Page 121 of Breaking Point

I squeeze her hand tightly as we step over the body and cross the hall toward the suite. Inside, there’s a bed, table, sofa... and tied to a chair in the far corner is Aleks. His head is lulled to the side, his face bruised and bloody.

“Shit,” Liv whispers, stumbling toward him and feeling his neck for a pulse. “Just unconscious.”

I listen for footsteps past the sirens, but I freeze when I hear a gunshot from downstairs. Liv quickly unties Aleks, shaking him, but my guess is he’ll be under a while.

“We’ll have to carry him.”

There’s no way in hell she’ll be able to lug all two-hundred pounds of him over her back… and I can’t shoot and carry him at the same time.

“Do you know how to use a pistol?” I ask, already loading a new magazine.

She’s shaking. I can see the panic on her face, but she inhales, shoving it down. “I- yes. Yes, I know how.”

“Good,” I say, handing it to her and watching as she tests the weight. “Look at me, Princess.” She does, and I caress her cheek. “You’ve got this. I’m right behind you.”

She nods slowly at first. Then she's more determined. “I got this.”

I lift Aleks in one fell swoop, throwing him over my shoulder. I have my other pistol within reach should I need it,but she’s got this, I think as she steadies herself. She aims thegun in front of her, one hand braced under the magazine, the other gripping the trigger just as I’d done.

She checks both ways before prowling outside. I tail her with Aleks on my back. We make it to the stairs before we hear another gunshot, closer this time. Aleks stirs as I spot movement ahead- a gun being raised.

“Olivia!” I move without thinking. I reach for my gun at the same time I throw my body in front of hers. A shot fires off. Then two. Pain lances through me, spreading from my ribs and my lungs to my shoulders and legs. It’s almost enough that I drop Aleks.

Liv,I think.She’s the only thing on my mind.

Olivia. Fuck, is she-

Her watery eyes stare forward, terrified. When I see blood pouring from a guard’s body on the ground, I can see why. Except it’s her father who stands over the body- the shot fired from his gun. Not hers.

Thank you,her eyes are saying as she stumbles forward, hugging him while fighting back tears.

“How did you-?” she whispers, but when she sees Ricky behind him, he shakes his head.

“Ricky found me. Chase locked me in a room somewhere, and I knew we had to find you,” he says, squeezing her. “I’m so sorry,” he whispers as she draws back to hug Ricky.

“Boy, am I glad to see you, Ms. Livia.”

Her responding laugh is choked. I ignore the throbbing in my side as her eyes land on me. On the blood pouring out of me. The guard nicked me before Harvey got to them.

I shake my head before she can freak out. “We get to Charlotte and Skar, and we leave.”

“But you’re-“

“Go,” I order her, gritting my teeth as Aleks comes to.

He groans, shifting and lifting his head. “Where am I?”

“No time,” I explain as I motion Liv, Ricky, and Harvey in front of me. Smoke fills the hall as we find the ballroom. Skar and Charlotte are likely still on the balcony.

“Did you see anyone on your way up?” I ask Ricky as Aleks groans again. It’s only now hitting him that he’s upside down, and with his leg, he won’t be able to walk without help.

“No one. Other than that Chase guy. We knocked him unconscious. Then I heard gunshots and-”

“Here!” Liv shouts as she crouches down.

That’s when I see the trail of blood leading inside from the balcony.

Who knows whose blood it is.

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