That’s when I see the knife.
Adrenaline rockets into my system, sending my heart into overdrive.
The beautiful, petite woman with bright blue eyes and lovely blond waves has transformed into a snarling monster, and her sights are now set on D. She attacked me. He jumped between us.
Oh God. He’s bleeding.
Her knife must have made contact with his arm when he launched himself into the fray. I only have a second to assess how bad it is, and it’s not enough time to tell before chaos descends.
“Back up, Rina,” D growls at the same time the woman snarls. She drops, sweeping her leg out to take DiAngelo’s feet out from under him.
He stumbles from the attack but is able to grab her wrist in the process and drag her with him so that she can’t make a move for me.
All I can do is watch in horror.
They grapple with one another, inching into the shadows of a nearby alley. I’m dumbfounded at how the woman overcomes the enormous size difference between them. She is all over DiAngelo, climbing him like a tree and making it hard for him to get his hands on her. One second, he has her wrist in his grasp, then she twists herself and spins until he has to let go.
I know I should probably run back to the yoga studio, but I can’t. I’m frozen in terror that I’m about to witness DiAngelo’s violent murder. Not only is he going to die protecting me but it’s going to happen right in front of my eyes.
I’m going to lose him before I ever had a chance to truly know him.
Please, God, no.
I start to look around for something I could use to hit her with when a sudden burst of movement ends in the woman staggering away from DiAngelo’s fist to the head. While she’s disoriented, he takes her to the ground with swift efficiency, then looks back for me.
“You okay?”
“Yeah,” I nod, blinking away tears as I walk closer. “I’m fine. Are you … you okay?” My breathing hitches as I grapple with a surge of emotion.
“Yeah, but I need you to get out your phone and call Renzo.” He holds the woman secure with both hands. While she isn’t fighting against him, he’s not taking any chances.
I dig my phone out of my yoga bag with shaking hands and dial.
“Hey, Rina. What’s up?”
I’ve never been so damn grateful to hear my brother’s voice.
“We were leaving yoga, and a woman attacked us. DiAngelo has her on the ground, and his arm is bleeding, and I think we need help.” The words are jumbled and chaotic as they roll past my lips.
“Tell him we need three guys and a van,” D adds, which I pass along.
“Got it,” Renzo responds in full tactical mode. “I have your location and will have men there shortly. Hang tight.”
He wasn’t kidding. We don’t have to wait a full five minutes when a black van pulls up at the entrance to the alley. Four guys roll out and secure the blond, finally freeing DiAngelo to stand, which unveils a river of blood staining his jeans from the thigh down.
“Oh, God. You’ve been stabbed in the leg, too.” I move closer and try to determine the severity of the wound.
D stops me, forcing me upright. “Rina, look at me,” he says in a steady, calm voice.
I give him my wide stare.
“Breathe, firefly. Everything is going to be okay. The arm is just a graze, and the leg isn’t too deep. I know there’s blood, but it’s not bad. Okay?”
“How do you know?” I ask, my chin quivering.
The maddeningly gorgeous man flashes a boyish smirk as though he’s not bleeding out in front of me. “Because I’ve seen worse. I’m going to be just fine.”
I nod and tamp down the fear. If he’s so sure of himself, he must know. And I want to believe him. I want to believe that everything’s going to be fine.
