Boom! Thud!
Her second yelp was more urgent and just before I reached the kitchen door, a single shot echoed in my ears.
Stunned, I threw myself into the kitchen, the weapon in both hands and prepared to fire.
Emmeline was being held by the asshole, his arm around her throat.
She’d managed to shoot him, blood soaking his shirt, yet he’d disarmed her. While the asshole was panting under his black mask, he wasn’t wavering in his firm hold.
“Hiya, honey. How are you enjoying the night?” I could tell she was ready to attack. Right now, a single wrong move and she’d be killed.
I should have known my littleprincipessawasn’t in the mood to be held hostage. “I don’t like the company we have tonight, honey bunchkins.” With that, she elbowed him, freeing herself so I could pull the trigger.
Just as I did, I was tackled from behind. How many of the assholes had been sent to kill or kidnap her? Maybe they’d known I was here. That didn’t bode well for getting the hell out of here if I was right.
Hearing a commotion and her primal yell, I was impressed, even as I struggled to get the fucker off me. We rolled several times, hitting the kitchen table. As soon as I made it to my feet, so did he, his gun pointed toward me at the same time I was aiming at him.
Pop!
A bullet went wild, coming from across the room. Then there was scuffling, which drew the attention of the asshole who was concentrating on ending my life.
Too close to shoot, I was forced to use physical violence. As soon as I issued a hard kick, he threw himself toward me, but I backed away in the nick of time, pummeling his chest with three bullets.
Just as she grunted.
I threw my head toward her, watching in awe as she brought the knife down twice.
On my feet, I rushed to her side, finally pulling her away from him before she turned him into Swiss cheese.
“That’s enough,” I said quietly while pulling her toward me. “He’s dead.”
“I don’t care. I…” Her breathing ragged, she fought me at first before I pulled her around to face me, cradling her body close.
She allowed a single sob as she clung to me, the bloody knife still in her hand. I took deep breaths while scanning the kitchen, on edge in case there was a sixth man.
While I held her, I assessed the situation. They were all dressed in black, all wearing masks. They’d been waiting for her or us to return home. If I had to guess, I’d say their intentions had been to take her with them.
This wasn’t new. She was a more important tool when alive. The kidnapping attempt was about weakening the Prince family. What had to be determined was how anyone had found her. With her telling no one where she’d gone, that ruled out a potential traitor.
A positive in my mind, but that made discovery that much more difficult.
She was shaking, but her hand was wrapped firmly around the sheath of the knife. I finally wrapped my fingers around hers. “Give that to me, honey. You’re fine. We’re both fine.”
Instead of allowing me to take it from her, she backed away, her chest rising and falling from ragged breaths. She glanced into my eyes before surveying the carnage.
“Who the fuck are they?”
Half laughing, I crouched down by the man she’d stabbed to death, ripping off his mask. I didn’t expect to recognize the asshole and doubted I’d learned much from anything in his possession. No big surprise.
There were no discerning marks. Nothing stood out to me at all, other than that he was Caucasian. “That’s what we’re going to try and find out. Are you hurt?”
Shaking her head, I could tell she was disgusted she was wearing the assassin’s blood. “The bastard attacked me. He fucking…”
“Just breathe. We’re okay. Did he say anything?”
“Not a word.”
“Are you okay?”
