Caspian crouched low and began shuffling backward, shielding Verena with his body as he moved. Then his sixth sense began to sparkle like a live wire.
Verena had never been so scared. Not in her LAPD career, and not even when she’d realized what Hearts United was truly capable of. But now, pinned in a small alley behind a man she didn’t know, one who moved like a predator, her nerves were stretched to their breaking point.
Who the hell was he? And how had he known Mia was coming?
Verena hadn’t warned him. She hadn’t signaled anything, at least not intentionally. But she had looked. It had been a reflex, a split-second glance toward the street when she’d seen Mia walking up. She’d been desperate to get someone’s attention. Had this been enough to tip him off?
And then he’d moved so damn fast.
Just raw efficiency.
And not only when he’d thrown her out of the way and drew his weapon, but also when he’d disarmed her earlier like it was second nature.
As if he’d done that a hundred times before.
Verena crouched low, her ribs aching from when she’d hit the ground hard. She risked a peep past the man’s shoulder. Mia was still behind the cover of the stone edge of the building, likely calculating her next move.
The man, whoever he was, was protecting her. That much was clear. But why? He could have left her behind. Hell, he should have. But he hadn’t. He’d placed himself between her and Mia’s line of fire. Which meant one thing.
He needs me.
That realization sent Verena’s mind into high gear.
I have leverage.
She didn’t know who he was, but she knew leverage when she saw it. The question was whether it meant anything. If she decided to help the man escape, Mia would come after her.
She’s gonna hunt me down. And that bitch’s relentless.
Verena had a decision to make. And it came down to one simple but very important question: Who terrified her more?
She didn’t even have to think.
Mia. And Hearts United.
With her decision made, Verena’s muscles tensed. The man was four feet in front of her, walking backward, his eyes scanning the alley’s mouth. She could see the corded muscles in his arms, the tension in his neck. He wasn’t focused on her, but on Mia.
Move, Verena. Now!
She waited half a beat, then moved.
Twisting her hips, she kicked out with her right foot, targeting the back of his rear leg.
It should have worked. It should have tripped him as he stepped back. But the man turned at the last second, as if he’d read her mind. He raised his leg, and her feet swung into nothing just as the man pivoted and pistol-whipped her on the side of her head.
White exploded across her vision, but somehow, she stayed upright.
And that’s when she saw Mia, stepping out from the corner, pistol raised.
Caspian moved without thought, pure instinct taking over the second Verena tried to trip him. As she kicked out, he raised his leg and pivoted toward her, his pistol already arcing downward. The steel of the barrel connected with the side of her head. Before he could reassess, movement drew his eye as Mia stepped out from behind the building, gun already raised.
Caspian grabbed a fistful of Verena’s collar and hauled her upright, rotating behind her as he brought his weapon up in one hand. It wasn’telegant, but it was fast, and it put something—well, someone—between him and the barrel pointed in his direction.
The woman with the green blouse was the first to get off a shot. Caspian felt the impact slam into Verena’s body, a brutal transfer of force that jerked her back into him. A second round followed an instant later, thudding lower, somewhere in the vicinity of Verena’s abdomen. Her body jolted again, and a shallow gasp escaped her lips.
Still holding his pistol with only one hand, and with Verena sagging in his grip, Caspian squeezed the trigger twice. His shots went wide, once again impacting the wall near the edge of the building, chipping stones. By the time he realigned, the woman was gone.
In front of him, Verena’s body slipped from his grip, crumpling to the pavement. Heart hammering in his chest, Caspian scanned the alley. It was clear.
