Page 77 of The Billionaire's Claim: Redemption
The moment seems to stretch out to infinity. Andy is holding Liza’s gun. He’s raising it, swinging it around. I send a small prayer of thanks he isn’t aiming at her.
I pull the trigger once, twice, three times, but so does Andy. The gunshots ring out, echoing through the penthouse.
A wet red spot blooms on Andy’s chest, followed by another in his gut. He looks down like he can’t believe it. His knees bend, and he slowly falls to the floor.
My legs turn to noodles as searing pain radiates in my chest. Tremors start to run through me, and I feel something warm trickling down my torso.
I put a hand over my chest. Shit. I’ve been shot.
I fall to my side, my gaze on Liza. She crawls toward me, gasping and crying.
“Don’t leave me, Dominic. Please.”
“I won’t. I promise,” I say, my voice sounding weird, like it’s coming from somewhere far, far away.
She cries harder. Even though my vision’s dimming, I can sense it.
“Don’t cry. I’m never leaving you now. I’m going to marry you.”
“That’s right. You have to live and buy me a huge diamond engagement ring to make up for this.”
I want to tell her I already bought the ring. But I can’t push the words out.
My body slowly grows limp, and eventually the pain fades away. I’m drifting, barely feeling anything when she grabs my hand and yells something. Maybe my name—I can’t process much now. My vision is so dim I can barely see her battered face.
Sorry, Liza. I love you. I love you so much.
I do my best to focus on her face and voice because they’re the only things worth living for, but everything’s growing so indistinct and faint…
Darkness.
Chapter Forty-Two
Elizabeth
I hear voices. See indistinct faces. Disjointed words float around me. I sense somebody holding my hand, but it isn’t Dominic.
Where’s Dominic?
What happened to him?
Panic surges, and I try to get up, but can’t. It’s like my brain is no longer controlling my body.
“Lizochka, I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I should’ve been there.”
I blink. I’m in a hospital, and it’s Tolyan who has his huge bear-paw hands wrapped around mine. His eyes are so bloodshot that I start to feel worried.
“I should’ve known the bastard would come for you when I wasn’t around.”
I try to shake my head, to let him know it wasn’t his fault, but I can’t manage even that simple motion. “Dominic,” I whisper with great effort. It’s so hard to talk. Everything’s harder, even breathing. “Where…”
“He’s alive. The surgery went well.” He mutters something in Russian. “The bullet didn’t hit anything vital.”
It takes me a few minutes to process that. Finally, the meaning of Tolyan’s words register. Thank God. “And…Kristen?”
“She’s fine. Better than you.”
“Lyosha?”
