If my guess is right, they’re following protocol, making sure all the kids on The Street are safe. “Someone is going to walk in that door any moment.”
“Yeah, right. You’re all alone. And I’m going to make you see how important it is that you do what I want.” A knife appears in his hand.
Oh no. I had hoped there was a chance to settle this without any violence. That might not be an option anymore. My hand goes to a dirty knife on the table next to me.
The front door opens as the leader takes a step towards me.
“I thought I made it clear that she was off limits.” Max’s voice is calmer than I expected it to be.
But his face…That’s another story. If I were the kid, I’d turn tail and run in the opposite direction. It might be a good idea, anyway. The rage pouring off Max is tangible.
“My boss wants her gone. He has no beef with you.”
“She’s mine.”
“Yours?”
“Fiona Shaw is mine. There’s one law in this world that stands above all others. You don’t ever touch a Vincenti woman. Your boss just got himself into a war that he won’t win.” Max stalks over to me. “Did he touch you?”
What the kid intended to do wouldn’t help the situation. “I’m fine.”
Max shakes his head and bends over.
Suddenly, I’m flying up in the air and over his shoulder.
“The kid is all yours,” Max shouts to Maddox as he walks to the door.
“You can put me down.”
The man completely ignores me and keeps walking.
“Hope is in the back of the bakery. We need to go get her and tell her she’s safe.” Those kids must be so scared.
“She’s not there. We evacuated them first. Dash is with her in Maddox’s office.” Max keeps walking down the street.
“You can put me down,” I repeat. Bouncing down the street on his large shoulder isn’t my ideal form of transportation.
“No.”
Someone sounds a little grumpy.
“I’ve got to be feeling a bit heavy.”
“Fiona,” he growls.
Fine. “You know this makes you a neanderthal.”
“Don’t care.” He totally wouldn’t.
“It can’t be good for your hands. They’re only just starting to heal.”
There’s a laugh from somewhere near us.
I pick my head up to see a half a dozen Adders just watching this happen. “Some friends you are.”
They have the nerve to laugh harder.
Max sets me down as we enter the lobby of Maddox’s office building. He cages me in against the wall. “What were you thinking?”
