Sloane unbuckles and falls to the passenger side before standing with a gun aimed at the driver’s side that is in the air.Hayes reaches behind me and pulls something up to cover me.I realize it’s a bulletproof vest.
I hear the saw before I see the blade cut through the door.Sloane waits until the door is opened before he fires his gun.There’s a grunt, and then bullets fly around the cab of the vehicle.
“Come out with no guns, or we’ll kill you all,” a thick Irish-accented voice says.
“Broderick, Paddy is on his way.He will kill you for this.”
“I’m already a dead man as far as he’s concerned.I know he has Eireen.She’ll tell him about his parents.So, he will kill me.Save yourself, Hayes, and come out with the Russian bitch.”
“You’ll have to kill me.”
“No, Hayes.”I look up at him.“I don’t want you to die for me.”
“Listen to her, Hayes.Save yourself.”
I lower my voice.“Is he really on his way?”
Hayes nods.
“Send him to find me.”I hold up my wrist with all the bangles on it, knowing Patrick will find me.“I’ll come out, but you can’t hurt my guards anymore,” I yell loud for Broderick to hear me.
“I agree,” Broderick says.
“I don’t agree to this,” Hayes says.
“I won’t have any more deaths because of me.”
I unbuckle my belt and stand up.Pain radiates throughout my body, but I have to ignore it to make it through this.I just hope my baby is safe.
Arms reach in, and Hayes reaches up to take them so that he’s pulled out first.He reaches in to help me up.As he pulls me close, he whispers in my ear.“Stay alert.I don’t trust him.Patrick will find you.”
As soon as Hayes has me off the side of the SUV and I’m walking toward Broderick, I hear gunfire and swing around.
“Hayes,” I yell when I see him on the ground.
I start to run for him, but I’m grabbed hard by a man I recognize as one of Patrick’s soldiers.His grip is right over my bruised flesh from March.He pulls me away, and I’m twisted around to face another man.He’s about five-foot-nine.In my heels, I’m looking him eye to eye.
“So, you’re the bitch my nephew is ready to start a war for.”
“Patrick will kill you for this.”
“Oh, sweetie, he’s going to kill me for so much more.But him watching you die will be my revenge.”He looks at the soldier.“Do you have the signal jammer for her bracelet?”
“Yeah.I heard Hayes gave it to her a couple of weeks ago, after the shooting.”
“That’s where I know you from.”I spit at the soldier.“You were there after Patrick was almost shot.You’re dead too.”
“I don’t care.You and your tainted blood are going to ruin our family.”He grips my jaw tightly.“But I’m going to enjoy finding out why Paddy had to keep you.”
None of them know we’re married.I don’t wear my rings at work, so they aren’t on my fingers.But the fact they have a signal jammer means that neither Hayes’s nor Patrick’s bracelets will be able to help me.I also realize my phone is in the inner pocket of my wool jacket I’m wearing.No wonder they aren’t taking it from me.Broderick steps over to an Escalade and starts to get in.
“Put her in the trunk of the car.When we get to the yard, move her into the car.He won’t make it on time.Let’s get out of here before he shows up.”
The soldier drags me to a large, old vehicle that saw its better days about twenty years ago and opens the trunk.It’s huge, and he pushes me toward it.
“Don’t make me hit you.Get in.”
I’m about to fight him when I see the signal jammer in the trunk.I climb in and use my coat to cover it so he doesn’t realize it’s there.If I can figure out how to turn it off, Patrick will be able to find me.
