st wing just as I was unpa
followed, then a man's voice shouting something
hoe down an
ast corrid
like he was used
ned m
way, their hands resting near their weapons. One spoke int
into the
so quickly that she nearly collided with me
e you o
rd the
ld have stayed
ash made her turn. The colour drained from
Clara. Loc
happ
the east wing. That's
ut
ara. Just d
before I could
ntru
idea who I
made it into a restricted part of the penthouse, either the securit
sibility wa
d to my room. Instead
rble floor. His shirt was torn at the shoulder, and blood ran from a cut above his e
't frig
iting for
w Cassian
rolled up, watching the prisoner wit
e drive?" Ca
t blood ont
to h
one of the guards.
eady ha
rch him p
s head backward, catching the guard across the nose. As the man stumbled, the p
g happene
for Adrian. The prisoner grabbed a heavy metal orname
stepped
oug
rd cut throug
oward him, breathing
ng orders as if yo
xpression d
refusing to answer a simple question." He took a step clos
ped the blood f
r money makes
N
moved
eady know what m
ave a cro
he only Alpha
rds wen
er, waiting for someone to laug
an's eyes
our spread across his irises, bright enough
lled out o
ard immediately lowered his head. The others followed,
the edge o
was
ished as he stared at Cassian, as though the man st
s voice
ne
s knees struc
tanding; the next, he was on the floor, his hands bra
oosened agai
ed enough to beg for their lives, but this man'
moved
me who s
jaw, struggling against wh
eel, Vanguard. You
golden eye
ll s
hought the confro
one foot against the floor, and forced himself upright. Before the guards coul
fe appeared
m, but the prisoner slashed at h
ght toward t
ard
he held it, and the fact that his injured leg w
o realise he expected me
idn
first strike pass close to my shoulder. His momentum carried him forwa
onger than
orced his arm outward. He cursed and tried to wrench himself free. I drove my
eg bu
edge of the console table. Th
for half a sec
s his m
ward. He hit the wall hard enough to knock a framed photograph crooked. Before I
ightened aro
He lost his balance, and we both stumbled. My back struck the con
y face with h
fist struck th
f me!" he
ighting
ind him, trying to pi
face and slammed
ek. My eyes watered. He tore free, snatched the
t and grabbed a heavy brass can
flicked t
said, breathing ha
tened
one holdin
ushe
e, and the knife skidded beneath a cabinet. He grabbed my wrist before I c
t, we strug
drove me
wall, and his hand cl
s. His face was inches from mine
ed in your room
heel down o
oosened ju
s arm. When he stumbled forward, I shoved him hard against the wall and drove m
who knew he couldn't
d been taught never to give
inction
fted aside, but his elbow caught my ribs. A
and struck me a
napped to
could hear was the
d his fi
but before he could strike, a hand
r's feet le
he weighed nothing and slamme
oose. It crashed onto the marble, its gl
stood
were go
k at
r tried to
by the collar and
, look
lifted h
Cassian's face made
id. "You attacked my security tea
ifted brief
t mistake you wer
anger g
acked me
to my throat an
at me wit
uld've
d've stayed o
ned his hea
ed at the penthouse, he seemed to ha
my cheek, then dropped to my hand. I hadn't realised how ti
injured?"
m f
sn't my
y hand from
hurt. I'l
guards. He stopped when he saw the broken frame, the ov
fore moving to the strang
happ
scaped," C
prisoner, then at t
ir. How did he get
should ask
gaze shif
several people
ith a knife," Cas
ked at my
e fough
im through a wall
't much I could say that w
knife. He examined it briefly bef
room he entered, and check the se
seized th
y dragged him away, he kept looking at
ing a mista
raightened
urs when you
losed behind the pri
ained besi
entrance unlocked. The alarm wasn't dis
ho
e che
everyone else. I want the full acce
s,
ed at me bef
rateful that someone had helped restrain an intruder. It was the
until Adrian wa
with
the elevator
he
offi
eing di
N
t the broken
t y
sore ribs show in the way I walked. He opened a door I
a wall of windows, and several screens displayed security feeds from diffe
closed t
it
ather
e settl
very brave or
en calle
wh
ho don't
chair and sat
correct th
ned whe
t the scrape
you learn
tion. That didn't make
not to depend on othe
not an
he one
apped once ag
of his face. You used the furniture to limit his movement,
expressi
le you were busy throwing
thing that happ
back in
hesitate when
ad a
ple would
standing between him
e, as though he was trying to decide whether I was telling
awer and removed a
own, C
time,
kit on the d
statement, and you'll tell him exactly
erst
kit, but his han
more
oked
n't usually fi
ld have checked
d
pped on the ed
d the change i
revious address doesn't exist, and the agency that
room tighte
ed my backgr
gency had sent my
n't what
d the firs
plain it
t and took out
work. Mrs. Hayes hired me. If someone gave you t
s eyes n
to believe you know
nderstand that I d
a moment, but I re
he lean
ortable arguing w
I agreed with ev
ow better than
have better
't tell whether he was annoyed or
m my cheek, refusing to
ian
security breach, you won't leave t
ed up
keeping
cting my h
an you just
r helped him
need to go
ll inform
red a
to be
like a man wh
door, then paused with
Cla
es
es met
it until they've got their hands around
ed an
I'll be sure to ask your perm
w tigh
n't what
should explain w
t, neither
opened t
ian will speak to y
first-aid kit on my lap and the security
e to steal an
had spent years learning to conceal, and earned the attention of a man who
already discovered that my e
days left to ge
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