Page 54 of Outlaw Ridge: Hayes

“So did you,” Stefano snarled.

Hell. Hayes saw it coming, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He didn’t even have time to shout out a No to Jemma’s father.

Letting out a fierce howl, Stefano rammed his elbow into Royce’s gut.

Just as Royce’s gun fired.

Everything seemed to move in syrupy slow motion but at warp speed, too. A blend of shouts, cries, and the gunshot all crashing together with the scene playing out in front of him.

Stefano falling.

And the blood.

Hayes had to push all the sounds and the sight of the blood aside. He focused just on the killer. Just on Royce. And Hayes pulled the trigger.

Behind him, Jemma did the same, and it seemed to Hayes that their bullets both fired at the same exact second. A double blast of gunfire.

That didn’t miss.

Both their bullets slammed into Royce.

The man froze, the shock registering on his face right before he collapsed onto the ground.

Hayes leapt up. So did Jemma. And they raced toward the two men. Hayes went to Royce to make sure the asshole was dead.

He was.

Both bullets had gone straight into his head.

Jemma raced to her father, dropping down onto her knees when she reached him. She gasped at the blood that was all over the side of his face. So much blood that it took Hayes more than moment to realize that it was coming from his ear. Royce’s bullet had shot off a chunk of Stefano’s ear.

“I’m all right,” Stefano insisted, pulling her into his arms. “And so are you. It’s over, Jemma. It’s over.”

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Chapter Nineteen

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Two Weeks Later

Jemma woke to the wonderful sensation of Hayes’ mouth on hers. He hadn’t gone in for a mere waking peck but a kiss that was slow, deep, and scalding hot.

His specialty.

And thankfully, he hadn’t been stingy with that specialty in the two weeks that’d followed their trip through hell and back. Jemma didn’t focus on the hell part. Only the back, only the here and now.

Only these amazing wake-up kisses.

She opened her eyes and smiled. Then, frowned. Because Hayes was dressed in his dark camo pants and black tee. His usual work clothes and something that’d been lacking from his wardrobe during the two weeks when they’d taken some shared downtime to recover. To process.

To heal.

Part of that healing had involved hours of sleep. And kissing. And sex. Lots of all three which was why his bed had become sort of her haven. But then, that haven only existed when Hayes was in it with her.

She groaned. “Are you going on an op?” she asked, and then she got an even worse thought. “Or has there been another murder?”

He smiled in only that sexy way that was pure Hayes. “No to both. I had a video meeting with Owen, and I figured it was best if I weren’t naked for that.”

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