AVALINE

I hovered above her on the bed. I anticipated that she'd use her knee or leg to kick me so I used my knees to stop Sibley's foot and placed the handle of the lampshade against her neck.

"We mean no harm. Please calm down, Ms. Esquilin."

"You're saying that while strangling me with a lamp? Then you expect me not to do anything?" she pointed out and blew a dark blond hair away from her face.

I rolled my eyes and backed away but kept hold of the lamp in case it was a trick to free her so ...