Eric’s words barely broke through the ringing in her ears, and she glanced up to see blood pouring down one arm, a gun poised in his hand. Turning onto her back, she shifted her gaze to Graham. Anger, hot and red, colored his face and his chest expanded with every breath he took. His long body spread out on his side, and his gun trained on Eric’s head.
Eric fell toward the table and rested his heavy frame on the back of a chair. His gun never faltered as it stayed aimed at Graham. “You’re going to pay for that, you dumb shit. I planned on killing you quickly, but not anymore. Now I’ll make you watch while your little whore girlfriend begs for her life.”
Mickey squeezed her eyes shut and tried to erase his words from her mind. She opened them again and glanced at Eric. All of his anger, all of his attention, was focused on Graham. She couldn’t get caught up in the fear that threatened to paralyze her, she had to do something. Using her core, she pulled herself into a sitting position, her legs still stretched out in front of her and her hands on her lap. She slowly inched her feet toward her until her legs were crossed beneath her.
“But first,” Eric said. “I need to make sure you won’t get in the way.” He shifted the barrel of the gun and aimed it at Graham’s kneecap.
“What makes you think I’m going to let you shoot me?” Graham asked, as he got to his feet. “My gun is pointed right at you.”
“Because you’re an idiot in love.”
Mickey jumped up on the balls of her feet, lowered her head, and rushed head first toward Eric’s soft middle. Her aching shoulder connected with the spongy tissue and rammed him hard against the dining room table.
Bang!
A bullet pierced her flesh and pain burned into her chest, spreading like wildfire through her body. She hit the ground hard, but she was so numb she didn’t register the impact. Her eyes blinked and she tried to keep them open. All the air left her lungs, but she didn’t have the energy to fill them back up. She stared up from the floor and darkness misted around her vision.
Bang!
A man’s face hovered over hers and she willed her muscles to move…but it was no use. Her eyes drifted closed and before she gave into the comfort of escape, one thought fluttered through her mind.
She was the idiot in love, and now Graham would never know.
26
Mickey’s body lay limply on the ground, her head turned away from him. Blood oozed on the floor from her wound and his entire world stopped spinning. His heart shattered and the broken pieces ricocheted around his body.
She was gone.
Mickey had grown to become a huge part of his life, and now she was gone before they’d even gotten a chance to have a life together. Before he could tell her he’d fallen in love with her.
Rage battled against the anguish inside him and demanded him to focus. A loud groan caught his attention, and he rushed to the floor and dropped to his knees. Eric withered beside Mickey’s still form, his bad arm reaching for the gun she had knocked from his hand. Eric might have been able to move out of the first shot he’d taken, managing to only get an injured shoulder from the bullet, but he hadn’t been so lucky with Graham’s second shot. Eric wouldn’t be a threat to anyone anymore.
Eric’s bloodshot eyes gazed up at him and he grimaced. “Just kill me already.”
Ignoring his partner’s plea for mercy, he cradled Mickey’s head in his hands, his gun dangled loosely from his fingers. Her limp body melted into his arms and blood coated his skin. No breath fell from her lips, no movement lifted her chest. Eric had done this to her, he’d taken her away.
Graham’s sweat-slicked hands gripped his gun and aimed it at the center of Eric’s forehead. His finger trembled as it grazed the trigger. He squeezed his eyes shut and a scream tore through him. He wanted Eric dead, needed revenge on the lives he’d destroyed…on the ones he’d taken.
“Graham?” A small voice croaked out his name and his eyes flew open.
He glanced up, his eyes searching for the voice speaking his name. Harper lifted his head. Dried blood caked the corner of his lip and ran down the side of his face. He dipped his chin toward the fallen bodies of Mickey and Eric, his eyes intense and focused.
He sighed. Harper was right. Killing Eric wouldn’t solve anything. His body ached to gather Mickey into his arms, but he should make sure his boss was all right before he fell apart. He gently placed Mickey’s head back on the ground and heaved himself to his feet. His eyes bore into her, willing her to move…but it was no use.
His chest tightened and guilt swam in his veins. He should have been here sooner, shouldn’t have missed Eric when he had the chance to take him down. Turning toward Eric, he shot his foot forward and smashed it into his face once, twice, three times. Blood spurted from his nose and his head went lax. Graham lowered his gun and walked around to Harper. He grabbed a switchblade from his pocket and cut the bindings at his wrists and ankles. “Are you okay?”
Harper cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak. A cough rattled through him and he doubled over, gasping forair. Graham pounded on his back, but Harper shook his head, reached around, and pulled at his hand. He lifted a shaking finger, pointed toward Mickey, and Graham’s heart lodged in his throat. Her long eyelashes fluttered and her finger tapped slowly against her palm.
She’s alive.
Hope soared in his chest as he dropped to his knees and pressed his fingers against the delicate skin under her jaw. A weak pulse thudded against his fingers. He whipped his head around the room and his mind raced. He pulled his phone from his pocket and pressed redial.
“911. What’s your emergency?”
“This is Agent Graham Grassi. I need an ambulance and a squad car on Orchard Street. Now.”
“What’s the address, sir?”
