Page 31 of Deceit & Destruction

“And what if you miss? What if you shoot Cassie?”

He hesitates, biting the inside of his cheek.

“We got eyes on her.”

My brows furrow.

“What do you mean?”

“Alejandro spotted her through a window. It ain’t pretty, Baller.”

Gritting my teeth and I step toward him.

“Explain,” I demand.

“He’s got her tied up on a table and if we don’t fucking act now, he’s gonna filet her open. So, either we shoot, or we stand back and watch that fucking nutcase cut that baby out of her. Your call.”

I stare at him wordlessly for a moment, trying to process what he’s said. Blackthorne doesn’t want the baby, so why the fuck would he cut it out of her? The baby wouldn’t survive this early, and Cassie would probably bleed out.

“What’s it going to be?” Ace questions

But just as he gets the words out his walkie talkie sounds and one of his men start shouting in Spanish. Suddenly, Ace is no longer concerned with me giving him my approval and he starts running for the distillery. I move to follow, but Webber and Alex pull me back.

“Let me go,” I sneer.

“You go in there unarmed he’s going to kill you,” Alex shouts. “Let them remove Blackthorne and we will go in and save Cassie.”

“It’ll be too late. You heard him! He’s got her tied up and ready to cut her open.”

“You don’t speak Spanish,” Webber says. “But I do, and Ace and his men are going in there because Johnny Black just stormed into the distillery.”

Alex’s grip on me tightens, but not because I try to break free from his grasp. My knees buckle and threaten to give out. Gunfire sounds and my heart stops. I stare at the brick building, watching as flickers of light break through the windows.

I’ve never felt so fucking helpless or so damn scared in my life.

I close my eyes and for the first time in my adult life, I pray.

I pray for Cassie.

For the baby I didn’t make, but the one I want the chance to raise.

I pray and pray.

And when praying seems hopeless, I barter with God.

Take me.

“Mike,” Alex calls, pulling at my shirt. I force my eyes open and follow his line of sight, to the front door of the distillery. Gun shots echo in the distance but a shadow looms at the door. Alex grip loosens and I step away from him, trying to make out the figure. My pace quickens and then I freeze mid stride because my eyes lock with Johnny’s. He repositions Cassie in his arms and that’s when I see the blood seeping through her shirt.

“She needs a doctor,” he cries.

~*~

Webber and Alex were right. If we had gone in with Ace and the rest of Primo’s guys, we wouldn’t have been able to get Cassie to the hospital.

She and the baby would both be dead.

But because of them, and Johnny, the two most important people in my life get to live.

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