Page 109 of Betrayed

She looked terrified, and I hated that there was nothing I could do to protect her from seeing what was coming next.

“It’s over. Let them go,” I ordered, my red dot steady on the space between his eyes. Jack and Doug had cleared the rest of the room, flipped on the lights, and spread out on either side of me.

The scumbag holding Blake dragged her with him when he stepped back. If I shot him, I’d save Blake, but the guy holding her father would probably kill him.

Will she blame me?Could I live with that?

“Tango in my crosshairs. Tell me when,” Jay removed the problem when he confirmed he had a clean shot.

“There’s nowhere to run,” Jack said, giving them one last chance to survive the day.

It was more than they deserved.

“You won’t shoot us. Not unless you want them to die, too.”

Wrong.

In complete opposition to how I felt, my voice was calm and steady when I gave the order, “Send it.”

The whites of his eyes rounded, and a fraction of a second later my bullet punched out his lights, forever.

Time sped back up as I rushed forward to catch Blake. Her eyes rolling back as the dead guy pulled her down with him.

Behind me, Jack and Doug helped her father.

Not bothering to so much as a glance at him, I checked Blake for injuries before picking her up. Knowing she wouldn’t be unconscious for long, I cleared the hall and stairs in record time, ignoring the burn in my lungs as they filled with smoke from the gunfight.

I prayed Blake wouldn’t wake up until after I got her outside. She didn’t need to see the carnage or smell the metallic scent of fresh blood.

Voices relayed information, so I knew what was happening as I exited the house.

I split my focus between Blake’s small, unconscious body in my arms and the chatter of assignments being handed out. John ordered Jaime and Jay to stay on over watch while he called 9-1-1.

Once we were outside in the cool afternoon breeze, Blake stirred.

I whispered platitudes in her ear as I sat down on the front steps, hoping to keep her calm as she came to. Jack must have called Meg because she rushed over to us with the first aid bag from John’s car.

“Andrew?” Blake asked.

“Shhhh, it’s okay. You’re safe now.”

“Where’s my dad?” Her voice was rough from fear.

He was alive and unharmed. They’d frisked him and checked for injuries, and were bringing him out in zip ties.

“He’s fine. You can see him in a few minutes.” I stroked her hair as I held her head close to my shoulder.

“Did they hurt you?” I asked as I settled her on my lap and checked again for injuries.

“No, they just scared me.” That much was obvious, as she trembled in my arms.

Blake said thank you when Meg handed her an open bottle of water, drinking half of it in one swig.

I couldn’t stop touching her, reassuring myself she was alive and well.

She asked me if I was okay.

I was. “I’m good. Not even a scratch.”

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