The gun.
The haze of fear lifted, and I caught the glimmer of the silver revolver still protruding from the waistband of Killian’s jeans. I lunged for it, tugging it out of his pants. With my hands shaking, I pointed it at Stanford Davenport, the man who’d nearly ruined my life.
Because he didn’t actually ruin it. I’d gotten this far all on my own, in spite of everything. And I’d become damned stronger despite him.
I’d survived.
I cocked the hammer back and leveled it right between his cold, cruel eyes. I needed to end this. Now. “Let him go,” I snarled.
“No, Lexi, don’t!” Killian’s anguished cry cut through the chaos in my mind. He turned those blazing emerald orbs on me, and the fear buried below the jeweled surface halted my trembling finger on the trigger.
With the few inches of space Stan had gained from Killian’s distraction, he stretched his arm out, reaching for the pistol just a hair's breadth away.
“No!” I shouted.
Killian leapt out of the way, and I dropped the muzzle a few inches south and squeezed.
I held my breath as the bullet sped through the air.
A satisfying scream tore from Stan’s mouth as blood blossomed across the crotch of his khaki pants.
“You bitch!” he cried as he curled into the fetal position, cupping his balls. Another string of curses burst free as he writhed in pain.
“Try molesting an innocent girl now without a cock, you sick asshole.” I tossed the gun to the floor, and a wave of relief rolled through me.
Killian grabbed Stan’s pistol and shoved it into his back pocket before he leapt at me, jerking me into his arms. “Fuck, Red, thank God you’re okay. What were you thinking?”
His mouth claimed mine before I could get a word out.
I kissed him hard, all the fear and anger pouring into that one fiery moment. “I love you, Killian, I love you so damned much. I could never stand losing you, no matter the cost.”
“Red, I’d die a thousand times over so that you could live.” Every word felt like a vow. “I’m so damned proud of the woman you’ve become, and your mom would’ve been too. I’ve loved you since we were kids, and letting you go was the biggest mistake of my life.” He framed my face with his strong hands, eyes pinned to mine. “I just want to be with you, nothing else matters. I hope you won’t mind living on our little boat and surviving off ramen and peanut butter and jelly for the next two years.”
Ourlittle boat.
Of that entire heartfelt monologue,thatwas what I focused on. Our future. My heart soared at those beautiful words and the look in Killian’s eyes. “It sounds perfect.”
A gunshot cracked through the room.
All the air vanished from my lungs.
Killian’s eyes blew wide, then something in them dimmed. His weight sagged against me.
“Killian!” Panic sliced through my chest.
He turned, already fading, already slipping. His hand found the pistol like instinct, like muscle memory.
He fired a second shot.
Stan’s head snapped back, blood painting the wall behind him.
And then Killian dropped.
CHAPTER 51
I’LL NEVER LEAVE YOU
Killian
