Page 114 of Beyond Enemy Vows

He screams, stumbling backward as glass tears into his skin and eyes. His finger squeezes the trigger out of reflex.

BANG.

The gun fires, but the shot goes wide. Pain tears through my knee as the bullet grazes it and embeds itself in the floor.

I feel the burn, but my body is already in motion, fueled by pure adrenaline and the image of Stavros putting his hands on Calli.

I'm on him before he can recover. I slam into his chest, reaching for his weapon.

The gun goes off again.

BANG.

This time I manage to shove his arm away, and the bullet punches into the wall, sending plaster down onto the floor.

I grab him around the waist and spin behind him. My wounded hand leaves bloody prints on his jacket as I rip the gun from himand raise it toward the second guard, whose eyes are wide with panic as he brings his gun up.

He fires first.

BANG.

The bullet meant for me punches into the chest of the man I'm holding. I feel the impact through his body as he jerks from the shot.

I don't hesitate. I fire back immediately.

BANG.

The bullet catches him right under his left eye, snapping his head back. He doesn't make a sound as he drops, his weapon clattering to the floor. His pupils dilate as the life leaves them, fixed on where we go next.

The man in my arms is still breathing, still struggling. I press the hot barrel of the gun to his temple. Blood continues to pour down his face, mixing with the crimson spreading across his white shirt from the bullet wound.

He tries to speak, lips moving weakly, but I don't have time for last words or pleas. Every second I waste here is another second Stavros has with Calli.

I pull the trigger.

BANG.

His body goes limp and falls from my arms, hitting the ground with a thud. Blood begins pooling around both bodies.

My right palm continues bleeding from the glass cuts, and my knee throbs where the bullet grazed it. I feel blood soaking mypant leg, but there's no time to check my wounds. I need to move.

I run to the door and turn the handle.

"Shit!"

It's locked. Of fucking course.

I slam my shoulder against it. Nothing.

I pound on the solid wood. "Open the door!"

Nothing. Just silence from the other side.

I turn around, looking at the men on the floor. One of them must have the key. I kneel beside the guard who tried to kill me first and search his pockets. Nothing in the front. I roll his limp body over to check his back pocket.

Just when I'm about to, the door suddenly swings open.

I snatch the gun from the floor and whirl around, aiming at the doorway, finger already tightening on the trigger, expecting more of Stavros's men to pour through.