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Then the sudden, ear-piercing gunshot.

That’s when everything freezes. When my heart forgets to beat. When my lungs refuse to pull in air. When I’m sure I’ve watched the one good thing—the one decent, pure creature I’ve met—being ripped from this life.

But a second later I register David dropping dead on the stage, half of his head blown off.

June reacts before the guards have the chance, sucking in a gasp before shouting over our heads. “Sophia!”

Theo takes advantage of one guard’s stunned reaction, knocking him out with a single blow, using the guard’s gun to neutralize him. I attack the other as he rushes the stage, tripping him up and kicking the gun from his hand before reaching down, taking his head in my hands, and giving it a quick jerk that makes his neck snap loudly.

All that leaves is a trembling, gasping June. “Oh my God,” she whispers over and over while I search David’s pockets for the handcuff keys. When I find them, I free her, gladly catching her when she falls into my arms. We sink to the floor, wrapped in each other, her heart pounding against my chest.

“What did he do to you?” Pulling my head back, I search her face, my hands roaming her body for any signs of injury.

“Nothing. I’m all right, I really am.” She’s beaming, glowing, looking over my shoulder to stare in awe at Sophia. “She is incredible.”

“What took you so long?” Theo demands of her while I help June to her feet.

“Hey, she kind of saved my life just now. Maybe be a little more polite,” June suggests with hero worship shining in her blue eyes.

“I’m used to it,” Sophia assures her. “Forgive me if I didn’t immediately barge in here and announce my presence, Theo.” Stepping up to the body, Sophia scoffs. “I never did like him. Good riddance.”

“Fantastic,” June whispers in awe.

Then she looks at me, blurting out a high-pitched laugh. “You know something? This is going to make a hell of a book one day.”

Sophia gives her an approving nod, eyes twinkling. “I like your spirit.”

“And I could die right now of happiness,” June sighs.

“Don’t do that,” I tell her, fighting the desire to touch all of her, every inch, if only to erase David from her. “We went to all this trouble to save you.”

“We better get her out of here,” Theo announces. He eyes Sophia, and it’s clear the wheels are turning in his head. “Do you need help bringing in guys to clean this up?”

“I might,” she confesses with a scowl. “I’m not sure how willing my father’s men will be to listen to me. Sexist pigs.”

“I’ll see if I can help you with that,” he offers. She arches an eyebrow but doesn’t turn down the suggestion.

“Come on.” With an arm around June’s waist, I begin leading her from the room so she can leave all this behind.

And it hits me. This isn’t all she can leave behind now.

I hardly dare to look at her. Here I am, having just ended the life of a man whose name I don’t even know, with absolutely no hesitation, no twinge of conscience. But I can’t bring myself to look at this girl when I remind her of the obvious. “You know, it’s over now. You can go home. You can go back to your life and your family.”

Her footsteps falter, but she quickly catches herself. “That’s right,” she murmurs, leaning against me. “I can go now.”

“I can put you on a plane tomorrow morning.”

She comes to a stop at the threshold of the club, chewing her lip like she’s undecided. “No, you can’t.”

I can hardly believe it. She can’t mean it. Can she? “What do you mean?”

“I don’t have my ID anymore. They’ll never let me on a plane without it.”

Right. There I was, assuming she meant something else. How pathetic. “We can work around that. Maybe Sophia can charter you a jet. I’ll pay her back.”

Still, June hesitates before stepping outside. “I don’t feel like picking up a staph infection in my bare feet,” she confesses with a grimace.

There’s nothing to do but pick her up in my arms, holding her close to my chest. The weight of her body is much too welcome, as is the weight of her head on my shoulder.