༻ 3 ༺

She suddenly elbowed him. He released a painful,  "Oof and then an ughhhhh..." She spun trying to grab at the gun, but he managed to straighten, gasping in pain, holding it up with one hand, and he was much taller than her. She was a slim little thing, and with his size, his other arm was wrapped around her and had her pinned to his chest. "Let me go!" She struggled against him.

"Nnn-god....sh-! This thing freaking hurts bad. Are you stupid? That wasn't a smart move." His speech was clipped and strained and she could hear him gritting his teeth.

Zyra stopped moving instantly, feeling his blood seeping into her clothes. "You're  bleeding." Zyra paled.

"No shit, I'm bleeding! That happens when someone puts a bullet in you. What did you think comes out, glitter?" He said harshly in a breathless, shaky voice. "Look forget this," and he shoved her away. "Get out of here!" He held onto his shoulder with the gun in his hand.

"I'm  sorry I shot you. I just reacted. I desperately need the money or the diamonds." Her eyes fell to his pocket.

He let out a strained breath. "You just reacted?" He spat, his hand still held his bleeding shoulder, blood oozing between his fingers. "You're lucky I need an extra person, that's the only reason I'm tolerating you now.   "I'm Thorne by the way."

"Zyra."

He shrugged off his jacket, jaw clenched, then yanked his shirt over his head with a grimace. Ripping a strip from the fabric, he pressed it hard against the wound, blood already soaking through. He tried to loop the makeshift bandage, around his back..."

"Let me help." Zyra said softly, stepping towards him.

"Back off," he snapped, not looking at her. "I don't  need your help," and continued to loop the bandage around his back and over his chest, tightening it over the bleeding. He hissed, pulling the knot tighter, his hand slick with blood. "I've  been patching myself up long before you decided to put a hole in me."

When he was done he pulled the gun he had stuffed in his pocket and threw it into the high grass and told her about the heist. The Pink Star Diamond is worth $70 million and it's  arriving for a three day exhibition...." Suddenly Thorne pressed a finger to his lips, signaling for her to be silent and looked to the left. Then he dragged her with his hand over her mouth behind a tractor. "Shh...." A sudden beam of light swept around, cutting through the night like a blade. Thorne's grip tightened and he pulled her deeper into the shadows, grunting, breath hissing through his clenched teeth as footsteps crunched on the gravel. Then came voices-low, cautious, and getting closer.

“…You see movement over there?”

“Could’ve sworn I heard something. Check by the fence.”

Another flashlight flicked on. The glow danced across the grass, drawing closer with every breath.

Zyra’s heart pounded in her chest, loud enough she was sure they’d hear it. When suddenly Thorne's knees buckled with a soft thud, followed by a broken, "Fff—damn it…" and the light swung,  passing inches from their feet.

“Nothing here,” one voice muttered.

“Keep sweeping. They said someone was out here.”

Thorne’s jaw tightened.

"We need to get out of here." He whispered, his voice laced with pain, and he tugged her quickly and quietly through the shadows."

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***