Page 141 of Power of Shadow

I’m still torn between anger at what she hid from me and gratitude that she’s still standing in front of me alive.

“You shot me,” I gasp and bow my head. My forehead touches hers, and I close my eyes.

“I didn’t—”

The office door opens again, and Eli and Theo rush in. Both are armed. They’re prepared for the worst.

“What the hell is going on here?” Eli shouts.

I say the first thing that comes to mind when I see the two of them. “You’re fucked.”

“It’s my fault,” Ash explains quickly. “I incapacitated them.”

I give her a sharp look. “I have no doubt about that. But they should have known better than to fall for your defenseless and innocent little face.”

“You’re hurt,” Theo chimes in.

“Yeah, but it’s nothing. The bullet went right through my arm,” I respond, causing Ash to roll her eyes. Then I laugh. Maybe it’s the blood loss? “My woman shot me.”

Ash’s frightened eyes wander to the boys. “I didn’t mean to. I wanted to kill James, and he got in my way,” she complains. Her tempting lips take on a sulky expression.

Eli and Theo finally notice James lying on the floor. I laugh like a madman, and Ash looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. Maybe I have.

I’m finally free.

“I’ll tell you everything later. Right now, we need to get out of here.” My arm goes around Ash, and Eli tosses me the car keys.

“What do you want to do with this mess?” asks Eli, his eyes still fixed on my father.

Standing at the door, I stare at the cursed skull-shaped doorknob and know.

So many times I walked out of here as a child, thinking I would never escape. Now I’m leaving for the last time.

I turn my head to the boys. “Get rid of his people. Search the house and then burn everything to the ground. I don’t want a single wall left standing.”

“What about him?” Theo points to the corpse.

“Let him go to hell with all the rest of it,” I say, feeling relieved.

“Ash,” Eli calls to her. He nods at my shoulder. “Good girl.” And then, he and Theo burst out laughing.

Shaking my head, we leave. The body of one thug lies in the hallway. Before we reach the car, we find more bodies. They look like a trail leading us to freedom.

“I can’t believe you shot me,” I say with a laugh, getting into the car.

“I can’t believe you stood on the other end of my anger.”

“Never again, my Little Killer.”

Chapter 33

Ashley

With trembling hands, I hold the steering wheel and keep pressing the gas pedal. I can’t stop my fear from growing with every passing minute. Every now and then I glance at Ryker, and each time he seems paler and paler.

Hurry up!

“Which hospital should I go to?” My voice betrays my instability, and I curse myself in my mind.