar of my pulse.

“He’s one of your boyfriend’s men.”

My eyes snap up to the person who spoke. I gasp, and stumble back, aiming the can higher.

Alex. From class.

“You’ve been a giant pain in the ass.”

The weapon rattles in my hand.What the fuck does that mean?

“Y-You’re in the Order.” A tremor threads through my voice.

Am I—Is he going to finish the job?

“We thought you might have worked it out, or had Maddox explain it to you.” Alex eyes me. The hairs at the back of my neck stand on end when I spot the gun at his side. “I’m curious, what else do you know?”

He takes a step forward. Panic slices up my spine, and my back hits the wall. “Stay back!” I growl, waving the mace. “I’ll use this on you.”

Alex raises his brows in amusement.I’ve brought mace to a gunfight. “We’re getting you out of here,” he declares.

“Touch me, and I’ll gut you,” I threaten with enough conviction that I might even believe that I’d have the upper hand in a fight. I probably wouldn’t last two seconds.

He slides his gun into the waistband of his pants, then raises both hands in the air. “You can either come with me willing—”

“The police are already on their way, Alex.” I show him just enough of my phone so he can see that I’m on a call—at least, I hope I’m on a call. “Either shoot me and I empty this can on you, or leave. I’m not going anywhere with you.”

I’m dead if he calls my bluff.

He works his jaw, eyes darting between my phone, the mace, and the corpse.

“Fuck,” he groans, running his hand over his face and hair. My grip tightens as he paces, muttering words I can’t make out. He takes a step toward me, then turns around only to turn back, racked with indecision. “Shit, shit, shit,fuck.”

I eye the switchblade on the ground between us. I might be able to make a run for it if he’s distracted enough. Before I figure out my next move, Alex is running out of the door like there are hounds on his heels.

I stare at the spot he occupied seconds ago. White dots my vision. The sound of the door slamming shut stirs me into motion. He… It worked. He’s actually…