Page 3 of The Savior

“What’s going on?” Her voice wavered.

“Lean against the wall and make yourself small.” He cupped her cheek. “If you hear me shout, drop to the ground and get under the chair.”

Her frightened eyes widened. “Okay.”

“Everything will be fine.” His thumb ran along her cheek.

Because this situation was what he did—his life had been built on a team that destroyed terrorists and violent plans.

“Everything…will be fine,” she repeated, lips trembling.

“It will.” He touched her chin then stood. “Promise.”

Julia sank against the window, awkwardly twisting her legs to keep the sexy blue dress down.

“Be right back.” Then he let intuition lead him to the back of the Metro car. His casual stroll hid the rage curled in his fists until only an arm’s length separated Liam from the other man.

Menace-fueled eyes showed Liam he wasn’t wrong.

“Julia! Now!” Liam swung.

Commuters gasped and screamed in surprise. Liam ripped open the man’s overcoat and found a weapon fit for carnage.

Fists flew. Hands grasped for the weapon. Liam reached for the man’s neck. Fingers on flesh, he curled his grip tight, jamming against a pressure point and counting the seconds to choke the gun-wielding bastard out.

“Oof!” Liam doubled forward when the knee hit his groin, grip faltering.

The gun came loose, and they wrestled for it. Liam took a hard blow to his head. His eyesight darkened, stars exploding.

Pop. Pop.

Gunfire?The blasts sounded too far away. The pain in his head throbbed, his vision skewed, but Liam kicked the weapon free. He and the man fought for it again, their hands slipping, the gun barrel pointing back and forth—

Pop. Pop.

Liam rolled away as the man fell, covered in blood.Dead.

“Julia!” Liam pushed off the ground and lost his balance but steadied himself.

People grouped at the other end of the car, and he pushed his way through the tourists and commuters, growing sick on their terror polluting the hot air.

“Julia?”

The small crowd parted, and the shocked, stuttering cries fell quiet. He searched their faces and followed their trembling eyes.

Julia…Her lifeless figure lay by their seats. Dark pain sliced into him, dragging Liam into the depths of an inexplicable black hole.

Her deep puddle of blood spread wide like morbid angels’ wings on a dirty subway floor, and he dropped to a knee next to the high heel that had slipped off her foot.

Julia was gone, and it was his fault.

His eyes shut, and his dead heart ached. He clasped a hand to his chest and felt—the engagement ring.

In that agonizing instant, all that he knew and loved faded away.

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