Bennett took a step closer, and Paul waved his gun.
“Don’t move or I’ll kill you. I’ll unload all my bullets into you.”
Hadley watched the man carefully. This would cut Bennett deeply. He would never, ever abandon a man.
“I didn’t know you were alive,” Bennett said hoarsely.
“You brought Hamed and his family home, and you left me to rot.” Paul lifted a hand and she realized it was prosthetic. “You left me burned and bleeding in the dirt, in agony. You left me for them. Do you know what they did to me? For months.”
Bennett made a pained sound. “I’m so sorry, Paul. If I’d known, I’d have come for you.”
“Bullshit. You left me. You came home, safe and sound, and made yourself billions of dollars.” He spat the words.
“Paul—”
“No.” The man shook his head wildly. “I’ve suffered pain you couldn’t even imagine.” His brown eye glittered and his gun swiveled toward Hadley. “And now you will too, Bennett.”
“No.” Bennett stepped toward her.
“I know you’re fucking her. Let’s see how you feel when she’s dead.”
Bennett’s jaw clenched.
“Paul,” Hadley said calmly. “I’ve got my gun aimed at you. If you shoot me, my bullet will kill you. I don’t think you want to die.”
“I don’t care! All I want is to cause Bennett pain. To punish him.”
“What happened to you was tragic. But Bennett isn’t to blame.” She knew he’d probably blame himself though.
“I’ll make him suffer.” Paul’s chest shuddered as he took a breath. “But shooting you is too easy.”
“Paul, please don’t do this,” Bennett said quietly. “I want more than this for you.”
The younger man shook his head. “Life is pain, Bennett. Anyone who says differently is selling something.”
Hadley straightened. She realized she’d heard those words before. “The Princess Bride.”
“Very good.” Paul nodded. “I wondered if Bennett would guess it was me when I used the code name Westley.”
Taking a small step forward, Hadley didn’t let her gun waiver. “Paul—”
“Enough.” He swiveled the gun, aimed at Bennett, and fired three times.
No. No. No. The gunfire echoed in her ears, panic filling her.
She fired, but Paul moved, and she only clipped his arm. He cried out, slapping a hand over his bicep.
But all Hadley could see was Bennett falling.
* * *
The pain hadhim gasping for breath.
Lying on his side, Bennett pulled in an agonizing breath. He felt like someone had taken a hammer to his chest.
His Secura vest had taken the brunt of the bullets, but it still hurt like hell.
“Bennett. God.” Hadley’s worried voice.