Page 84

Bullets peppered around them.
“Dammit, there’s a third attacker,” he said. “We’re pinned down. I wish I still had my damn gun.” He patted around and lifted a hammer. “I’ll distract him. You run to the next stack of gear. Keep your head down.”
She nodded, throat tight. A hammer would be useless against a gun.
Sawyer rose on one knee, then tossed the hammer.
As more gunfire broke out, she ran, doubled over. Bullets whizzed past nearby, and she cried out. She dived in behind some more gear, and felt skin rip off her elbow.
She heard more objects hitting the ground with a thud, and realized Sawyer was throwing more things at the attacker. The man kept firing.
Then all the noise stopped.
Eerie silence echoed around her. She couldn’t hear anything, could barely see anything. What was happening?
Suddenly, a hand sank into her hair.
As Hollis was yanked upward, her hair pulling on her scalp, she cried out.
“Let me go!” she yelled.
The man with the gun had tattoos on his neck, and a scowl on his face. But as he looked at her, his lips curled into a smile. An ugly one.
Then Sawyer appeared, a gun aimed at the man. He must have grabbed one of the other attackers’ weapons.
Her captor pulled her in front of him, like a shield.
“Stay back.” The man had a thick Russian accent. “I will put a bullet in her head.”
She felt the cold barrel of the gun press to her temple. Fear tried to choke her, but she tamped it down. She had to stay focused.
She met Sawyer’s gaze.
The man behind her chuckled. “You have no options. Put down the gun.”
“No,” Sawyer growled.
“Do you want me to kill her?” He shook her.
“No.”
The man made a scoffing sound. “You cannot stop me.”
“Maybe I can’t, but he can.” Sawyer nodded.
Suddenly, her captor was yanked away. Hollis stumbled forward, and she heard the man’s gun hit the floor.
She spun and saw Parker land a punch to the man’s face. He followed through with some hard kicks and punches. The man dropped to his knees.
Thank God.
She turned and raced to Sawyer. He was already moving in her direction, and caught her against him.
“You’re safe,” he said against her hair.
“Sawyer.” She clung to him.
Overwhelming emotions welled up inside her.