Nash’s eyes narrowed. The door had only opened a few inches. He couldn’t clearly see the figure out there, but a southern drawl dipped in the words, and he could just make out the gray uniform that he’d seen several of the janitorial staff wearing in the building.
“We need help!” Delaney cried. “The elevator just fell and please, please open the door all the way for us so we can get out!”
The doors began to open more. Looked like there were a few different hands prying the doors open.
“Get back, ma’am,” the warm voice instructed. “We’re coming in.”
We’re.
Nash saw the gun muzzle sliding between the opening doors. “Delaney!” Nash roared. He leapt in front of her even as he fired his weapon.
But the man with the southern accent rising and falling in his voice had fired, too. Wild shots because he wasn’t aiming well. There was too much darkness in the elevator.
Delaney screamed.
Nash felt one bullet rip across his left thigh. Felt another burn against his right shoulder.
Dammit.
The doors opened more. The light was behind the bastard outside of the elevator. Correction, bastards. With all that new light, Nash could aim and fire perfectly.
He did. One bullet took out the shooter firing wildly.
The second hit the jerk with him who was reaching for his gun.
Nash knew he and Delaney were sitting ducks in that elevator. They had to move. He grabbed her wrist, pulled her forward, and they jumped over the figures slumped just outside of the elevator. He was going to get her the hell away from that scene.
“Freeze!”
Or, maybe he wasn’t.
Because there were five more men out there. Different ages, races, heights. All wearing the gray uniform of the janitorial crew. All holding guns on Nash. He positioned his body in front of Delaney.
One of the fuckers smiled and said, “Perfect.”
“No!” Delaney broke free of his grip and jumped in front of Nash. “Don’t shoot him!” Delaney shouted.
He’d already been shot, twice. Correction, grazed twice. No bullets were in him. yet.
“You have orders, don’t you? What are they?” she asked frantically. “To take me back to Kurt? How about you take us both back? Don’t kill Nash. Don’t!”
He could take them all down. Well, he could take out at least three of them. The other two might get shots off. And…
Delaney, sweetheart, I’m not so sure they care whether or not you die. They were firing blindly into the elevator. Those blasts could have killed you. I don’t believe we are looking at the best and brightest here.
No matter what, she was not going to stand between him and the enemy. Time to start attacking.
“I’ll come without a fight.” Delaney stepped forward.
The hell she did.
“But Nash doesn’t get shot.”
Again, he’d already been shot at, and the woman who absolutely owned his heart was just offering herself as a shield. Screw that. “You guys all have ten seconds to put down your guns.”
Laughter.
He shoved Delaney behind him.
