Page 72 of Never and Always
His lips stretched in a smile. “I think I’ll start with your pretty sister.”
All of a sudden, Tessa leaped forward. She was clutching a long paint roller. She swung it at the man.
Quick as a snake, he grabbed it and yanked it out of her hands. With a cry, Tessa stumbled toward him.
No. All I could see was that knife in his other hand. All I could remember was the terror at feeling it pressed to my throat. Ro and Tessa had just found each other. I couldn’t let her get hurt. I jumped toward Tessa and knocked her out of the way. Corvo was already moving.
I felt a sharp sting on my arm and I cried out. Then I was falling.
As I hit the plush carpet, I saw my brother racing out onto the balcony.
Then Corvo loomed over me, the scar on his face twisting as he smiled. “Looks like your brother left you for me to take payment.”
Fuck this. Anger exploded inside me. I was so sick of being worried and scared. I lifted my leg and kicked him with my very sharp heel. I felt it dig into his thigh. He staggered back with a curse.
His mouth twisted, tugging on his ugly scar, and he lifted the knife.
Then, a dark shape raced in from the side and slammed into him.
Frozen, I watched a dark-haired, handsome man slam brutal punches and kicks into my attacker. The knife fell to the floor and Corvo lifted his arms, trying to protect himself.
Then the dark-haired man reached under his jacket and pulled his own knife. It was a hell of a lot bigger than Corvo’s.
Corvo uttered a vile curse, then whipped around. He raced out the sliding door.
Our rescuer took two steps and yanked the curtain open. I saw Corvo drop over the balcony railing and disappear from view. There was no sign of my brother or the older man who worked for Fowler.
Then Tessa was scrambling over to me. “God, you’re bleeding, Piper.”
I looked at the cut on my arm and my head spun. Wow, that was a lot of blood. It had soaked into my white shirt and was dripping onto the carpet.
Then, the man was kneeling beside us.
I gasped. For a second, I thought it was Enzo.
“Here.” He held out a clean, white handkerchief and pressed it to the wound. “You need to apply pressure.”
“Thanks,” I whispered. He really looked like Enzo, except a little sharper, more intense, and more dangerous.
Dark eyes swept over me, his face expressionless. I saw tattoos on the backs of his hands.
“Um, you’re related to Enzo, right?” Tessa said.
A short nod. “He’s already on his way with help.”
I glanced at the sliding door and my heart twisted. “My brother left me. That guy with the knife was here, and Chance ran.”
“It’s going to be all right.” Tessa slid an arm around me.
“Keep the pressure on,” Enzo’s almost-clone said.
I pressed down and tried not to cry.
Chapter 23
Everett
“Get a grip on it, Everett.”
