Jason hadn’t put his gun away, and there was nothing but chaos behind his eyes.
The memory of him killing the man in that hotel bathroom flooded my mind, but that was different. That man had been armed, and he’d shot in self-defense.
He looked like he wanted to execute Frey.
“No,” I said softly. “No.”
He glanced at me, and he looked so off balance, I wasn’t sure even he knew what he was doing.
“No,” I repeated.
“He doesn’t deserve to live.”
“I know.” My heart thudded painfully. “But he’s taken so much already.” The man I loved could not be a murderer. “Don’t let him take you, too.”
48
JASON
When it was madeclear I wasn’t walking out of here with Frey in my custody, a darkness screamed at me to put two bullets in the man’s head. That even with that, Frey would be getting off easy for all the damage he’d done.
Especiallyto the woman I loved.
The last four weeks had been a living hell. I’d gone mad with fear for Laurel’s life, and it had been sleepless night after sleepless night, with nothing but crushing hopelessness. The cause of all this was only inches from the barrel of my gun, whose trembling made his handcuffs rattle against the post.
I sensed how conflicted she was about this. That part of her wanted his death as much as I did. But I might lose my life doing this, or worse yet, I might lose her.
Whatever happens, you stay with me,I’d told her once. But would she be able to if I did this?
The steady thump of rotors grew in the distance.
I didn’t follow orders or ask permission, not until I’d met her. And the desperate plea in her eyes was a request I would obey.
I hesitantly lowered my gun.
“I suggest you two get out of here,” Plavko said, rising from his seat. “We don’t want anyone asking questions.”
I gestured to the man shivering on the floor. “What’s going to happen to him?”
“Nothing good, trust me. You won’t hear from him again.” He ticked his head toward the door. “Go.”
The helicopter sounded like it was hovering over the house, meaning we had to move now. I gave him a final look, a mixture of an apology, gratitude, and a warning that he’d better keep his promise.
I took Laurel’s hand and we fled from the darkened room. She didn’t look back at the handcuffed man who kept saying her name over and over again.
He didn’t have any power over her.
She ran as fast as she could in the wedding dress and her weakened state, and I considered holstering my gun and carrying her the rest of the way, but—no. There was no way that would be faster.
I followed her down the stairs to the garage and snatched a set of keys to a Mercedes off a hook.
A heartbeat later, I had us peeling out of the garage and charging down the winding road. Every second put more space between us and the Killer Egg helicopter hovering over the house, the one that thankfully didn’t follow us.
The sound of rotors faded. We seemed to be in the clear, and she either sensed it, or knew by the way my death grip relaxed on the steering wheel.
“I love you, Jason.”
I had half a mind to pull over right then on the side of the road and rip the wedding dress off her. But when I glanced over to tell her how much I loved her, concern replaced all my thoughts.
