Page 83

Inside was thick darkness, and she struggled to see anything. As he started forward, she had to trust that he wouldn’t let her trip over anything.
Sawyer held up his phone, and turned the flashlight function on.
Oh. The entire floor was open, dotted with pillars, construction tools, and drywall stacked in piles. It looked like someone was turning multiple apartments into one large place.
“Come on.” He set off across the floor. She followed him, her eyes adjusting to the gloom of the city light filtering in through the windows.
They hadn’t gone far when she heard voices behind them.Oh, no. Whoever was behind this had just entered the floor.
Sawyer extinguished the light and pulled her down behind…something. She thought it was a stack of bricks.
His warm lips pressed to her ear. “Quiet.”
Like she planned to make any noise. Biting her lip, she waited. She heard the sounds of people moving in the darkness. They were talking to each other in low, hushed voices. In Russian.
She squeezed her eyes closed. Reuben. These guys had to belong to him. The sound of footsteps got closer. She tensed, fear trickling down her spine.
“Stay down,” Sawyer murmured.
A man stepped right in front of them. She saw his dark boot.
Then Sawyer sprang up like a jaguar.Thud. Thud. Oh, man. Heart hammering in her throat, she listened to the vicious blows as he attacked. Someone grunted in pain, and she prayed it wasn’t Sawyer. The pair were just a giant shadow as they whirled and wrestled with each other. She heard another man shout across the space.
Hollis bit her lip and felt around on the floor. Her hand closed over a brick.
Sawyer broke free and slammed a hard kick into his opponent’s gut. The man flew back, tripping over a pile of tools.
Then the second man appeared out of the darkness, shouting in Russian, a gun aimed at Sawyer.
No. Emotions exploded inside her, her lungs locking. She couldn’t lose this man. This good, honorable hero.
The newcomer stepped closer, right in front of her. He had no idea that she was crouched right at his knee.
He shouted again, and she knew that any second, he’d fire his weapon.
She leaped forward, swinging the brick. She crashed into him, the brick hitting his knee. He yelped and they both fell to the concrete floor. The gun went off.
Ears ringing, she tried to free herself. She was tangled up with the guy.
Then she was lifted free.
“Hollis? Are you hit?”
Sawyer’s voice was sharp, urgent. She looked up into his angry face.
“I’m fine.”
“What thehellwere you doing?”
“Saving you.”
He cocked his head. “I told you to stay hidden.”
“I couldn’t let him shoot you!”
More gunfire sounded from the other side of the floor.
Sawyer reacted before she could even think. He slammed into her, and they hit the dusty concrete floor. He moved into a crouch, then pulled her behind a stack of gear.