This just got ugly.
“I wondered when you were going to try to mind-rape me,” she sneered. “Took you long enough, but I always knew you were slow. I’m not going to make it easy on you.”
Of course not. It wouldn’t have been in true Emma style if she had. I was a little put out that she knew the plan. It gave her an edge.
Fear jackknifed in my chest. I knew that if we were going to pull off this insane stunt, I needed to get my emotions in check. Pronto. Or we were going to have a very super-pissed Chase up our tushies.
While I was battling my emotions, Emma swung out at Lexi. My girl Lexi blocked the first jab, quicker than I could see. Circling each other, they exchanged swipes, only to be dodged again and again. I could hardly believe how Emma was able to keep up with Lexi’s movements when I could barely see them.
Emma sliced out at Lexi’s torso. Lexi dashed to the right, her eyes flaming amber.
“Stay out of the way,” Lexi grumbled under her breath.
I assumed she meant me. No problemo.
Advancing on Emma, Lexi managed to stop another arching attack from carving the tip of her button nose. She held Emma’s arm in an ironclad grip above her head. Then, in a total girl move, Lexi grabbed a fistful of Emma’s strawberry-blonde ponytail with her free hand and yanked. Emma squeaked and then kicked, catching Lexi in the stomach.
I watched as Lexi lost her breath for just a fraction of a moment, but it was all that Emma, the ninja, needed. The broad side of her arm slipped past Lexi’s blocks, cutting Lexi on the forearm. It hardly deterred her, but the pleasure on Emma’s face spiked something inside me.
I propelled forward.
In a gasp, we tumbled to the ground. Emma hadn’t expected me, and the element of surprise caused her to lose her hold on the blade. The knife clattered to the ground. I didn’t think. I just acted. In a rush, I sat up on her chest and cocked my arm back, punching her right on the side of her jaw. Sharp pain exploded across my knuckles, but I didn’t so much as wince. No pain, no gain, or some crap like that. At least I’d finally gotten her attention.
“That was payback,” I said with clenched teeth, recalling that time in the woods when she had given me a bloody lip.
She gave me an evil grin, blood dripping from her mouth. “I bet that felt good.”
Hell yes it did. But there wasn’t time to gloat. I had to make this count. Keeping those fierce eyes of hate locked with mine, I weaved into her head. My chest rose and fell rapidly from exertion.
I didn’t exhale until I saw those piercing green eyes go lax. She was at my mercy now. I forced my voice to be as steady and smooth as possible. “Howdy, Emma. Let’s get down to business, shall we? You are not to move a muscle. Understood?”
She just stared at me, lying underneath me still as a board with a puffy lip.
Well, that worked like a charm.
“Now listen up. I am going to tell you this once. Chase never laid a finger on your father. He had nothing to do with his death. It was, umm…”
For the love of God. Why hadn’t I come up with a new cover story? My mind scrambled for a believable explanation. “He fell out of a tree and broke his neck.”
I cringed. That was the lamest excuse. Lexi scoffed behind me, but I ignored her and barreled forward. “There was nothing anyone could have done to save him. Travis has been helping you through your grief. He loves you.”
There, that should do it. I was feeling pretty darn good about myself. I’m a freaking rock star.
“Oh, just one more thing,” I added as an afterthought. “You don’t want to kill me or any Divisa for that matter. Actually, you like me. We’re friends.” Eyes still zeroed in on mine, she looked at me blankly. It was hard to know if she was really absorbing everything I said.
Crossing my Ts and dotting my Is, I prayed this worked. “I am going to let you up now. You are going to go home and call Travis. You won’t remember this or the fight before.”
Ever so slowly, I eased off her, afraid to make any sudden movements. She looked dead. Wouldn’t that have been my luck? If I accidently killed her with my mind? Once the thought entered my head, I began to panic. Was she breathing? Why wasn’t she moving?
I let out a huge sigh of relief when I saw her finger twitch.
Staring at the marshmallow clouds in the sky, Emma blinked. I offered her a hand and waited. A weak smile stretched on my lips. “I think you should go home, Emma. You look tired.”
It took a moment, but eventually she nodded her head. There was a spacey look on her face, and I wondered if I should have driven her home. The thought was cut short.
Lexi bounced up beside me. “That was fucking awesome,” she gushed in awe.
My mouth dropped open.