I huffed, stopping. “How gentlemanly of you to finally ask.”
He lassoed me into his chest. “You going to keep running that smart mouth once we get home?”
“Mm.” I captured his bottom lip and tugged until he moaned low. “But you like my smart mouth. Especially when I let you disrespect it,bello.”
“I’m going to fuck you hard, all night long.” His hands inched under my coat and over my ass, squeezing. “You won’t be able to walk tomorrow, Gabriela.”
“That’s what I’m counting on.”
Before Hunter could effortlessly lift me into his arms, someone emerged out of the small alleyway in the middle of two houses and moved straight for us.
It all happened so swiftly.
I gasped and Hunter cursed.
Two angry words escaped the cloaked figure, ripping into the night with the force of a bullet, “Fucking bitch!”
And suddenly, a flash of silver glinted in the dark night as a gloved hand rose.
My scream got caught in my throat as Hunter’s quick reflexes had him pushing me behind his body.
I stumbled against one of the parked vehicles along the street, setting off the alarm.
But not before I heard the unmistakable sound of a knife slicing in the air. Tearing fabric. Slashing through skin. And Hunter’s disbelieving, painful, “Fuck!”
Terror slammed into my system.
“Hunter!” I screamed. “No!”
CHAPTER 44
Unknown Number
Gabriela
Ishakily reached for the gun inside my purse, but it was too late.
The attacker had already run off, disappearing into the darkness of the night.
I righted myself on wobbly legs and pushed towards Hunter’s swaying frame.
“Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.” On the verge of tears, I grabbed fistfuls of his dress shirt and turned him to face me. My hands searched him vehemently. “Hunter? Where are you hurt? Show me!”
Under the flickering light of the streetlamp, his complexion was pale, his jaw was clenched, and his breathing was laboured as he brought trembling fingers to touch his bicep.
The white dress shirt was stained crimson with his blood.
Seeing Hunter bleeding undid me.
A sensation of faintness spread through my limbs. My heart pounded and the ground beneath me felt malleable.
He gritted his teeth, wincing. “I-I’m fine, Gabby. It’s okay.”
“Like hell you are!” I wailed. “W-we need to get you to a hospital!”
The car was still blaring behind us. I realized belatedly it was Layla’s. The jarring noise, coupled with the fear lodged in mythroat, turned my vision hazy. Four homes down, the door to Josh and Layla’s opened.
Josh came down the stairs with car keys in hand, pausing for a split second when he saw us standing there, shocked and distressed. He ran in our direction. “What’s going on?”
