How the fuck had he seen something that wasn’t real?
I’d written an article, sure, but it wasn’t supposed to go any further than that.
Had Captain Delaney set something up with the newspaper office to make me look legit?
I had no words to answer.
My throat was too dry from all the running and wheezing.
Even if I had come up with a snappy comeback, I didn’t have the breath for a delivery.
I saved every ounce of strength.
I might not be able to fight them off, but fuck all if I didn’t try.
My lungs released their panicked hold on air, and I took my first real breath since I saw the betrayal on Rafe’s face.
Plausible deniability. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
My voice sounded like broken glass, and I winced.
He laughed. “Sure you don’t, sweetheart. Tell you what. You’re gonna write a real nice piece for us about how the Vipers are nothing but two-bit thugs and drug runners. Make it real convincing andmaybewe won’t have to get creative with our persuasion methods.”
One of his cronies cracked his knuckles and gave me a lascivious look. “I vote for creative. I’ll even take first dibs.”
Panic clawed up my throat.
The hell with it.
My training kicked in—finally—and years of self-defense courses, hours on the range, and countless scenarios that had been drilled into my brain until they became muscle memory reminded me that I wasn’t helpless.
I might not have a gun, but I was far from demure and pliant in their games.
“Fuck you.” I snarled the words as I lunged.
My knee connected with the leader’s groin.
He doubled over with a howl of pain that brought a smile to my face.
Good.
Let him suffer.
“I hope I crushed your fucking balls so bad you’ll never get another erection.”
I spun and dove my elbow into the second man’s solar plexus.
He deserved a cock shot too, but he’d be expecting it.
He stumbled backward, clawing at his throat as his face purpled with the whoosh of breath that left him.
The third man grabbed for me, his meaty hands catching my coat.
I twisted out of his grip and slammed my palm into his nose.
It cracked with a satisfying crunch and tears sprang into his eyes before he yelped and covered his nose with both hands.
I made it three steps before someone grabbed my hair and yanked me back.
