“Yeah, but first we’re gonna party,” Buzzcut said. He held a beer in his hand and seemed a little drunk, just like last time.
This would not be like last time. With my heart racing, I did the one thing I could. I turned and ran. This time I didn’t have on heels.
“Get her,” Buzzcut yelled. With his bulk, he obviously didn’t run much.
I took off down the uneven sidewalk. The problem was, since leaving Boston, I hadn’t been running either, and my quickly labored breathing showed that. A quick look back told me Shorty was gaining on me.
“Not this time,” he yelled.
I reached for another gear, but came up short.
He grabbed my ponytail and yanked me back.
The pain was intense as I stumbled. With an extra effort, I managed to avoid hitting the pavement and landed on the dirt that had once been grass.
He landed on me and yanked my hair again.
It hurt like hell, but my training kicked in. I elbowed him in the face and pushed his shoulder as hard as I could.
He yowled. Blood spurted from his nose as he rolled to the side. “Fucking bitch.”
Eyes, throat, knees, balls.I clambered to my feet and aimed a kick at his balls, but he shifted and I got him in the stomach. At least there was a satisfying woof as the air rushed out of him.
“Got you,” Buzzcut yelled just as he slammed me to the ground.
“She fucking broke my nose,” Shorty complained.
“Shut the fuck up, you pussy,” Buzzcut swore as he towered over me. “You’ll forget all about it when you fuck her.”
“Never ever give up. You always have an option.” My instructor’s words came back to me.
Buzzcut was just close enough. Lifting my hips, I kicked up into his groin.
He doubled over with a moan. “Fuck, that hurts.” I hadn’t connected hard enough. “You’re gonna regret that, bitch. I get her first,” he hissed to Shorty, who was just now getting to his knees.
Buzzcut grabbed my shirt and yanked me up.
While my shirt ripped, I swung at him.
He caught my arm and slugged me with his fist.
Pain radiated through my skull, and I crumpled to the ground.
Zane
Upstairs in the Hawk building,I first went to Lucas’s office to warn him that I’d used his name and thank him, but his door was closed.
Jordy poked his head out of his NASA-like office. “Hey, Zane. I got that info you wanted on the stolen e-bike, and I gave it to Peyton.”
I’d totally forgotten to follow up with Jordy on that. Perhaps I’d expected it to take longer. “Thanks, what did you find?”
“A lady found it and posted it on lost and found.”
Now we were getting somewhere. “Where is she? I’ll go pick it up.”
“No way. The lady knows it belongs to Peyton and won’t even talk to a man. I gave Peyton the contact info, and she was going to call.”
I shook my head. “Are you telling me you don’t have an address?”
