CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY NINE

ORLA

A gun. That was what he had been holding. I'd failed to recognise the hidden shape in his hand on time. I had been too occupied with other things to think about the fact that he'd probably had a plan B.

He fired three rounds without pausing.

I only had milliseconds to respond, but I wasn't fast enough. He'd surprised me, and I had to deal with the consequences.

Cold descended on me as I realised that I had indeed acted too irrationally.

Searing pain bloomed in the left side of my chest, and another in my thigh. The last one grazed my cheekbone, and that was only because I pushed my head to the side just before the bully made impact with my flesh.

Blood rapidly started to pool in my mouth, filling up my throat until air couldn't pass through and I had to spit it out before it choked me.

I fell on my good leg, clutching my bleeding chest.

I hadn't foreseen this. I'd been so eager to get him that I had forgotten how cunning he could be. There was no way he would have just been here