“You can have her once I’m done here and I get the information I need.” Moreno chuckled when he checked out the expression on Chris’s face. “A little deeper and I might hit the carotid artery. Have anything to say, loverboy?”
“He doesn’t know anything,” Meg sobbed, still trying to protect him even with the knife digging into her neck. His gut twisted. Was her sob from pain or fear--or a little of both? What could he do that wouldn’t get them both killed?
“Well, someone knows something and they better tell me quickly because we’re running out of time.”
Meg’s shoulders shook as the knife dug deeper. He gritted his teeth as blood dripped from her neck.Wait for backup, it’s what you’ve been trained to do.But Meg was in danger. He couldn’t sit still, couldn’t let her down. He was her white knight for Pete’s sake. And he loved her.He loved her. It hit him like a mortar attack. If anything happened to her he wouldn’t be the same. Hehadn’tbeen the same since he’d met her. He needed her in his life.
“Okay,” he yelled as Meg’s pain filled eyes reached out carving a path through his heart. “I’ll tell you. Move away from her and I’ll tell you everything.”
“Finally.” Moreno threw Meg on the floor where she crumpled into a ball. She didn’t look good. Too much blood oozed from her wound. Had the knife done more damage as Moreno pushed her away?
“Okay, give.” Moreno took a few steps toward him, lifted the bloody knife he’d held to Meg’s neck and waved it in front of his face. Sonny’s gun was still aimed directly at his head.
Chris took a deep breath sneaking a swift glance in Meg’s direction. Damn. She wasn’t moving. He looked back at Moreno and said, “The Feds are moving in on your shipment that’s coming in through pier 12 at the marina.” He named off the operation that was least important in the whole scheme of things.
Moreno threw him a deadly look. “How do you know this?”
Despite the risk, he squared his jaw and answered, “Because I’m a federal agent.”
Moreno’s fist flew through the air connecting with his jaw, snapping his head back. Pain exploded throughout and he knew he’d be sporting a few bruises too, if he lived through this.
Moreno threw a few more hits before he commanded, “Barone, go and tell them to hold the delivery.”
The knife hovered in front of Chris’s face. “Well, since kidnapping a federal agent is as bad as killing one, I guess it doesn’t matter what we do to you, does it?”
Moreno glanced at Sonny who gave a satisfied smirk as he screwed on a silencer. He moved around so he faced Chris, an eerie chuckle slipping from his mouth. The gun pointed straight at his face. How the hell could he get out of this one? Could he rush the guy?
Before he could move, Meg pulled herself from the floor and plowed into Sonny. Chris grabbed Moreno and slugged him.Damn that felt good. He hit him once more but as he turned back toward Sonny, heat seared through his shoulder. Stumbling backwards he fell to his knees. Barone had returned, pointing a gun straight at him. Sonny staggered to his feet turning the gun on Meg who had fallen back to the floor in a heap.
He steadied himself and leveled the weapon at Meg. Chris struggled to his feet crying out, “No.”
Sonny snarled, an evil grin slashing across his features. Chris could do nothing but watch as the man’s finger squeezed the trigger. He lurched in their direction as the door burst open and several agents and local cops rushed in. Dave took one look at Sonny and pumped a bullet into his arm. He dropped the gun and clutched at his wound.
Chris stumbled toward Meg while the Feds and cops relieved Moreno, Barone, and Sonny of their weapons and cuffed them.
He dropped to his knees beside her. The blood still ran from her neck so he reached up grabbing a cloth napkin from the bar then pressed it against her throat. He scooped her into his lap, yelling, “Get an ambulance here, now.”
Philip nodded crouching down next to them. “It just got here. The paramedics are right behind us.”
He looked into Meg’s pain-filled eyes and gave her an uncertain smile. She lifted one hand to touch his shoulder and mumbled weakly. “You’re hurt.”
His left shoulder bled but he didn’t feel the wound or even care. Meg was his primary concern right now. “It’s fine. You’re going to be fine, too.” He had to believe it, couldn’t live without her.
“You came after me,” she whispered, appearing weaker as he held her. “Thank you.”
“Of course I did. It’s my job to rescue you. Can’t have them throw me out of the union again.”
When she didn’t respond to his joke he panicked. Her eyes fluttered and fear swept through him. Where were those damn paramedics? She had to have medical attention, now. He held her closer, his good hand still pressing against her wound. “Stay with me, sweetie. Don’t leave me, okay. You’re going to be fine. Stay here with me. Please.”
His voice cracked a bit with those last words. Her eyes closed and her body sagged against him. No, she couldn’t leave him. He needed her, far more than he’d ever needed anyone. His lungs seized up and he wasn’t sure his heart was pumping anymore. Meg’s slow pulse beat against the hand he held to it. Too weak. He prayed for it to keep going. What would he do if it didn’t? He moved in closer, softly pleading, “Meg, hold on. I can’t lose you.” Emptiness flooded through him as he whispered, “I love you.”
Her body was unresponsive. She hadn’t heard him. Why hadn’t he told her before now? He’d been trying to be so damned professional. Of course he hadn’t even realized the extent of his feelings until he thought he might lose her. Was it too late?
Looking down again, he pressed his lips to her forehead willing her to be okay. Moisture caused his sight to blur and he closed his eyes tight forcing the wetness to recede. Tears? No, he didn’t cry. And he couldn’t now. He had to be strong for Meg. She needed his strength to get through this. What would he do if she didn’t? He couldn’t even fathom the answer to that.
It was only a minute, though it felt like hours, before the paramedics arrived and began to work on Meg. He moved aside only far enough for them to reach her. He insisted he keep his hand on her neck to try and stem the bleeding while they checked her out and started an IV. Once they realized he wouldn’t let them look at his wound until she was okay, they loaded Meg onto a stretcher and allowed him to accompany her in the ambulance.
Keeping up a running dialogue the whole way to the hospital, he willed her to hold on. She was unconscious but he hoped she could feel his presence and his love. The paramedic who rode in the back with them continually asked if he could take a look at the injury on his shoulder but Chris was adamant. He didn’t want to release the pressure on Meg’s wound for even a tiny amount of time. They’d bandaged it yes, but he couldn’t allow her to lose any more blood. It might mean losing her.
