Page 111 of Passionate Defense

Amid her muffled cries and his furious mutterings, she barely heard the roar on the other side of the door. It burst open, slamming against the wall, taking her along with it. A gunshot exploded in the small space, making her ears ring. It was followed by a loud thud and gurgling. Then the most beautiful sound in the world, Ethan shouting her name.

“I’m here,” she cried through the gag and the door pinning her to the wall. But he heard. The next instant, she was in his arms, his hug so tight she couldn’t breathe, as police moved through the doorway behind him.

“Fatal chest blow,” one man said.

“Damn good shot,” said another.

Still another asked, “Do you need an ambulance, Mrs. Fischer?”

“No,” was her muffled reply, but Ethan’s adamant “yes,” drowned her out.

“I saw the punch you took to the side of the head. You’re getting scanned.” He leaned back, a furious look encompassing his face, seeing the gag. Once he tore it out, he asked, “Where else are you hurt?”

“I’m bruised everywhere, but not broken.”A sob escaped. “Thank god you came when you did.”

“He wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

Startled, Lanie looked behind him at Vicky. “What are you doing here?”

“Arming and motivating the troops like a general,” Ethan replied.

“And watching your man move heaven and earth to get to you,” the judge put in. “He was crazy coming in here, into the unknown with gun—singular—blazing, but it was also the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Lanie slumped against him, the adrenaline rush fading and fatigue setting in. “Take me out of here, Ethan. I can’t breathe.”

He swept her up in his arms and into the alley. She filled her lungs and exhaled shakily. “It stinks, but it’s worlds better than Deevers’ hovel. How did you find me?”

“We almost ran past it, but I heard banging and pounding and cursing.”

“I’m guilty of the first two. Mr. Scum of the Earth was doing all the swearing.”

They emerged from the alley into sunlight. It revealed the weighty concern on his face.“I need to know. He had his pants open. Did he...”

“No. An elbow to the boys made that impossible, but he would have and then killed me. You saved me, again.”

“I’d have died without you. By saving you, I saved us both.”

He kissed her, and would likely still be at it, but the wail of sirens announced the arrival of the ambulance and more police.

***

THE NIGHTMARE WAS FINALLYover. Deevers’ reign of terror and death had ended. But Ethan couldn’t stop the quiver of fear and rage inside him. While Lanie clung to him, he hugged her close, as if he could meld her to him permanently. This wasn’t the end for either of them. The nightmares would haunt them, Lanie especially. She’d carry the scars of this harrowing experience and the guilt that her defense had allowed it to happen. That was a demon he could and would help her battle. His own, of watching helplessly while she was taken, then the long torturous minutes as he searched for her, all the while in a murderer’s clutches, would be a war not so easy to wage.

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