Snippet #2389336

But Kianna would only get so far before she felt Randin's fingers around her hair, yanking violently at the roots and snapping her head back against him. The rest of her body followed, whiplashing back into Randin's grip. He had her from behind, this time, his brawny arms enveloping over her own and connecting at her mid-section, forcing her limbs in place. His legs quickly crossed over her own, his ankles locking around her calves and keeping them from flailing about or kicking against the floor for leverage.

"Sit... fucking... sti-" Randin never finished his command, a short grunt of pain cutting off what should have been a threat as the back of Kianna's head slammed into the side of his face. Had he been facing the girl directly, she would have broken his nose.

"FUCK!" he growled, ducking his head behind her shoulder like he should have from the very beginning. His ego screamed at him to make her pay for that... but any strike he landed on Kianna would inevitably compromise his dominant position. He had her where he wanted her.

After wrangling out some of Kianna's struggling, the detective thought back to what Kianna had said earlier before she'd kindly kicked him squarely in the temple. The Black Hand... executed?

"I don't... what?" he kept his arms flexed, only squeezing tighter as Kianna fought against his grip. Eventually she'd learn and stop. "What are you talking about? Did the Taiyou overthrow the Empire in the time I've been away?" His eyes widened. "...you were fucking exiled, weren't you? You and Mollem by the Taiyou. Shit. I'm surprised they didn't kill you." He shook his head. "...but then why would you be HERE? In Imperial space? In the house of HIS ex-lover?"

The detective glared down at the girl. Armed or no, he wasn't about to leave this house. "Listen. Like it or not, this is the ONLY place I have left to go. I walk out those front doors and I'm dead anyway. It's only a matter of time till Livia finds me. I survived your fucking torture. I survived your fucking exile. I survived the assassins. The monsters. The lack of food, water and medicine." He growled. "I'm not about to let you ruin things for me yet again."

Kianna's words were scathing in response. "None of that's my problem. I stuck my neck out for you back on Langara, and you shoved it in my face," she retorted. "You nearly got us both killed. After that fucking stunt you pulled, you're lucky I managed to get you exiled instead of executed. You have no idea what that cost me."