Chapter 3 - The Velocity of Vengeance
Before Ryan could comprehend the shift in momentum, Julian released his grip on Ryan’s chest with a violent shove, sending Ryan sprawling onto his hip against the upper doorway.
Julian turned around with fluid, terrifying speed. He didn't run down the center of the stairs toward his sister; he pivoted toward the lateral ramp where Clara was stepping gracefully onto the lower landing.
Clara heard the fast, heavy thud of leather soles against marble. She turned her head, her thin, painted lips opening to utter a protest, her gray eyes widening as she saw the massive frame of Julian charging down the steps toward her.
"What are you—" Clara started to say.
Julian didn't speak. He didn't slow down.
When he reached Clara, he didn't grab her or attempt to reason with her. He simply extended his right arm, planting his open palm firmly against the center of her chest, throwing the full weight of his two-hundred-pound frame into the strike.
IMPACT.
The sound was sharp, sickening, like a wet sheet being slapped against wood.
Clara was lifted off her feet. Her designer leather heels flew off her feet, clattering against the marble pillars. She launched backward through the air, her arms spinning wildly as her spine hit the sharp edge of the stairs five feet lower down.
She hit the marble hard.
Unlike Maya, who had tried to protect herself, Clara fell completely unbraced. Her head snapped back, her temple striking the stone step with a dull, sickening THUD. Her body tumbled violently down the remaining eight stairs, rolling over herself in a messy blur of beige fabric, torn stockings, and snapping bone.
She came to a rest at the very bottom of the courthouse steps, lying limp on her back, her blonde hair spilled around her head like a golden halo on the dirty concrete. A thin trickle of dark blood immediately began to creep from her left ear, pooling on the bright white stone.
The man in the charcoal suit who had been walking beside her froze in absolute horror, his face draining of all color as he stared down at Clara’s unmoving body.
"Clara!" he shrieked, dropping to his knees beside her. "Clara, wake up!"
Julian stood six steps above them, his shoulders heaving as he caught his breath. He slowly adjusted the cuffs of his dark suit, his expression completely devoid of remorse, his eyes fixed on the bleeding woman at his feet.
May you like
Above them, on the middle landing, Ryan stumbled down two steps, his hand clutching his chest, his eyes darting frantically between Maya’s writhing body and Clara’s bloody head.
"Are you insane?!" Ryan screamed at Julian, his voice echoing across the courtyard. "She's hurt! You might have killed her!"
