Chapter Thirty-Three

A bullet winged by Nari’s head and she ducked, plowing into the man dressed all in black. “Run, Opal!” She knocked the man into the door, and he aimed an elbow down on her shoulder, grabbing on and dragging her toward the door.

Pain ripped down to her ribs and she shot up, hitting his chin with the top of her head. Then she grabbed for the gun. He fired several times, and crystal shattered. He fired again, and Opal screamed before the window was blown out. Nari swung wildly, hitting him in the wrist.

The gun flew across the room and smashed into the wall. He tried to snag her again, lifting her off the ground.

“Get out of here,” Nari ordered Opal, kicking him in the knee so he’d drop her. She landed hard and kept her body between the attacker and the administrator. “You have to go. Now.”

The man grabbed Nari’s neck and lifted her, throwing her hard to the floor. Pain burst through her shoulder. Then he reached for her. “You’re coming with me,” he rasped, his voice hoarse. It was the same man who’d tried to take her before—she could tell by his size and the way he moved.

Opal rushed by her, swinging the crystal vase from the table. Blood poured from her arm, soaking her cream jacket. “You shot me, you asshole,” she hissed, hitting him in the side.

The man swiped the vase out of her hand and swung for her head.

Opal ducked and punched him in the groin. At the same moment Nari kicked his knee from flat on her back, turning him toward the wall. Then she jumped up and kicked him beneath the chin. His head flew back and he fell against the wall.

“Help!” Nari screamed as loudly as she could. Where was the security detail?

The man turned toward the window and Nari rushed in front of him to stop him.

Opal clutched her arm and dropped to her knees. “Nari?” Her voice sounded faint and her eyes widened in alarm. Then she pitched sideways.

Nari hesitated.

The man grabbed her again and pulled her toward the window. Nari executed a side kick and then broke his hold by twisting and letting gravity pull her down.

“We’re not done,” he rasped.

Running footsteps sounded along the hallway. The attacker swore and ran past her, diving through the broken window.

Nari rushed toward Opal and dropped to her knees, yanking off her jacket. “Hold on.” She pressed her jacket to the wound and the fabric was instantly soaked. “You’re losing too much blood.”

The door burst open and two men she didn’t recognize stood there. “Get an ambulance. Immediately,” she ordered, reaching under her shirt and ripping off her bra. She took the material and wound it around the top of Opal’s arm, trying to stem the blood.