Chapter Thirty-Six
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C assie raced up the wet road, panic streaking through her. She’d heard the shots. The impact of what had sounded like his truck hitting something.
Cass, I love you.
He hadn’t answered her after that. Now there was nothing from the other end but silence, punctuated by muffled gunshots.
Gavin’s call came through on her vehicle. “Cass, what the hell’s going on?”
“They ambushed him on Cedarwood Road. There was shooting. I called 911, but I think he was hit, and now he’s not answering.” She pressed her lips together to hold back a sob.
“Deck and I are on our way,” he said grimly.
“I’m ten minutes away. Where are you?”
“More like twenty.”
Cassie wanted to scream. Too far away. They were all too far away, and there was zero chance the cops would get there before the rest of them did. “Call the others.”
She ended the call and pressed harder on the accelerator, pushing her driving skills to the limit on the wet roads. She was the closest one to Tristan. His only hope. She had to get there in time to even the odds and hold off the shooters until Gavin and Decker got there.
Her lungs and belly were so tight she could hardly breathe. She just wanted him to be okay. Because if he wasn’t...
No , she told herself with a grim shake of her head. She couldn’t think that way. She wouldn’t lose him. Not now. Not when she’d finally found the courage to let him in and handed him her heart in the process.
Rain beat against the windshield as she turned onto the feeder route that would lead her to Cedarwood Road. She passed the few, slower-moving vehicles in front of her, ignoring the blare of horns when she crossed the double solid line and sent water spraying over them.
Finally, Cedarwood was up ahead. She turned east and sped up the hill, heart hammering. There was no one behind her. She didn’t know how far up Tristan was, but it had to be close to the T at the end.
Cresting another hill, she spotted the vehicles below.
She tapped her earpiece. “Gavin, you copy?”
“I copy.”
“I see them up ahead. The gray car and an SUV are blocking both lanes. Tristan’s truck is...” She swallowed. “The front end is crumpled against a tree. I don’t have a visual on him or anyone else.”
“We’re eight minutes out. Hang back until—”
“There’s no time. I’m going after him.” She tapped her earpiece and pulled over at the far shoulder about fifty yards from the vehicles. Moving fast, she opened her door, weapon up and ready.
She didn’t hear anything except the rain. Didn’t see anything until she crept close enough to see past the damaged rear end of the car. A man was lying face down on the wet pavement near the front of the SUV.
Her heart stopped beating for a moment until her brain computed that he had dark hair. Not Tristan.
Her gaze darted all around as she made her way to him, ready to fire. A pistol lay inches from his right hand. She kicked it away, sent it skidding out of reach under the SUV. The man didn’t so much as twitch. Now she could see the blood spreading around his body.
She moved past him, her breathing unsteady, her insides twisted into a burning knot. Where was Tristan?
Her gaze caught a flash of motion up ahead in the trees. She moved toward it, angling to the right to keep that area in front of her.
A shot ripped through the woods.
Heart in her throat, she raced for the trees, praying she was in time to save Tristan.
****
R ob’s pulse hammered in his ears as he darted through the trees in pursuit of his wounded prey. He had Cassie’s fuck toy pinned down behind a thick cedar trunk thirty yards ahead. The bastard was bleeding bad, the left side of his shirt saturated with blood.
Rob had missed with his last shot, but Abrams hadn’t moved from his spot. The shock and blood loss must be weakening him.
A rush of triumph made goosebumps break out all over his body. Emboldened by the added protection of his plate carrier vest, he slowly moved in for the kill, savoring the moment. Wishing only that Cassie had been here to watch her lover die in front of her.
“Rob!”
He whipped around, searching for the source of that enraged shout.
Cassie. She was here.
But he couldn’t see her amongst the shadows. Where was she?
He kept half of his attention on the tree trunk where Abrams was hiding. Still out of range. But now he was torn. Kill Abrams first to inflict maximum suffering? Or just hunt the bitch down and end her right now?
The burning need for vengeance won out.
Leaving Abrams to keep bleeding on the forest floor, he turned and crept toward the source of Cassie’s voice.
It felt like he’d just taken a hit of premium coke, his heart rate jacked up, his senses sharpened.
He could hear his blood pulsing in his ears, the drip of the rain falling from the trees, the pungent scent of the cedar strong in his nose.
A flicker of movement caught his attention. He whirled to his left and dropped to a crouch. Weapon aimed, finger curled around the trigger. He licked his lips, waiting.
Come on, bitch. Make your move. I’m ready.
His eyes strained to pick out the first hint of her silhouette amongst the shadows. Any second now. Cassie was finally going to get what she deserved.
“Hey, asshole!”
Startled by the voice so close behind him, he whipped around and froze. Cassie stood half in shadow slightly to his right, holding a weapon on him, close enough for complete accuracy.
His heart lurched in terror a split second before a fresh wave of rage punched through him. You bitch.
Baring his teeth, he let out a feral snarl and swung his hands around to fire at her.
He’d barely moved before two shots rang out. He jerked, the breath slamming out of him when the bullets punched through his ribs.
He dropped to one knee on the wet forest floor, clapped a hand to his side as the pain hit. Searing, like acid. Stealing his breath. Distorting his vision.
He looked down, stared in stunned disbelief at the blood spilling from between his fingers. She’d hit him in the small gap between his side plates.
Struggling to stay upright, he looked back at her.
Cassie stood unmoving, cool as ever, weapon pointed at him. Ready to put another round in him.
Burning agony spread through his side, into his chest. He wobbled, struggling to stay upright. His knees buckled.
He hit the ground on his side, a throttled roar ripping through his clenched teeth. Every shallow, rapid breath was torture. He fought through the haze of pain.
Cassie. Have to kill that bitch. She did not get to kill him and walk away.
His weapon was still in his hand. His fingers tightened around it. “Taking you...with me,” he rasped out. His arm shook as he tried to lift it and return fire.
It refused to move.
The weakness spread through him. He was paralyzed. Helpless as he lay there bleeding onto the ground.
He could still see her standing there. Blood rushed up his windpipe from his shattered lung.
He choked. Writhed on the wet ground. Clawed at the top of his plate carrier, trying in vain to get air.
Suffocating. Body jerking. Then he pulled in one desperate breath. And another. Just enough air to regain his senses.
Cassie was stalking toward him, her steps muffled by the debris on the forest floor. That fucking bitch was coming toward him.
His right hand was still curled around the grip of his weapon. He stared up at her face, hatred giving him one final burst of strength.
He waited, unmoving, until she was within easy range. Let her think he was already dead.
Baring his teeth, the metallic taste of blood thick on his tongue, he used the last of his strength to aim the pistol.
Her cold expression was the last thing he saw before a bullet slammed into his forehead.