Page 53 of His Asset

It was Reuben’s turnto surge in close, getting Adam again while he was distracted.His punch cracked against Adam’s jaw, sending him staggering back.

I stayed still, my wings poised high.Reuben didn’t fight fair.But two could play that game.I stepped back, then stamped hard on the foot of the nearest man, the spike of my ankle boot going halfway through his foot.

His breath hissed.“Motherfuckingbitch.”

“You haven’t seen anything yet,” I said with a smirk.Sweeping down one wing, I hit him with its hooked tip, slashing into his stomach deep enough to draw blood without eviscerating him—I wasn’t a complete animal, though humans were a whole lot more violent anyway.

It wasn’t until the other two men reached for me with rough hands, intent on saving their comrade, that I went into self-protect mode.I pulled my heel free and opened my mouth, releasing a silent, sonic scream directed at all three of the men surrounding me.They rocketed back, slamming into the wall with sickening thuds.

Plaster rained down and Adam used the distraction to drive a devastating kick to Reuben’s ribs.The crack was audible and Reuben went down hard, gasping, but rolled and swept Adam’s legs out from under him.They grappled on the floor, both bleeding, both relentless despite their injuries.

“Stop!”

The word ripped out of me, hoarse and useless.I didn’t even know who I was trying to save when neither of them deserved saving.

They didn’t stop.My voice only seemed to pour gasoline on the fire.They were two men, two devils, each trying to prove something to me, to themselves, to all their ghosts no doubt crowding the room.

Adam slammed Reuben into the wall, arm crushing his throat in a chokehold.Precise.Efficient.Reuben’s face turned red, then purple.

But Reuben wasn’t done.He jammed his elbow back into Adam’s ribs, again and again, until Adam’s grip faltered.

Reuben twisted free then pushed onto his feet and stepped out of range.He stood swaying as he swiped the blood from his mouth, then grinned, dark and feral.“I probably should’ve warned you to cover her mouth.”

Adam stood carefully, gingerly, then spat red and wiped his arm across his split lip.“No need.I know exactly what she’s capable of.”

He moved before the words even finished leaving his mouth, adrenaline seemingly dulling his pain as he delivered a vicious kick that snapped Reuben’s head back, then another that buried deep in his gut.Adam followed with a double punch that would’ve dropped most men.

Reuben staggered, but he was built for pain.His answering kick cracked against Adam’s jaw, spraying more blood across the marble floor.

It was savage.Hypnotic.Like watching two sides of hell tear each other apart.

Reuben might’ve been a professional fighter, but Adam fought colder.Smarter.He seemed engineered for this.

I backed away, my heartbeat drowning out everything.The air reeked of blood and sweat, maybe even a little fear—mine, theirs, it didn’t matter anymore.

I glanced at the guards I’d already dropped.They were still alive, but injured.One of them lifted his head, then a gun.

Shit.Even I couldn’t dodge a bullet.I certainly couldn’t survive one.Not to the head.Not to the heart.

“Don’t!”Adam’s voice sliced through the silence.“If you shoot her,” he added hoarsely, “you’re dead.”

The man hesitated, but his aim didn’t drop.I’d hurt him and his friends, he wanted to hurt me a whole lot more.“She’s trying to escape.”

“She’s not going anywhere.”Adam took a step toward me, his face slick with blood.“Don’t go, Bella.Not again.There’s too much you don’t understand.Too much I still need to tell you.”

I didn’t move.Didn’t trust a single word he said.

Understand what?That a scientist just like you made me?Made others like me?For what—glory?A twisted god complex?Or was it all just for money, like we were nothing more than experiments to boost a humans ego along with their bank account?

Before I could speak, Reuben surged from behind, locking an arm around Adam’s throat.

“No!”I heard the crack in my own voice.“Reuben, don’t.”

He met my eyes, the darkness in them bottomless.“You still sympathize with this bastard?”His grip tightened, veins bulging.“Didn’t you believe me when I said he sells GMs like you to men like me so we can rip each other apart for entertainment?”

My stomach twisted even as my heart cramped.“I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

Reuben’s laugh was ugly.“You saw the crowd.They love watching me destroy monsters.”