“No, I didn’t,” Andrea denied, but no one seemed to be paying attention to her.There was a stand-off, and she was in the middle of it.She could use the guys’ help right about now.
“Just give me the drive and the money.Keep the lying bitch.”
Andrea was angry at being called that derogatory word, even though she knew it wasn’t directed at her but at Holly.If the woman wasn’t dead already, Andrea would give her sister a stern talking to for putting her in this position.
“All you’ll get from me is a quick death.”
The air thickened with tension.A pin drop could have been heard until suddenly all hell broke loose.Andrea didn’t know who shot first, but once the first shot was fired, several more went off.Andrea stomped her heel on the buyer’s instep.As soon as he released her, she dropped to the ground and hid under the table.
One of the buyer’s guards collapsed next to her.She could see the drive clenched in one fist.She crawled to the edge of the table and reached for it.
As soon as she had her fingers wrapped around it, someone grabbed the hair at the back of her head and dragged her up to her knees.It was Carlos.
His face was covered in blood.It didn’t appear to be his but someone else’s.“You fucking bitch,” he spat in her face, then his eyes widened.“You’re not Holly.”
Shit.
He lifted his gun toward her head.“You die anyway.”Andrea felt paralyzed with fear even though she knew she should be doing something.Anything to get away, but she couldn’t move.She just stood there like a deer caught in the headlights.She wished Jack were here so she could at least see him one last time and tell him how she felt.Now she was going to die, and he thought she didn’t love him.She did.She realized that now, too little too late.
A gun fired, and Andrea jumped when Carlos’s body jerked and a bloom of red spread across his chest.He looked down in confusion before dropping to his knees.
“Andrea,” she heard her name being called.There was a franticness to the voice, almost like fear.
Andrea turned to see who had called her but froze again when she came face to face with the buyer, his gun aimed right at her chest.He was also covered in blood, but some of it looked like his.“Where is the drive?”
Before Andrea could reply, someone tackled the buyer from the side just as a shot rang out.Andrea jumped and felt over her body to see if she was injured but couldn’t find anything.She felt someone touch her shoulder.She spun ready to punch, the paralyzing fear finally leaving her.She was getting tired of people putting guns in her face.
“Easy,” Luke said as he held a hand up in surrender.
Andrea’s legs threatened to buckle.Someone not trying to kill her.“Where’s Jack?”She looked around for him.The fight was dwindling down.Carlos’s men were dead or subdued as were the buyers’.
Luke didn’t say but pointed to two men wrestling around on the ground.Andrea watched transfixed as Jack moved fluidly like water, punching and evading hits from the buyer.
“Jack, wrap it up,” Luke called out.
With one punch, Jack knocked the buyer out and then restrained him.
“Building secure,” Luke announced.Andrea didn’t know who he was talking to until she noticed his earpiece.Before she could ask about it, she was wrapped up into warm strong arms she’d know anywhere.
“Let me look at you.”Jack’s hands moved over her body in a clinical manner.
“I’m not hurt.Scared but not hurt,” she assured him.
“Thank fuck for that,” Jack replied before pulling her in for a toe-curling kiss.She eagerly responded until there was a clearing of a throat.
“Sorry to break this up, but PD is on the way.Two minutes out.”
“So not as quiet as we hoped,” Jack commented, looking around.Andrea did too and couldn’t hide her grimace at the damage they’d caused.She wondered who was going to pay for that.
“I’ll run interference.Start extracting to the vehicles.Use the emergency exit.Has the drive been recovered?”
Andrea held it up.
“Thank you for everything.”Luke smiled warmly at her, and Andrea felt proud of what she had done though it hadn’t been much.He took the drive and stepped away before he started issuing more orders, but Andrea’s focus was on Jack who just stared at her.Love radiated in his eyes so loud it was a wonder she hadn’t seen it before.
“I love you,” she blurted out and winced.So not how she’d planned on telling him.
Jack’s eyes widened.“Andrea,” he said her name as if in pain.
