Page 92 of Beautiful Sinner

“Fuck it,” Matteo growls and takes off running down the hallway.

Connor shoots at us but Matteo ducks around a corner just in time. The only thing we can hope for now is that someone will stop Connor before he kills us next.

People get out of our way as we run through the confusing hallways of the hospital. When I glance over Matteo’s shoulder, I see that Connor is following us. He raises his gun.

“Get in that room,” I tell Matteo, pointing to a patient room. Matteo dives inside right as Connor fires. The bullet hits the hall we were just in front of.

The patient inside the room is a little girl, who’s sleeping. A woman is with her and she stands up the moment we enter.

“What’s going on?” the mom demands.

“Shit,” Matteo mutters.

“What do we do? If Connor comes in here, he might…” I nod at the girl and her mom.

“I need to fight the fucker.” He sets me down onto my feet.

“Matteo, no. He’ll kill you.”

“Have faith in me. Get in the bathroom. All of you.”

The mom frowns. “I’m calling security. You need to leave.”

Matteo grabs the woman’s arms and shakes her. “You and your daughter need to hide in the bathroom. There is an active shooter out there. He already killed a doctor. And he’s coming for us. Please. I’m trying to save your life here.”

The woman looks stunned but she picks up her daughter and takes her into the bathroom without question.

“Go with her,” he tells me.

“No.” I grab his hand. “It’s you and me together. I’m not leaving you.”

“Then hide. Because I can’t be distracted.”

I nod and hide in a corner, so I can still see him and help if need be, but hopefully Connor won’t see me right away.

Matteo sticks his head out of the room and says, “In here, asshole.” He takes out his own gun and gets it ready.

Connor enters the doorway. “You’re not going to shoot me. Not in here.”

“Think again.” Matteo pulls his trigger and lands a hit to Connor’s shoulder, knocking him back. I can hear the screams of the woman from the bathroom. I feel so bad for her. She’s just an innocent woman trying to save her daughter.

Connor fires back but Matteo dives behind the bed before he’s hit. With a grunt, Connor enters the room, holding onto his bleeding shoulder. He doesn’t even glance in my direction. His eyes are firmly planted on Matteo. He’s the one Connor wants dead.

It gives me an idea. A plastic plate is on a chair near me. It’s used for food but right now, I can use it for something else.

I pick it up and tiptoe towards Connor. He’s starting to round the bed, getting closer and closer to Matteo. If I don’t act now, there’s a good chance he’ll kill Matteo right in this very room.

I don’t hesitate.

The plastic tray slams into Connor’s head, startling him. It clearly doesn’t hurt him but it does the trick. Matteo is able tolunge forward and slam his body into Connor’s, knocking them both to the ground.

Matteo lands punch after punch to Connor’s face, which is still bloody and bruised from hours earlier when Matteo first hit him.

“Matteo,” I say, grabbing his shoulder. “He’s down. Let’s go. Before he gets back up.”

“I need to kill him.”

“Not here. Not in a hospital full of people. I can’t lose you.”