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“What, never been gutted or shot before?” I taunted, taking my boot off him.
“Just like I’ll do to your mother?—”
I slammed my boot into his face, knocking him out.
Bloodlust curdled my stomach. Oh, I remembered now.
“Your fuckbuddy Knox is gonna join his brother over there. That was my bullet, by the way.”
Heel was the one who just ran after Caroline.
It was revenge time.
I pocketed the gun Abel tossed me and grabbed one just in time before a Wolverine snatched it up. I ducked out of reach and shot him in the neck, painting the wall beside him crimson. It faded away like background noise.
I was totally unaware of my surroundings now. I could have been wading through a sea of blood for all I knew. The only thing that mattered was killing Heel.
The metal stairs banged and shook as I took them two at a time to hit the top floor?—
Heel had a gun to Caroline’s neck.
She looked terrified.
I had never seen her look that scared before.
It made me want to pick Heel apart body part by body part.
“There he is,” Heel crooned, grinning crookedly. “Royal Flush here for revenge. Nah, nah, put the gun down before I?—”
“If you’re going to kill someone, kill them—don’t stand there talking about it.”
Bang!
Caroline’s scream was cut short.
Heel’s dead body went limp, then tipped backward over the rail and fell ten feet down. The sound of impact was not pleasant, but still satisfying.
I rushed over to yank Caroline to my chest, holding her like I wanted to absorb her, and leaned over to see Heel. Just in case, I put two bullets in his chest.
My chest heaved for breath as emotion swelled strong enough to choke me. “That’s for Gabriel.”
Caroline pulled away and grabbed my shirt collar, tugging me down to kiss me, sloppy and desperate. It shock-started me to my senses.
“Care,” I breathed, finding myself eye to eye with her. “Tell me you’re okay.”
“I’m not hurt, but I’m not okay either,” she snapped. She was wired with adrenaline, but otherwise well. “When this is over, I’m booking a spa session.”
I grinned. “Bet I’m coming, baby girl.”
She slapped me across the face. “Stop flirting. Go kill my dad.”
“Yes, ma’am. Stay here.”
“I’m coming.”
“Shit, woman, you’re a living, breathing contradiction! Fuck it, let’s go.”
Caroline followed me into the continuing fray. And it had only gotten worse.