Chapter 179 up
Evan’s hand tightened around Nyla’s before she realized it had happened.
Not slowly. Not hesitantly.
It was reflex.
His fingers locked around hers with a force that startled her, nails digging into her skin as if his body had decided something before his mind could catch up. The small weight of him shifted behind her, pressing closer, seeking shelter without asking permission.
Nyla stepped forward at the same time, instinct answering instinct.
Her body moved first—shoulders squared, feet planted wider, spine straightening as she positioned herself directly between Evan and the men. She didn’t glance back. She didn’t need to. She could feel him there, every tremor of his grip echoing through her arm.
“Stay behind me,” she said quietly.
Her voice was calm enough to almost be convincing.
One of the men took a step closer.
“Let go of him,” Nyla said, louder now. “Step back.”
The man stopped just outside her reach. Close enough that she could smell him—soap, sweat, nothing distinctive. Ordinary. That made her stomach churn more than any obvious threat would have.
“Evan,” the man said again, as if Nyla weren’t there at all. “Come here.”
Evan shook his head violently. His grip tightened further, pain shooting through Nyla’s fingers.
“No,” Nyla snapped. “He’s not going anywhere with you.”
She could hear her heartbeat now, loud and insistent, pounding against her ribs like it wanted out. Her peripheral vision tracked movement—the other two men adjusting their positions, subtly closing space.
“You’re making this harder than it needs to be,” one of them said.
Nyla laughed once, sharp and humorless. “You’re already making it hard.”
The man closest to her sighed, as if inconvenienced.
Then he reached past her.
It happened in a blur of motion.
A hand shot out toward Evan’s arm, fingers closing roughly around his sleeve. Evan cried out—a sharp, startled sound that cut straight through Nyla’s chest.
“No!” she shouted.
She reacted without thinking. Her free hand came up fast, slapping the man’s wrist aside with everything she had. Her nails scraped skin. The man hissed and recoiled half a step.
“Don’t touch him!”
Evan stumbled forward into her as she pulled him fully behind her, wrapping one arm around his shoulders, tucking his head into her side. His body shook violently now, breath coming in panicked gasps against her ribs.
“It’s okay,” she said, though she didn’t know if it was true. “I’ve got you.”
Another hand reached for Evan—harder this time.
Nyla lashed out.
Her foot connected with something solid—a shin, maybe—and the man cursed loudly. She felt fingers grab at her jacket, tugging, trying to pull her away from Evan.
She tightened her hold instead.
Her arm burned as she squeezed him closer, muscles straining, her grip becoming almost painful. Evan clutched at her coat with both hands, burying his face against her stomach.
“Stop!” Nyla screamed. “Get away from us!”
One of the men laughed under his breath. “Jesus. Just grab the kid.”
Hands grabbed her shoulders.
Hair tangled painfully in fingers as someone yanked backward. A sharp, blinding pain exploded across her scalp, stars bursting behind her eyes.
She cried out but didn’t let go.
Her elbow swung back blindly, connecting with someone’s ribs. She felt the impact vibrate up her arm. There was a grunt of surprise, then anger.
“Enough.”
The word was flat. Decisive.
Something struck her side—hard. Pain flared, white-hot, stealing the air from her lungs. She staggered but stayed upright through sheer will, her knees threatening to buckle.
Evan screamed her name.
She tightened her hold again, pulling him close, her body curling instinctively around his. She could feel his heart racing against her, fast and wild, like a trapped animal.
“I’m here,” she gasped. “I’m here—don’t let go.”
The man grabbed Evan’s arm again, this time with no pretense of patience. Evan screamed, kicking, his legs flailing uselessly.
Nyla screamed too.
Her hands clawed at sleeves, at skin. She scratched, kicked, fought with everything she had. Her foot connected with a knee. Someone swore loudly.
For a brief, fragile second, it almost worked.
The man stumbled back half a step, grip loosening.
Hope flared.
Then a fist slammed into Nyla’s shoulder.
The pain was immediate and overwhelming. It tore a sound from her throat she didn’t recognize as her own. Her arm went numb, strength draining away like water through broken fingers.
“No—!”
She tried to adjust, to shift Evan to her other side, but her balance faltered. The world tilted sharply.
Another blow landed, this one to her ribs.
She felt something give.
Her knees buckled.
She went down hard, the pavement slamming into her side, the impact jarring her teeth together. Pain radiated outward in sickening waves.
Her arms loosened despite her will.
“No—no, no—” she gasped, fingers slipping.
Hands tore Evan from her grasp.
She reached for him desperately, her nails scraping fabric, then air.
Evan screamed.
The sound ripped through her, worse than any pain. She forced herself up on one elbow, vision swimming, her head pounding violently.
“Evan!” she cried. “I’m here—!”
She saw him struggling, his small body rigid with terror, his arms flailing as they dragged him away from her. His face was red and wet with tears, eyes wild and searching.
“Nyla!” he screamed.
She tried to stand.
Her body betrayed her.
Her legs shook violently, refusing to obey. She collapsed again, breath knocked from her lungs.
A foot pressed down on her back, forcing her flat against the pavement.
“Stay down,” a voice said, close and cold.
She screamed Evan’s name again, her voice breaking completely.
He fought.
She saw it even through the blur—him kicking, twisting, biting at a hand that came too close. He wasn’t strong enough. He never was.
“Don’t touch me!” he sobbed. “She’s my person! She’s my person!”
The words shattered something inside her.
She surged against the pressure, pain exploding through her body as she tried one last time to rise. Her vision went dark at the edges. The foot pressed harder, crushing the air from her lungs.
She collapsed, helpless.
Evan’s cries echoed down the street, growing fainter with each step they took away from her.
Then they were gone.
The silence afterward was unbearable.
Nyla lay there, shaking uncontrollably, her hands clawing uselessly at the ground. Her chest hurt with every breath. Her head throbbed violently.