Page 117 of With this Ring

“Sasha! Thank God!”

Aware of Gregorio’s intense gaze locked on her, she started to say something, only to have Ashley rush on.

“They know you’re there.”

Everything inside her went still. “Who does?”

“Oh, God, Sasha! They’re going to kill you.” She sobbed. “I’m so sorry. So, so sorry. This is all my fault.”

“Ashley, what did you—”

Chapter Eighteen

A soul-wrenching scream tore across the phone line, followed by a blood-chilling pop.

Then a sickening thud.

And haunting, echoing silence.

Breathless, unable to move or think, she stood there.

“Petal?” Gregorio plucked the phone from her nerveless fingers and pushed the End button before handing it back to her.

“She was trying to warn me about…” She wrapped her arms around herself. “Jesus. They just fucking killed her.”

Around them, the air shifted, taking on an ominous quality that made the hairs on her nape rise. Her instincts, honed by years of training, shrieked with danger.

Gregorio went rigid, on high alert, reminding her of a predator catching the first hint of prey—or threat. When his dark eyes locked on hers, she saw her own awareness reflected there, that bone-deep certainty that something was terribly wrong.

“Let’s roll.” His voice was clipped, and he switched off his flashlight.

Instantly, she did the same.

Then—

A gunshot shattered the night.

The sound cracked through the silence like thunder, and Sasha jerked in response as her flight or fight instinct flooded her system.

The shot wasn’t close enough to pose immediate danger. Hawkeye, engaging the enemy?

Gregorio tapped her shoulder twice. “Back door.”

The screech of tires cut through the darkness outside—rubber burning against asphalt—followed immediately by the thunderous boom of a shotgun blast that shook the house.

Even though every instinct urged her to run, they stealthily made their way in the dark, leaving the office, hurrying down the hallway and back into the kitchen.

The back door exploded inward with a deafening crack, wood splintering as a black-clad figure surged through, weapon already raised.

Gregorio’s reaction was instantaneous. He grabbed Sasha, practically lifting her off her feet as he shoved her behind him. In the same fluid motion, he drew his weapon. His shot was fast and lethally precise, slamming into the intruder’s chest before the man could squeeze his trigger.

Another blast rocked the house—this time from the front entrance. The door didn’t just break open—it flew completely off its hinges, crashing against the entryway wall with enough force to crack the plaster.

“Shit.”

Argentum wasn’t just coming for them. They were coming with overwhelming force.

Gunfire erupted from both sides—deafening, brutal, relentless. The sounds bounced off the walls, creating a disorienting explosion of devastation.

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