I did not like how relaxed he sounded. How…indifferent. What was he doing? What…
“Got to get rid of the skeletons, Trip. As I said, I hadn’t planned to kill your fiancée or your Marine. Just you. But they unfortunately made the mistake of being in your life, so…” She shrugged. “That’s what they get.”
“That’s what they get,” he echoed, expression unreadable. “For being in my life, they get shit.”
Oh no. No no, I could see where Lucas’s head was going. I could—
“Lucas,” I poured every ounce of love I had for him into his name. “Lucas, listen to me. Listen. To. Me. My life would be shit without you in it. Do you hear me? Without you, it would be—”
“Shut up, bitch,” Maureen snarled. “Time to say good—”
Lucas moved. Fast. So fast.
And so did Fluffy.
Fluffy launched himself from the floor at me, smashing into me before I could blink, blood from his shoulder wound splattering everywhere.
Lucas threw himself at Maureen.
I hit the ground, taken down by Fluffy, just as a gunshot shattered the air.
Just as Groot burst into wild, crazy barking.
And then a female was screaming. And as I bucked and fought against Fluffy’s insistent weight, I saw Lucas slam Maureen to the floor. I saw him pin her there, sitting on her chest, the gun now in his hand, pressed to the middle of her forehead.
“Time to say goodbye, Queen B,” he growled, his stare locked on her, trapped beneath him.
Maureen twisted and bucked. “Please don’t! Please, don’t kill me! Please, please—I’m sorry. I’m sorry!”
Lucas pressed her gun harder to her forehead.
“Lucas.” My stomach lurched. Oh God, was he going to…was he going to… “Lucas!”
I fought against Fluffy. I needed to get up. I needed to calm Groot down. I needed to stop Lucas from killing Maureen Ford.
I needed—
Maureen bucked. Hard.
I saw Lucas fight for balance. I saw her snatch at his hand, at the gun.
And then I saw him reel back, bleak rage in his face, and smash the butt of the gun into her cheek.
She went limp. Boneless.
Motionless.
“Lucas?” My throat burned. My eyes did the same. “Is she… Did you…” I swallowed, still pinned down by Fluffy, stare locked on Maureen Ford.
Lucas closed his eyes and—with a shaky breath—shook his head. “Just knocked her out, babe. That’s all. I didn’t kill her. Promise.”
Fluffy straightened off me. Something wet and warm on my back told me he was still bleeding. I scrambled to my feet, giving Maureen one more quick glance before spinning to Fluffy. “You’re too hurt to do that!”
He grunted a disagreement. And then staggered sideways a little.
“Ronnie, call 911.”
I turned back to Lucas, standing with the unconscious judge at his feet. “Nine-one-one? Cops? Or paramedics.”