Page 138 of Fourth Point Of Contact

“If you take me instead of Eden, I’ll walk out to my car with you and drive you anywhere you want to go. You can still get away?—”

“Harper, step the fuck back,” I snapped, my voice coming out strong and clear.

My gaze flicked to the corner where Scottie was down on his knees, motioning for Grace to toddle over to him. I held my breath as she grinned at Scottie and ran over on shaky legs, right into his arms. That was one down, but I still had the problem that Harper was trying to sacrifice herself for my sister.

“If you want to get out of here, I’m your only option. If you try to leave with Eden, you will be shot dead.” Her voice came out strong and true, leaving no doubt that she was serious. “But I will get you out of here.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Not for you,” she snorted. “For Edu, because he doesn’t need to be responsible for killing his own father. And for Eden, because she’s already suffered enough at your hands. So, which is it? Do you want to be shot here or escape and take your chances out there?”

I opened my mouth to yell at her to get back, but the words wouldn’t come out because deep down, I knew she stood a better chance at getting out of this alive than Eden did. And that fucking gutted me that I was even allowing her to take this risk.

The old man gave a curt nod as she turned and faced me, whispering, “I’m sorry.”

We all looked for the shot, but he stood directly behind her as he made the swap, shoving Eden away from him before quickly replacing the knife at Harper’s throat. I wasn’t even sure if I would have pulled the trigger if there had been a shot. With both Harper and Eden standing there, if one of them shifted the wrong way, it could all have ended badly.

Eden scrambled to the side, curling up in the corner in a ball. I motioned for her to stay put, thankful when she nodded.

Harper’s lips twitched ever so slightly as she took the first step toward the door.

“Tell your dear husband to put his fucking weapon on the ground unless you want a permanent ring around your neck,” he snarled.

Swallowing hard, she locked eyes with me. “Edu…”

I shook my head, but she smiled at me, just like it was one of her fucking daydreams.

“You’ll always be my Prince Charming,” she murmured.

At first, I thought she was saying goodbye, but then I realized she was telling me she trusted me to come to the rescue and save her. So, I did as she asked and tossed my weapon to the ground, motioning for the others to do the same. I had to let this play out, and then I’d make my move.

“Tell everyone to get the fuck away from me!” he shouted. “If I see even one of you outside, I’ll slit her throat!”

Gritting my teeth, I turned to Lock. “Tell everyone to back down.”

Someone would be out there ready for the kill shot. I wasn’t stupid enough to think any of them would leave her unprotected. But my old man didn’t know that, which gave us an advantage.

The first step onto the porch made my heart stutter. The second felt like a lifetime of torture. My whole body twitched with the need to attack, but he would kill her. I was absolutely certain of that.

“Nice and easy,” he grunted as they took the first step.

It was just a small twitch, the way her fingers flicked out, but I knew she was signaling me, telling me to get ready. I braced for it, waited for the second she made her move. She took the next step and stumbled just a little, throwing them both off balance, and that’s when I attacked. Her elbow flew back into his gut, putting him off-center just enough for me to tackle him from behind, wrenching the knife from his hand.

We flew down the steps and hit the pavement hard. I could have ended it there, but rage hit me hard and I slammed my fistinto his face over and over. Blood coated my fist as I broke his nose and busted his lip. But I couldn’t stop, couldn’t pull back as hatred washed over me so thick, I couldn’t see through the fog.

“Edu!” Harper called to me, screaming my name until she finally pierced the anger and pulled me away from the old man who now lay crumpled in a heap.

I spun, my eyes immediately landing on the blood sliding down her neck. I rushed to her, pressing my hand to her neck as I lowered her to the ground. “Baby, stay with me,” I pleaded.

Her eyelids fluttered as she stared up at me with all the love in the world. “We’re fine,” she whispered. “We’ll be fine.”

And then her eyes rolled back in her head and she passed out.

“Just kiss me!”Harper snapped at me, laying back in the bed and refusing to move.

“Harper—”

“Edu, I am literally laying in bed with my Prince Charming at my bedside. Is it really too much to ask that you indulge in this one fantasy?”

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