What he did do was slam the heel of his foot against the door, next to the knob.
Splintered wood flew all around him. One piece may have struck his cheek, but he was too busy racing to the back of the apartment.
Racing to save the woman who owned his heart and soul.
With his gun pointed at his partially opened door, his finger itched to pull the trigger the second the bastard came into his view.
Eric flung his bedroom door open...and saw his worst nightmare come to life.
Riley was on her stomach, her ankles and wrists bound to his bed. Hayes was straddling her waist, strangling her with a fucking rope.
He didn’t announce himself or give a warning. He slid his finger down, pulled the trigger, and fired every bullet he had into Gregory Hayes.
The man’s body jerked with each hit, eventually letting go of the rope and sliding off the far side of his bed. The loud thud he made when he hit the carpet was music to Eric’s ears.
“Riley!” He ran to her.
She wasn’t moving.
“Help me get these off of her!” He holstered his weapon, screaming to whoever would listen.
The same way Riley had screamed for them to help when Maggie had been held by the same monster he’d just killed.
Using the key from his own cuffs, Eric tried to control the trembling in his hands as he released her wrists. First one, and then the other.
Derek and Cap were working on freeing her ankles, which took longer since the knots in the ropes had been pulled tight.
“Baby?” He pulled the rope away from her neck. Her eyes were closed, and...God! Her neck was already starting to bruise.
Holding his breath, Eric started to press his fingers to her neck to check for a pulse when she moaned.
“Eric?” Her voice was rough and scratchy from the trauma Hayes inflicted.
It was the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard.
Fighting the urge to bawl like a fucking baby, Eric turned to Derek and yelled, “Call an ambulance!”
But his brother was shaking his head. “They just pulled up. Cap said he called them on the way here, but they got stuck in traffic.”
Just like they had.
If he’d been a minute later...thirtysecondslater...
“Thought he k-killed you.” Tears fell from Riley’s eyes.
“I’m okay.” He leaned over and kissed her hair. “We both are.”
Riley pushed herself up on shaky arms.
“Don’t move. You should wait until the—”
His strong-headed woman was already sitting up.
“Hayes?”
Eric glanced over to where they guy’s body still lay. “Don’t worry. He can’t hurt you or anyone else.”
Not ever again.
