I’ve endured combat injuries many times. This is foreplay compared to the high-level competitions I used to take part in during jiu jitsu tournaments.
It’s a buzz, yet somehow a switch inside of me clicks and all the pent-up frustration, anger, and grief I’ve harbored for the past few months are unleashed––and this asshole, he’s the target. My moves become feral and the knee to his groin makes him buckle over. I can’t stop and it feels liberating.
“I was planted as a distraction, you dumb fuck!” I pant out the lie, my tone mocking. “While you’re wasting time, the rest of them are one step closer to winning.”
“Fuck!” he snarls. “Maybe you’re the key to finding him?”
He raises his fist to take one last swipe at me, but the soldier behind him marked with an evil-looking buffalo emblem snatches his wrist, swings his body around, rips off his night vision goggles, and headbutts him square in the nose.
Spider’s legs give out and he falls to one knee, somehow still managing to retaliate. “Back the fuck off, Buffalo,” he snarls.
But Buffalo doesn’t hold back and throws a jab into the side of his skull. Once. Then twice. On the third strike, Spider hits the dirt and a pair of goggles land at my feet.
“Put them on.” A raspy female voice carries through the hush. “Hurry the fuck up. He doesn’t know you’re here, does he?”
I sink to my haunches to grab them, then throw back my hood and pull the elastic straps over my head.
“You’re a woman?” My stiff jaw aches as the words rush out from the adrenaline pumping through my veins.
“So are you,” she counters.
“He called you Buffalo. Why are you all named after animals?”
“I prefer Buffy and you’re asking questions you have no right to ask, India. Does he know––”
I freeze. “How do you know my name?”
Thundering footsteps echo through the tunnel, the pace of them accelerated. My stomach flips when a figure marches into the space between us, oozing villainous authority, his stature imposing.
Instinctively, I know it’s Giovanni. Every cell in my body is on high alert and my heart is racing. The flutters in my chest go wild as I stand here, pretending I’m cool about finally being next to him again.
When he rips off his goggles and flicks on a flashlight. I’m shoved against the rock and my own goggles roughly removed. I blink at him, our gazes tangling—awestruck blue to striking green.
A featherlight fingertip swipes the blood I know glosses my lower lip.
“Christ… you’re bleeding.” Giovanni’s rumbling voice cracks with concern, but the tone betrays a raging storm within him.
The sensation causes my nipples to harden, and an audible sigh escapes me. When he softly thumbs my cheek, I go weak at the knees. My skin reacts to his warm breath, a flurry of goosebumps showering every part of me.
His features tighten and he swivels on the spot, taking a step away. It's only then I exhale and realize I’m shaking.
He shines the light directly onto Buffy’s covered face. In a beat, he confidently reaches behind his back, draws his gun and aims at her chest.
“Wait!” I bustle into his side. “What are you doing?”
“Did you bring her here?” Giovanni growls.
“No, sir,” Buffy replies, straightening her spine. “They were fighting. I intercepted as soon as I figured out she wasn’t one of The Covenant.” She glances at the unconscious guy across from us.
Giovanni’s aim jumps to the right, pointing low at Spider's body, and then he pulls the trigger. No hesitation. The bullet barely makes a sound with the silencer attachment on his handgun. I still jump, though.
Nerves ripple under my skin, not sure what his next move would be. I’ve seen him angry before, but the vibrations bouncing off him are homicidal.
I swallow hard the second he returns his aim to the woman. “If you even breathe near her again, it will be the last breath you take.Comprendes?”
My hand settles on his taut abdomen and the muscles flinch, his subtle intake of air only noticeable to me.
“Sí, Dragon.” When he turns to me, his beautiful face etched with rage, she speaks again. “However, I found you first. So, I win.”
