She was stunned alright. When the hand closed around her throat, for the first time, she reacted normally. She flinches and immediately tries to gasp. Her hands were moving to his wrist when he caught the one armed with the blade. Her other hand closed around his wrist, but the grip was steely. She curls her fingers into the inside of his wrist, trying to hit that pressure point, the Heart Point, that hinders gripping and grasping. She may not have enough strength to succeed, however. As a last ditch measure, she also brings a knee up, trying to knee him in the stomach or groin. She was desperate.

His words reached something in her that would file them away for later. For what it was worth, his apology seemed to be genuine. Not that that would mean anything to the HYDRA agent, but it would mean something to Verity when she was back in her own head.