CHAPTER 016 JULIANSPOV Istaredintotheeyesoftheir leaderasheheldaknifein frontofme.Hisothermenweregroaningontheground,tooinjuredtostand.Itwasjusthimandmenow.
Hestartedcirclingme,flippingtheknifebetweenhisfingerswithpracticedease.Hissmirktoldmehethoughthehadalreadywon.
Iglancedatmyironrod.Ithadservedmewellagainsttheothersbutagainstaknife?Itwasuseless.Hecouldmovefaster,strikequicker,andallitwould takewasonewrongmoveforhimtolandafatalblow.
Ineededsomethingelse.Somethingthatcouldcounterhisweapon.
Thenanideacametomind.
Slowly,Idroppedtheironrodtotheground,keepingmyeyeslockedonhisandcarefullymaintainingthedistancebetweenus.
Theguytiltedhis head,confused.You readytosurrender?Hechuckleddarkly.Toobad…itsalreadytoo late.
Ididntrespond.Instead,Ishrugged off mybrownleatherjacket.Thefabricwasalreadytornfromthelasttimehenicked myarm,butitdidntmatter.Iwasnt planningtowearitIwasplanningtouseit.
Hissmirk falteredslightlyashetriedtofigureoutwhatIwasdoing.Good.Confusionworkedinmyfavor.
Grippingthejackettightlyinbothhands,Istretched itoutlikearope.MypulsepoundedinmyearsasIwaitedforhimtomakehismove.
Thiswasadefensive techniqueIhadseenbefore.IfIexecuteditproperly,Icould turnhisweaponagainsthim.
Iwatchedhishandscarefully,monitoringthesmallestmovements.Ineededtoknowexactlywhenhewouldstrike.
ThenIsawit.
Helungedforward,swingingtheknifestraightatmychest.
Iwantedhimtodothat.

Inaninstant,Isnappedmyarmsforward,wrappingmyjacketaroundhiswristandtrappingthebladeinthe fabric.Beforehecouldreact,Itwisted hisarmsharplyandyankedhimforward,usinghis ownmomentumagainsthim.
Successfullyunlocked! Hestumbled,hiscenterofgravity singforward…atwasmychance.
Ispunhimaround,keepingmygripfirmonmyjacketasIwrenchedhiswrist.Helet outasharpgruntofpain,butbeforehecouldfightback,Itorethejacket awaywith 1/3 CHAPTER016 forcedisarminghimintheprocess.
Theknifefelltotheground betweenus.
Ididnthesitate.Ikickeditacrossthepavement,sendingitskiddingfaroutofreach.
Theguy clutchedhiswrist,hisfacetwistinginrage.Yousonofa… Butbeforehecouldfinish,hechargedatmeagain,hisfistflyingtowardmyjaw.
Ireactedinstinctively.
Grabbinghisarmmidair,Iusedhisownmomentumtofliphimovermyshoulder.Hisbodyslammedontothepavementwithasickeningthud.
Iheardthedistinctpopofadislocatedjoint.
Hisscreamconfirmedit.
Wasthattoomuch?Maybe.
Iexhaled,shakingofftheadrenalinerush.
Aroundme,theotherthreemenwerestillontheground,groaningfromtheinjuriesIhadalreadyinflicted.
Icouldntbelieveit.Ihadjust takendownfourguysonmyown.
Iranahandthroughmyhair,mybreathingstilluneven.Then,Iglancedatmyarm.

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Bloodtrickleddownfromwherethe knifehadgrazedmeearlier.Itstung,butIhadnotimetoworryaboutit.
Whatarush,Imuttered undermybreath.
Ibentdown,pickedupmy tornjacket,andturnedtowardthecafé.
AssoonasIstepped inside,theentire placewentsilent.
Thenoneguy startedclapping.
Anotherjoinedin.
BeforeIknewit,nearlytheentirecaféeruptedinapplause.
Waytogo,man!someonecalledout.
Iignoredthem.MyeyesscannedtheroomuntilIfound Olivia.
Withoutsaying aword,Iwalkedovertoherandgrabbedherwrist,pullinghertowardtheexit.
Julian…shestarted,butIdidntstop.
Iledherstraighttomycar,openedthepassengerdoorforher,andshutitonceshegotin.
Slidingintothedrivers seat,Istartedthe engineanddroveoffwithouthesitation.
Thetensionintheairwasthick.
Shefinally brokethesilence.Yourarm…yourebleeding.Hervoice wassoftbut 2/3 CHAPTER016 laced withworry.

Ikeptmyeyesontheroad.Illbefine.
Iasked,Wereyouabletoseeanyoftheirfacesfromthecafe? kindofshereplied didyourecognizeanyofthem?Iasked No,notquite.
ThatwasweirdbecausewhenImentionedhernameearlieritlookedliketheyalreadyknewhername,sotheirdefinitelyworkingundersomeone Didyourecognizeanyofthem?sheaskedme.
Itightenedmygriponthesteering wheel.No.Buttheyknewyou.
Shewentsilent.
Coulditbeyourparents?Iasked.
Herreactiontold meshehadalreadyconsideredit.
I…Idontthinkso,shefinally said.
They dontcarethatmuch.Ifanything,theydjusttrytomanipulateme,notsendpeopletofollowmearound.
Thatmadesense.Butifitwasnt them,thenwho? Thenwellhavetofigureitout,Imuttered.Butfor now,Imtakingyoutomyplace.
Sheturnedtome,surprised.What? Itssaferifyou staywithmefor now,Itoldherfirmly.Whoeverthoseguysare,theyvebeenwatchingyou.They knowwhereyoulive.Itstooriskyforyoutogobackthere.
Shedidntrespondimmediately.
Icouldtellshewantedtoargue,butdeepdown,sheknewIwasright.
Withasigh,sheleanedbackinherseat.Fine.
Iglancedatheroutofthecornerofmyeye.Herarmswerewrappedaroundherself,Myestatewassaferandtheycouldntjustparkacrossmyhousetowatchmesountilwefiguredoutwhoitwasthatwaswatchingheritwasbetterifshe waswithme.
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