I went to her and pulled her into my arms. I wanted to tell her she was wrong. But the reality was that we’d been shut in this room for hours. The guys in the hall would soon realize something was wrong, and when they did, we wouldn’t be able to stop them. Not with a dull knife and a chain against guns.
“What are we going to do?” The hopelessness in my mother’s voice spurred me onward. I had to keep trying.
“We’re going to fight.” Returning to the wall, I prepared to strike again, but an explosion shook the building.
The power flickered, then shut off completely as shouts and gunfire erupted from the hallway. Men beat on the door and yelled for Dmitri.
I grabbed my mother and pulled her into the bathroom, slamming the door and locking it.
“What’s going on?”
“Nate.” I herded her into the sunken tub and joined her as the gunfire grew to a deafening level. “He came for me.” I wrapped my arms around her, both of us curled up as bullets flew overhead, easily piercing the walls. “For us.”
Yells tore through the air as the gunfire became more sporadic.
“No!” An agonizing wail. “You’re dead.”
A deep laugh from the hallway chilled my heart. “No, that’s you.” A single gunshot, then the thunk of a body falling to the floor.
I knew that voice. My nightmare. It was the man who killed my father right in front of me—Conrad Mercer.
“Jaysus at the blood.” An older man’s voice with a distinct Irish accent. “You boys didn’t even need our help, did ya? Angus called in the cavalry for no good reason.” Was it Angus’s father, the one I’d met at Nate’s house?
A yell, another shot, another thunk.
“He almost got the drop on me.” The older man whistled. “Thank ye, Con.”
“My pleasure.”
“Where the fuck is she?” Nate’s voice was edged with panic.
“Nate!” I yelled and started to rise from the tub.
“Wait.” My mother clutched me close. “Make sure it’s safe first.”
A bang told me someone had kicked the bedroom door in.
“Sabrina!” Nate turned the bathroom door handle. “You in there?”
“Yes.” I untangled myself from my mother’s arms as Nate burst through the door, the wood splintering from his assault.
He rushed to me, his face covered with cuts and blood running from a deeper slash along his throat. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fin—”
He stopped me with a kiss that seared straight down to my soul. Wrapping his arms around me, he lifted me from the ground and squeezed me tight, as if he were afraid I’d disappear.
When he pulled away, I gasped in a breath as he ran his hands all over me. “Are you hurt anywhere?”
“No. It’s oka—”
“Did he…” His voice trailed away as his eyes darkened.
I knew what he was asking. “No.”
He finally took a breath, then looked past me at my mother. “You all right?”
She climbed from the tub. “I don’t know.” Her eyes darted around, then landed on the shadow across the doorway.
I followed her gaze, and my heart stopped. My nightmare stood there, his dark hair mussed, a scruffy beard on his face, and the same striking eyes—light blue, but hiding a darkness. I clutched Nate.
“I told you. Con’s a friend.” Nate smoothed a hand down my back. “He’s a good guy.”
Even Con arched a brow at Nate’s “good guy” pronouncement.
“Did you lasses make this mess?” Back in the bedroom, Colum, the Irish boss, toed Dmitri’s body.
“Yes.” My mother found her voice. “I’d do it again if I could.”
Colum grunted his approval. “I don’t blame you one bit. Nasty piece of work, this one.”
“He suffered, but not nearly enough.” The steel in my mother’s voice surprised me. “I wish I could have taken my time.”
“You and me both. I promised that fucker a painful death.” Nate shrugged. “But as long as he’s not breathing, I guess I can deal.”
I avoided looking at Dmitri’s dead eyes and turned my attention back to Nate. “You’re hurt.” Pressing my fingers to his throat, I tried to inspect the wound.
“Just a bullet graze. Bleeds like a motherfucker, though.” He pulled my hand away and kissed my palm, then pressed his palms to my cheeks. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“It is. I should have figured it was Opal.” His jaw tightened as he said her name.
“You couldn’t have known. David vetted her, right?”
“Yeah. She’d been in the life for so long that we assumed she knew the penalty for disloyalty better than anyone.” He pressed his forehead to mine. “I’m sorry.”
“You’re here. That’s all that matters.” I kissed him, soft and sweet. He answered, his tongue sweeping against mine as he pulled me tight against him.
Con cleared his throat.
Nate pulled away reluctantly and eyed the hitman. “Cock block.”
As the kiss haze cleared, I pulled Mom to my side, keeping her close.
“Nice to see you again, Sabrina.” Con kept his voice even as he turned his attention to me.