“What did you do to the guard who was stationed out front?” Beck asked, realizing that he had to be hurt or worse if Felicity had gotten past him.
“He’s a little tied up at the moment,” she said, sounding quite smug. “Poor guy was hungry and when I offered him a little something to eat, he took me up on my kind gesture.”
“You drugged him?” Beck gasped.
“I sprinkled a few of my sleeping pills over the cheeseburger that I gave him. He’s just having a lovely nap,” Felicity said. “As for you, I think we’re going to have to get creative. I’m betting that it’s going to take more than just a little nap to get you out of the picture. You getting pregnant really fucked up my plans, Beck.”
She barked out her laugh, “Well, far be it for me to fuck with your plans, Felicity. I mean, how dare I?”
“You’re sarcasm isn’t necessary, although I do understand it. It’s all you have left—poor thing.” Felicity pulled a bottle of pills from her jacket pocket and shook them in the air. “We’re going to write a parting letter, letting your family, friends, and poor Knox know that you just couldn’t go on anymore. Then, you’re going to be a good girl and swallow down your medicine.”
“I won’t do any of that, Felicity. You can’t make me. If you want me dead, you’ll have to shoot me.” Beck was pretty sure that was the last thing Felicity wanted to do. She wanted things easy. Felicity wouldn’t want things getting too messy and ending up in prison for the rest of her life. She would want for it to look like an accident so that she could swoop in and console Knox in his time of grief.
“I’m betting that you don’t want to shoot me. It will be messy and then, you’ll be a suspect. If you go to prison, who will be here for Knox when I’m out of the picture?” she asked. Felicity’s eyes flared and she knew that she had hit a nerve.
“I’m right, aren’t I? You won’t shoot me.” Beck took a daring step toward Felicity and her hand shook. She used her other hand to steady it, dropping the pill bottle to the kitchen floor.
“Didn’t they teach you how to use one of those things before you purchased it?” Beck asked. “Or was that thing just for show? Was your plan to try to scare me off, Felicity?” she asked.
“Shut up,” Felicity shouted. “Just shut the fuck up and let me think.” Beck liked knowing that the ice queen seemed to have a melting point and she had a chance to get out of this whole mess alive—at least she hoped that was the case.
Beck heard the front door alarm sound and groaned. Apparently, Felicity had the alarm code and rearmed the system once she was in. Slater and Knox had finally come home and now, Felicity knew it too. She smiled at Beck. “Yeah—I’m not the dumb blond that everyone thinks I am,” she said as if reading Beck’s mind.
“Beck,” Knox shouted. “Where are you?”
She wasn’t sure if she should call back to him or keep quiet. Calling Knox into the kitchen would only end with one or both of them being shot. “She’s in here, Mr. Heart,” Felicity called. “Why don’t you come to the kitchen to join us?” Knox ran into the kitchen and Felicity trained her gun on him. “Go on over and stand next to Beck,” she ordered. Knox did as he was told and when he got to her, he checked her over.
“You okay, Honey?” he asked.
“Yes,” she whispered. “I’m fine.” He pulled her behind his body as if shielding her from the gun that was pointed at them.
“Why the hell are you doing this, Felicity?” he asked.
“She has my life,” Felicity screamed. “You were supposed to be mine but all you wanted from me were reports and for me to be your work horse. You called me at four in the morning and instead of asking me to come to your bed, you asked me where your fucking reports were. Did you ever do that to her?” she spat, looking at Beck. “No, you jumped into bed with her the very first day that she came to work for you. She’s a slut, Knox, you just can’t see that. She’s out to take your money. She wants to take you away from me.”
“I was never yours to begin with, Felicity. I’m in love with Beck and you holding us at gunpoint isn’t going to change that,” Knox said. “We’re going to be married and have a baby—we’re a family. Are you willing to destroy an entire family?” he asked.
Felicity defiantly raised her chin and nodded, “Yes,” she breathed. “If I can’t have you, no one will.” Knox wrapped a protective arm around his body, pulling Beck behind him.
“Knox, no,” she protested. Beck caught a flash of movement from the kitchen entrance and realized that Knox hadn’t come home alone. Slater was with him and when he barreled into the kitchen, taking Felicity by surprise, her gun went off. Beck couldn’t help herself, she reached around Knox, trying to shove him out of the bullet’s path. He hit the wall with a thud and she smiled triumphantly at him when she realized that her plan worked. He was safe.
Searing pain shot through her shoulder and Beck doubled over. “No,” Knox shouted. He was by her side before she could hit the floor, wrapping her protectively in his arms. She watched as Slater struggled to get the gun away from Felicity and jumped when a second shot rang through the kitchen.
“Slater,” she breathed as her world went dark. The pain was too much to bear and all she wanted to do was sleep.
“Stay with me, Beck,” Knox ordered.
“I’m calling an ambulance.” She heard Slater’s voice and felt so relieved that she wanted to do as they were asking. Beck wanted to stay awake and look at Knox as he was begging her to, but she just couldn’t. Beck let the numbing darkness overtake her. The darkness was easier than the pain.
* * *
Beck woke to hushed male voices whispering around her and a beeping sound that was about to drive her out of her mind. “What’s happening?” she asked. Her throat felt like she had swallowed glass and she had horrendous pain in her shoulder.
“You were shot,” Knox said. Beck opened her eyes to find Knox and Slater standing on one side of her bed and Rainey on the other.
“What the hell were you thinking?” Knox asked. “You pushed me out of the way and got yourself shot?”
“Oh God, the baby?” she asked, reaching for her belly. She winced as the pain shot down her right side from trying to move her arm.