Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
The kick on the Glock was different than my SIG, too. Sharp and powerful, and I had to stop running and brace my hand if I wanted accuracy. My shoes skidded on the pavement as I struck my stance, gripping the wrist of my firing hand with the other.
Carlo bolted into the car, his head disappearing from my view when I unleashed the full fury of the weapon. I splattered a line of bullets across the back of the sedan, shattering the back window, and only stopped because the magazine was spent.
Brake lights flicked on, followed by reverse.
He was still alive, at least well enough to operate the car. I dropped the spent magazine from the gun, jerked the spare one from my pants, and slammed it in, losing time as the reverse lights went dark and the car lurched forward.
I fired then with the new goal of disabling the vehicle, even as I sensed the security vehicles rolling in on me.
When Carlo sped off and disappeared behind another hangar, I stopped firing and stared at the Glock extended before me, filled with disbelief.
Everything was unraveling.
The security personnel were out of their vehicles, rapidly approaching me on foot, and screaming at me to put the gun down.
I put the safety back on and got down on my hands and knees, then set the gun on the ground beside me. I followed their orders without hesitation, flattening my chest to the pavement, gravel digging into the side of my cheek as I crossed my hands behind my head.
Carlo had escaped. What the fuck had just happened?
I tried to explain to the officers I was part of Shawn Dunn’s security team and informed them of the SIG Sauer in my holster. That I had a permit for the weapons, and identification, back at Mr. Dunn’s car. I left the Polezei with no choice but to bring me back to the hangar before taking me into custody.
How the fuck were the Abramos still giving orders?
Carlo wouldn’t make a move this big without permission, and I highly doubted he had the smarts to pull off the task on his own. The spray of bullets had been directed at the Dunns.
What if Laurel’s son had been in the car?
Every muscle in my body tensed and ached.
I needed to use my phone and figure out what had happened, but I couldn’t do that. An officer put a knee roughly in my back as he latched a handcuff around one wrist, then twisted my arms behind my back to do the other. Then I was yanked to my feet.
With every thought racing through my mind, the loudest was my fury with myself.
If I hadn’t been so selfish, if I had turned Olivia over to Daniel when I’d gotten her away from the Abramos like I was supposed to, her life wouldn’t be in danger.
Carlo had seen us together.
It proved I’d lied about her death. It meant she could be useful to Vitale if he wanted information on me. And she had witnessed Gio murder Renzo. Both Abramos would want her.
I sure as shit couldn’t protect her from inside a jail cell.
33
ETHAN
I was led through the side door back into the hangar, under the watchful eye and grip of a man built like a linebacker. The handcuffs weren’t tight, but I wished Olivia and my friends didn’t have to see me in them.
More Polezei arrived every second, and some were trying to pry open the hangar doors so the ambulance had better access to Jason.
Laurel knelt on the ground beside her husband, her hands pressed to the wound, her face determined. His hand covered hers, his wedding band wet with his blood.
“It’s okay, L,” he said. “It hurts less than getting shot with the vest on.”
His lie sounded convincing, but I knew better. I’d learned how painful a gunshot wound was, in almost that exact same spot, during my botched op in Syria.
Kara and Shawn stood close by, her hand resting on Laurel’s shoulder as if to offer comfort and connection. I had to put my focus elsewhere.
It landed on Olivia, and her gaze swept down over my body as if evaluating me for bullet holes. She noted the hands behind my back and the officer attached to my arm. Her gaze slowly worked its way back up, meeting mine, and her green eyes were full of relief.
“Are you okay?” she asked. When I nodded, her eyebrows pulled together. “I don’t understand.”
“I don’t either. Something’s gone wrong.”
The hand on my arm squeezed and reminded me in German to produce the permits and ID. That was going to be difficult to do since it was a lie.
“Is this man,” the officer asked Shawn in their native language, “part of your security team?”
“Yes,” Shawn said instantly.
“Where is his documentation?”
His gaze flicked to mine, silently asking what he should do. What he could do to help me. But there was nothing. It was a fucking mess, and I’d only gotten the Polezei to bring me here to do damage control.