“Get back!” The man has a handgun, and he’s pointing it at Bells. The window behind him is wide open.
“Mark, I take it?” I drop my knife and hold my hands up.
“No.” Aurora glares. “I don’t know who this asshole is.”
“What? You know me. We’re intimate!” He looks at her. “I run your fan group. I’m in charge of the Facebook group Aurora’s Angels. I even made a Tiktok dedicated to you.”
I can take this guy in my sleep, but he’s pointing a gun at the woman who owns my heart. I can’t take the risk of rushing him. Not when Bells’ life is on the line.
“That’s sweet, but you’re hurting my friend Bells. Let her go.” Aurora keeps her voice calm, to her credit.
“I’ll trade her.” He’s got that crazy look in his dark eyes. “You come here, and I’ll let her go.”
“Don’t.” Bells forces the word out. He’s pressing on her windpipe.
Rage boils through me, and I know in that instant I’m going to snap this fucker’s neck.
“I’ll come to you if you promise to let her go.” Aurora steps toward them.
“I will. I didn’t come for her. I came for you. Hacking Mark’s information was easy, and then it led me right to you. My angel.” His eyes brighten as she takes another step toward him.
With his focus on Aurora, I’ve been easing ever closer, slow as a fucking cobra.
“What’s your name?” Aurora asks.
“Don.” He smiles, his gun hand faltering as his hope rises and his ability to hold up the sturdy metal wanes.
“Okay, Don. Just let her go.” Aurora purrs the words. “I’ll go with you.”
Bells holds my gaze. I want to say so much. That I’ll save her. That she never has to worry that I’d ever let her down. But I can’t. I can only focus on the idiot with the gun.
When he finally drops it far enough, I strike, and I’m not the only one.
The thickplunkof a knife embedding in a target is followed by the crack of a sniper and the pop-pop of a semi-automatic.
I pull Bells away as Don falls to the ground. Following him down, I grip his head and twist it hard until I hear that satisfying pop.
“Hey!” Tiernan calls as he comes crashing through the window. “That was my kill.”
“Mine!” Charles calls from somewhere outside.
“Mine!” Diego shouts from somewhere in the trees.
For the first time in a long time, I don’t give a shit about body counts. All I care about is Bells. Pulling her into my arms, I hold her tight as the others pile into the room. Aurora rushes to Diego, and Charles grabs Clover in the hallway. Daphne and Tiernan eye each other but keep their distance.
I can’t focus on anything except the woman in my arms. “You scared me.” I kiss her hard.
She wraps herself around me. Warm, alive, and mine.
“You saved us.” She cups my cheeks. “You savedme.”
“I told you, beautiful. We’re forever.”
She smiles, tears in her eyes. “You’re right. We are.”
My heart thumps, trips, and rights itself, then takes off at record speed. “Really?”
“Really.” She nods and kisses me again. “I’m staying right here with you. I love you, Barrow.”