The big man’s dark eyes drifted to my mouth, and his expression changed. He caught my next swing and pulled me forward. Off balance, I fell against his chest. His arms wrapped around me, and he buried his face in the curve of my neck. His chest expanded against mine as he breathed deeply.
Shocked, I wrenched on his ear and slipped out of his arms. Then, I did the most girly thing I’d done in a long time. I slapped him. With my cut hand. It left behind a bloody handprint.
He stared at me a moment, then reached up and touched his cheek. He looked at his hand, at my blood smeared on his skin, and his whole body began to tremble. Vaguely, I recalled seeing him do the same thing a moment before Brick had hit me in the face.
I backed up a step. He didn’t try to follow. I backed up three more and risked a quick look behind me. The two guys loosely held Ethan. I understood why he didn’t try to break free of their weak holds when he glanced at me, to the man, and back at me again. He had watched me take down some crazy huge men in the past. No doubt he’d figured out the mountain before me wasn’t the same as those guys. The mountain wasn’t normal.
The older man who’d stood aside and watched us fight heaved a sigh.
“Carlos...” he said.
My feet slid back a few more steps. Carlos’ eyes drifted to the hand at my side. Though I knew better, I glanced down at it, too. The slap had caused it to start bleeding in earnest, and a drop fell from the tip of my middle finger to the ground.
“Isabelle, stop,” one of the women said from behind me.
I rolled my shoulders. I couldn’t take them all in a fight. If they were regular people, maybe. And I couldn’t drain them, not with Ethan already weak and within range. What did that leave me?
“Isabelle, I promise, we’re not here to hurt you,” the same voice said.
“The world is full of promises waiting to be broken,” I said.
I’d learned the truth of that at a young age. Even the promises made with the best intentions could crumble because of circumstance. I thought of the note and of Ethan as I took a deep breath, ready to pull everything in.
“The more you pull, the tighter you feel on the inside.”
The words stopped me. I finally turned and eyed the speaker. She was the one who’d knocked on the door. She looked young and had vivid blue eyes that contrasted with her dark hair. She was also the one who leaked desperation and fear. Were they using her too? I thought not. The russet-haired man beside her hovered protectively close.
“Fighting helps.” She stepped closer. “But if you pull too much in, your nose starts to bleed.”
She was right. I’d learned that when I was still young, before I’d met Ethan. I couldn’t remember now what had made me angry with my parents, but I could remember what I had done to them and how my nose had bled afterward as I’d bent over their slumped bodies on the floor.
They know what you can do.
The phrase repeated in my head. I would not be used to hurt people like that. Adrenaline pumped through my veins.
“No.” The word echoed off the houses.
I gave Ethan an apologetic look, and he immediately closed himself off. I hoped it would save him.
I pulled harder than I ever had before. First, the four by Ethan collapsed to the ground. Then, the older man went to his knees, his surprised gaze on me.
The man before me remained unaffected while Ethan slowly started walking toward the car. My friend’s steps were measured and unsure. Yet, to save us both, I’d need to take more.
The man stepped toward me and lifted his hand. I pulled again as he reached forward.
“Stop...Isabelle...you’ll hurt...” The dark-haired girl’s head hit the dead grass, and her eyes rolled back.
My skin tingled as if all of me had fallen asleep and was just starting to come to. But he didn’t stop. Curling my hands into fists, I wondered if I finally had enough to down him.
His fingers touched my cheek, then gently wiped my upper lip. I jerked back from his touch and saw the blood. My blood. I sniffled, realizing my nose was bleeding. That wasn’t good.
His eyes bore into mine for a moment, then he stepped aside. Stunned, I watched him lift one of the girls from the ground then straighten with her in his arms. He walked toward the backyard, carrying her.
Ethan’s car roared to life, pulling me from my shock. The big guy wasn’t going to fight me.
I ran for the car and got in. Ethan didn’t wait for me to close the door. We peeled away from the yard as the man stepped around the corner empty-handed. My last look was of him bending to pick up the other girl.
“Hands up, now,” Ethan said. He paced the small space of our room, moving what he could out of the way.
My head hurt, and my eyes didn’t want to focus.
“Now, Z!” He swung at me. I automatically blocked.
“Stop. Wait,” I said. “I can’t...”
He swung again and connected with my arm. My already tight skin throbbed.
“Stop being a girl and get those hands up.”
I jabbed at him, but he dodged my pathetically slow move.