Maxim
In the opposite building, I was at the window with the light off in the dark, watching the study. I’d killed the lights as soon as Pierce’s car dropped him off, and I knew Elizabeth hadn’t looked up to see the signal. She was still fiddling with the computer, just out of my line of sight.
I hadn’t waited for him to go inside. Him finding her was bound to happen and there wasn’t a single bone in my body that could have stood by and watch him hurt her. I’d vowed it was never going to happen again, and I was a man who stood by his word.
It had only taken a second for me to bolt for the door, Glock 17 in my inside pocket. I raced down the stairs, shoving open the heavy swing door that led into the building, across the street without so much as a glance around to see who saw.
I rammed the front door in with my shoulder and when it didn’t budge, I shot the lock out. Another thing I had to clean up, another mistake I’d never usually make. I didn’t care. I’d have done anything to get Elizabeth out.
When you were under my protection, I didn’t let you down. That was the way it had always been. And I wasn’t about to start with her.
CHAPTER 15
Elizabeth
The front door burst in after three heavy thuds, which I realised afterwards must have been Maxim ramming his entire weight against it. The door splintered open and Maxim filled the doorway of the office, his entire body heaving.
He must have sprinted to get here so fast, and he looked like some kind of avenging angel to me.
Pierce’s grip on my hair loosened and I kicked out, shoving him off.
The gun Maxim held was unmistakably lethal and my heart notched up a pace.
I wiped my bloodied nose with the back of my hand, rolling onto my back on the desk, scrabbling to my feet. My ears were ringing like I’d taken a slug to the side of the head – and it took me a minute to remember I had. This wasn’t the boxing ring though. And Pierce had tried to-
The thought made me sick. I refused to let it fully form.
Maxim growled. “You better say your prayers you motherfucker.”
Pierce’s face was a picture.
He didn’t even have the time to be scared before Maxim dragged him down onto the floor in front of him.
The beating came hard and fast and I relished every punch to his doughy body. His face was purple and he was wheezing blood, and I knew nothing Maxim did to him would be good enough.
He levelled the gun on him, and I got to my feet in a scrabbled rush.
“No! Stop!” My voice wrenched out of me, scorching up the inside of my throat and I could feel my heart thundering in my ears.
Maxim froze. I saw his arm lock, and he twisted the gun to one side, as though he was visualising the bullet finding its home, but he didn’t pull the trigger. His jaw rippled slowly but the frown pulling his eyebrows together didn’t lighten as he lowered the gun and looked at me.
“You want to forgive him?”
Without another word, I walked over to him and he let me close my hand around his, easing the gun out of his grip.
“He doesn’t deserve it, after all he’s done-”
“I know.”
I looked Maxim in the eye and gradually his frown softened. He gave a short nod and when he stepped back, I levelled the gun on Sutherland myself.
On the floor, Pierce was barely breathing. Maxim had delivered the beating like the professional that he was and the man on the floor could only groan. He looked pathetic, but I couldn’t find an ounce of sympathy in me.
“I’ve been waiting years for this, Maxim. I am not going to let you take it from me.”
He met my eyes and nodded, sweeping a hand out in invitation. “Please, be my guest.”
I hadn’t known for certain until I reached this point that I had it in me to go through with this, but there was no turning back now, and I didn’t want to. I swallowed, breathing slowly as I made sure of my aim, but there was still a shake in my hand, and I growled, trying to get it to stop and failing.
When Max came up behind me and put his arms around mine, I was glad of the heat from his broad, muscular chest. I felt him still the tremble in me, and Maxim’s large hands closed both of mine around the handle of his gun. Steadying my hands completely, he raised it with me, lining it up with Pierce’s head.
His voice curled perfectly into my ear and the heat of his breath made my skin prickle pleasantly. I couldn’t believe he was letting me do this. That he was allowing me to follow it through.