“It’s, okay, Leila,” Aria soothed despite the cold sweat evading her body. Beads of moisture formed above her lips. Dizziness swarmed her head. She’d lose consciousness any second now, yet she feared for the other girl’s life.
“Aww, lovely Lula is too chicken shit as usual to do anyth—” A loud crack put an abrupt end to Jay’s goading.
The acrid smell and wisps of gun smoke filled the air. Aria stifled a shocked gasped. Jay’s gaze shifted from Leila to her and then down to his thigh. The knife fell from his hand. “You shot me, bitch,” he screamed, bent, and gripped his knee. His mumbled howls a testament to his obvious pain.
“I hate that freaking name, asshole. Lovely Lula, hah. Guess creativity wasn’t your strongest point.” Leila neared him and spat in his face. “Payback’s a bitch, bastard.” She inched passed him, dropped the gun to the floor, and knelt behind Aria.
A laugh escaped Aria’s quivering lips. She’d used the same words on Jay, back at the cabin.
“God, Aria, you need a hospital, fast.”
“You’re not going anywhere.”
She and Leila looked up. Jay’s face, an ugly contortion of pain and scorn as he bent, picked up the knife, and advanced.
God, could the man drop dead already?Oblivious to the pain in her side, Aria grabbed the gun lying next to her and fired. Jay’s mouth fell open in shock. His knife-wielding hand halted mid-air for a second before he glanced down. The cream pants instantly darkened at the crotch as the knife clattered to the floor. In agonized slow motion, Jay’s eyes widened, face paralyzed in horror. His green gaze hooked on Aria’s before he shrieked. His hands on his crotch, he dropped in a writhing heap. Blood, the color of dark ink, quickly oozed out. If she hadn’t torn his cock to pieces this time, then he ruled as the devil incarnate. And if the gunshot didn’t kill him soon, the knowledge he may never be a whole man again might. The gun still warm in her hands slipped from her fingers.
“He’ll probably pass out in a minute,” Leila said.
“Me too.” Aria’s lips trembled with the words.
“Nothing’s happening to us, Aria. We’re safe now.” Leila dropped a soft kiss to her cheek. She pushed aside the damp wisps of hair that stuck to Aria’s brow. “I need to get his phone.”
“Will you be okay?”
“Are you kidding? After what you went through for eight years and survived? It gives me hope to live. Now rest. I’ll call for help.”
Aria nodded. Leila stood, crossed the floor, and pulled back the curtains. Instant brightness flooded the room. The other woman approached a now unconscious Jay and searched his pockets for his phone. Aria sighed. She camouflaged her worry over the severity of her injury with happy images of Reece and Prisha. Jay was no longer a threat. Another minute passed. She finally surrendered to the darkness.
Chapter Twenty Seven
“Reece, we’ve searchedeverywhere. How many more places do you want to check?”
“As many as it takes, bro.” Reece studied the snowy landscape as Jace left the roads of Shadow Valley behind and drove deeper into the mountain recess.
“It’s getting dark and not much to see.”
