Sorry My Step-Uncle, I'm Not Your Backup Plan novel Chapter 44

"Get off me!" Lucy screamed as Rachel shoved her forward, using her as a human shield. Her legs shook uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face.

The attacker advanced, knife raised. Lucy squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the blade to strike.

There was a flurry of movement. A gasp rippled through the room.

Lucy's eyes snapped open. Gabriella had somehow gotten between her and the attacker, engaging him directly.

"Stay back!" Gabriella shouted to the others as she dodged the man's wild slashes. But his blade caught her arm, blood immediately seeping through her white shirt.

"I'll fucking kill you!" he lunged again, all reason gone from his eyes.

Gabriella moved like she'd done this before. She caught his knife hand mid-strike and twisted hard. The crack of breaking bone was followed by his howl of pain.

The knife clattered away. "Get the blade!" Gabriella ordered, and someone quickly kicked it across the floor.

Now disarmed, the attacker stood no chance. Gabriella struck him with practiced precision—a series of punches followed by a kick that caught his head. Before he could recover, she threw him to the ground with surprising force.

The office stood in shocked silence.

When paramedics arrived, they rushed straight to Daniel. Police secured the attacker who lay groaning on the floor.

"Oh God," Lucy sobbed, still shaking. "I thought... I really thought..."

"He's been taken care of," Gabriella said firmly.

Sarah leaned against a desk, visibly shaken. "Christ. In all my years..."

"Daniel—will he make it?" someone asked.

"He'd better," Sarah said, but her voice trembled.

As others started praising Gabriella's intervention, she turned to Rachel, her eyes hard.

"You pushed her in front of a knife?"

Rachel couldn't meet her gaze. "I... I panicked..."

"Bloody hell, Rachel," Gabriella's voice cut like steel. "We're lawyers. You know damn well that's attempted murder, not self-defense."

Rachel said nothing, her face ashen.

"Gabriella, your arm," Lucy interrupted urgently. "You need medical attention."

Without acknowledging Rachel further, Gabriella headed for the door, blood now soaking her entire sleeve.

At the payment counter, Gabriella nearly collided with Sienna.

"What are you doing here?" Sienna's tone was openly hostile.