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One

Dash

“...and the winner is… Jade Cantrell!”

I knew she was going to win.

Her face is flushed with happiness and I’m happy for her—but something is wrong. I can feel it. I always do. I sense danger before it happens. So even though I smile and say all the right things, I’m on high alert.

So I see the guy moving toward the stage before anyone else.

Except I’m too far away to warn anyone.

Dammit.

My feet propel me in that direction but he’s already on stage, moving toward Jade.

Yeah, over my dead body am I going to let him touch her.

I’m her bodyguard but she’s also family.

“Jade!” I try to yell a warning but it’s loud in here.

I pick up speed, pushing past two startled security guys who haven’t yet figured out the guy on stage isn’t supposed to be there.

Dumbasses.

Jade has moved away from the guy, but I’m finally on the stage.

“Get away from her,” I growl.

“What are you gonna do about it?” The guy lunges at me, and I knock him back a few feet.

He comes at me again with a knife that I hadn’t noticed before, and I side step him, but he’s not giving up.

Little punk.

“Come at me, asshole,” I snarl.

He grins and swings the knife around like an idiot.

But he’s a dangerous idiot, and there are too many innocent people around to let this go on any longer.

“Put the knife down,” I say.

“Fuck you!” He lunges again, and I wrap my arm around his throat, but I don’t realize how close to the edge of the stage we are.

My left foot is in the air and then the two of us crash down a good five feet, hitting two tables and some chairs on the way.

I feel a sharp pain in my side and?—

* * *

I jerk awake, my heart beating wildly.

Fuck. Me.

How many times am I going to have the same stupid dream?