She holds the bottom of her belly as she passes me in a waddle-jog, and it only takes a moment for me to spring into action.
“Stop, Hana!” I catch up to her, grabbing her arm. “You can’t go in there! It’s too dangerous.”
We’re yelling, but there’s no time. Behind me, I hear the door open and close and Blake is running to join us. Hana takes off again, running straight into the burning structure.
“Hana!” I scream.
“I’ll call the fire department!” Blake yells, and I nod.
“I’ll get her out!” Charging into the barn, I’m hit with the full force of the blaze.
Holding up my hand, I squint through the heat and the smoke until I see her already at Training Day’s stall, opening the door and trying to get the frightened horse to run out.
“He won’t budge!” she yells as I run down the row, opening all the stall doors.
None of the horses will leave their safe spaces. They’re too afraid.
“We have to cover their heads!” I yell back to her. “I saw it in a movie once. They won’t run if they see the fire.”
Blake runs into the barn and goes straight for the tack room. When she emerges, she has bridles and lead ropes.
“Fire department is coming, but they’re a half-hour away. Use these!” She tosses each of us a bridle. “Take them to the paddock so they can’t run back into the barn. Hurry!”
She goes to Regency’s Honor and quickly slides the bridle over the horse’s head, staying close as she guides the large horse out of the small enclosure, trotting with him to the outdoor paddock. I go for Dancer, but a scream from Training Day’s stall makes me double back.
“Hana?” As soon as I enter, everything goes black.
A dark hood is pulled over my head, and my arms are pinned behind my back. I’m lifted off the ground in a strong grip, and whoever has me drags me down what feels like a long passage. My mind is spinning, but trying to remember, it has to be in the direction of the large arena in the center of the building.
Kicking my legs, I struggle to get free, when all at once, I’m thrown to the floor. I fall all the way to my face, but I manage to catch the edge of the hood and rip it over my head. Scrambling quickly to my feet, I’m confused to see Hana standing to the side of a small room filled with hay, and Natasha holding us at gunpoint—with my pearl-handled 9mm Ruger.
“What the hell?” I gasp. “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be at Gibson’s! How did you get my gun?”
“Put it in her hand!” Natasha yells, and Rick steps forward.
Gloves are on his hands as he shoves the weapon in my grip, lifting my arm and holding it over my head as he pulls the trigger. Hana screams again, and he snatches the gun away, carrying it to Natasha.
Flames are just reaching this area of the barn, and thick smoke is drifting in above our heads. The noise of horses squealing, the roar of the fire, and the creak of wooden beams splintering in the heat surrounds us.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I yell, watching as Rick hands the gun to Natasha, who is also wearing gloves.
“Gunpowder residue is now on your hands. You used this gun to put a bullet in your pregnant friend before taking your own life.” Natasha tilts the gun to the side, waving it between Hana and me. “It’s so sad how they trusted you. They left you here to protect the girls, not burn down the barn and kill Scar’s wife and son.”
“You won’t get away with this!” Hana yells savagely. “Blake is here. She already called the fire department, and she knows what’s happening. Blake will stop you.”
“It’s true, she would’ve stopped us. If only she hadn’t fallen while trying to save the horses and hit her head. It was a pretty bad lick. She might have a concussion.”
“Noo…” Hana’s voice is a wail.
My chest tightens, and I can’t breathe. They’ve taken out Blake. If the fire department doesn’t get here soon, she could die along with all the horses. Now they’re planning to kill Hana and frame me for it—before they kill me as well.
Adrenaline vibrates in my muscles. I can’t let this happen. Natasha is a power-hungry, heartless villain who’s gotten away with murder three times by my count, but I won’t let her get away with it again.
Keeping my eyes on them, I take a step back and hold out my hand. “Wait a minute. Let’s talk about this. Maybe we can make a deal.”
“I’m not making any deals with you, cousin. I’m ending Zander’s legacy right here and now.”
I take another step back. “But you don’t have Scar, and when he finds out, he’ll murder you, after he tortures you in ways I don’t even want to imagine.”