Page 119 of Nauti Intentions (Nauti 4)

“Traitorous slut! Black-haired little whore. Your father wouldn’t have touched her, Hoyt. That little tramp lured him there and he killed her for it. ” Augusta swung around to Janey. “And her father put her up to it.

Just like yours put you up to destroying Alex and Natches. ”

Janey shook her head. Everything felt detached, wavy. Whatever had been in that dart, she hadn’t jerked it out fast enough. It was distorting reality, making her weak.

“I did . . . ” She swallowed against the thickness in her throat. “I tried to protect Natches. I did what Dayle told me to to protect him. ”

“She’s a liar!” Augusta snapped.

Hoyt drew in a deep breath and rose to his feet. “I’ll get your medicine, Mother. ”

“Hoyt, don’t betray me. ” Augusta slid the weapon from her side and aimed it at her son. “I told you, son, you’re going to have to choose sides. Now’s the time to choose. ”

“He’s your son,” Janey whispered tearfully. “Augusta, he’s your only son. ”

The other woman swung around to her, eyes blazing now, fury filling them. “Do you think I don’t know that, you little tramp? But every man has to choose sides. His daddy told him that. I know he did. ”

Hoyt lowered his head and Janey saw the misery, the knowledge on his face. His mother was insane. As crazy as Dayle Mackay had been.

“Mother. ” Hoyt stepped toward her. “Come upstairs with me. Let’s get your medicine and we’ll talk about this. You said it was easier to talk when you take it. Let’s discuss how to do this first. ”

For a moment, Augusta’s face was transformed. She looked younger, almost vibrant in her love for her son.

“You were such a disappointment to your father,” she whispered. “But I always loved you, didn’t I, Hoyt? I always took up for you. ”

“Yes, you did. ” Hoyt blinked against the pain.

“Even when he hit me for it, I defended you, didn’t I, Hoyt?”

He nodded slowly. “You did, Mother. ”

She lifted the pistol. “I never realized how right he was,” she sneered then. “You’re pathetic. ” And she pulled the trigger.

Janey screamed and launched herself from the couch. Stumbling, she threw herself at Augusta as the gun discharged and Hoyt slammed backward.

“You bitch!” Augusta backhanded her as Janey scrambled to hold on to her gun arm.

“Mother, stop!” Hoyt’s voice was weak. At least he was alive.

Janey gripped Augusta’s arm, fighting to hold it out of the line of fire in Hoyt’s direction, or hers.

Augusta wasn’t as strong as she looked. She was angry, though, and Janey was drugged. She was crying, fighting to breathe, when she felt herself jerked back and heard a weapon discharge again.

She watched the dark, neat little hole that bloomed in the center of Augusta’s head as she flew into the shelves behind her, then slowly slid to the floor, leaving a trail of blood on the wood.

“Janey. Baby. Oh God. I’m sorry. ” Alex was holding her, turning her into his chest, one broad hand pressing against the back of her head. “I got here as fast as I could, baby. Hell. I’m sorry. Janey, I’m so sorry. ”

She held on to him, feeling the weakness she had been battling rushing through her now.

“I think I’m gonna pass out,” she mumbled.

She felt her legs go first. Her arms. She slumped against him, darkness closing around her as she heard him curse.

“She’s fine. ” Mark was still groggy as he checked Janey after Alex laid her back on the couch. The adrenaline he had managed to inject into himself after Janey was dragged away had kept him conscious, but weak. He’d managed to drag another communications device from his bag and follow Janey’s assailant on foot while directing Tyrell and Alex his way.

He’d been hit with the dart first, and a moment later the second had pierced the side of Janey’s shoulder.

Mark had seen her jerk the dart from her arm after pulling the one from his neck. It could have killed him.

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