Free Trylle 1 - Switched by Amanda Hocking Page B

backwards.
    “I hate fighting with you, Finn.” The guy let go of my hands and took his knee off my stomach. I took the opportunity to try to kick him in the nuts, and reflexively, he whirled on me and smacked me hard again.
    Before I could even curse him for hitting me again, Finn was on him. I had rolled onto my side, cradling my injured face, so I could only see part of what was going on.
    My attacker had managed to get to his feet, but I could hear the sounds of Finn punching him. The girl leapt on his back to stop him, but Finn elbowed her in the face, so she collapsed to the ground, holding her bleeding nose.
    “Enough!” The guy had cowered down, putting his arms over his face to protect himself form anymore blows. “We’re done! We’ll get out of here!”
    “You better fucking get out of here!” Finn shouted. “If I see you anywhere near her again, I will kill you!”
    The guy walked over to the girl and helped her to her feet, and then they both turned and headed down the street to a black Porsche parked nearby. Finn stood on the sidewalk in front of me, watching them until they got in the car and sped off down the road. When he was certain they were gone, he smoothed out his hair and turned to me.
    I was still lying on the ground, and he knelt down next to me. Gently, he placed his hand on my cheek where I had been slapped, and the skin was tender, so it stung a little, but I refused to show it. His hand felt too good to push away.
     His dark eyes were pained when he looked me over, and as terrible as everything had been up until this moment, I wouldn’t have traded it for anything because it led to this, to him touching me and looking at me like that.
    “I’m sorry it took me so long.” He pursed his lips tightly, blaming himself for not getting here sooner. “I was sleeping, and I didn’t wake up until you were completely panicked.”
    “You sleep in your clothes?” I asked, looking at his usual dark jeans and button-up shirt combo.
    “Sometimes.” Finn pulled his hand from my face. “I knew something was up today. I could feel it, but I couldn’t pinpoint it because I couldn’t stay as close to you as I would’ve liked. I never should’ve slept at all.”
    “No, you can’t blame yourself. It was my fault for coming out of my room.”
    “What were you doing out here?” Finn looked at me curiously, and I looked away, feeling embarrassed.
    “I thought I saw you,” I admitted quietly, and his face went dark.
    “I should’ve been here,” he said, almost under his breath, and then he got to his feet. He held out his hand to me and pulled me to my feet. I grimaced a little but tried not to show it. “Are you alright?”
    “Yeah, I’m fine.” I forced a smile. “A little sore, but fine.”
    He touched my cheek again, just with his fingertips, sending flutters through me. He looked at my injury very seriously, and then his eyes met mine, dark and wonderful. It was at that moment that I knew that I had officially fallen for him.
    “You’re going to have a bruise,” Finn murmured dropping his hand. “I’m sorry.”
    “It’s not your fault,” I insisted. “It’s mine. I was being an idiot. I should’ve known…” I trailed off. I had been about to say that I should’ve known it was dangerous, but how would I have possibly known that? I had no idea who those people were. “Who were they? What did they want?”
    “Vittra,” Finn growled, glaring down the road as if they would appear at the sound of their name. He tensed up as he scanned the horizon, then put his hand on the small of my back so he could usher me away. “Come on. I’ll explain more in the car.”
    “The car?” I stopped where I was, making him press his hand harder on my back until he realized I wasn’t going anywhere. His hand stayed there, and I had to ignore the small pleasure of it so I could argue with him. “I’m not going in the car. I have to go home before Matt realizes I’m gone.”
    “You