Page 75 of Cry Madness

“Watch your mouth,” Knavish snaps. “Wouldn’t want my finger to get twitchy, would you?”

Of all the things I don’t do well—and there’s a whole long-ass list of things I’m awful at—feeling helpless is at the very top. And right now, with this motherfucker holding the ace card, he has the upper hand. My instinct is to rush him, but it’s safe to assume he can get at least one shot off before I can stop him. March is farther away, so while he has that knife, he has even less of a chance of reaching Knavish before that prick fires his weapon. Which, as far as I’m concerned, leaves me one option…

“Shoot me first,” I taunt him, hoping he’ll aim that weapon at me and not Alice. “Right in the head. Lights out. Come on, motherfucker. I dare you.”

Knavish rolls his eyes. “Where’s the fun in that? I shoot you, he shoots me, we’re both dead, and Alice and your bestie over there walk away unscathed. Boring. I like my plan better. I make you watch while I kill her. Your friend kills me, and you get to spend the rest of your life knowing you stood there and couldn’t save her.” He nods, a demented grin on his face. “Yes, absolutely. I like that plan much better.”

“You’re not that bright, huh? Yapping away like you thought up this grand plan.” I snort out a nasty laugh. “You’re a ten-centvillain, asshole. A little worm of a man who got his feelings hurt because his crush doesn’t like him back. Pathetic.”

“Sticks and stones, Maddox. Sticks and stones,” he says, but he can’t hide that I got under his skin. His tell is how rigid he gets. At how his gaze jumps around as his brain goes into overload. And how his arm lowers just the slightest bit. Enough to move it off of Alice. Still, he grits out, “But you know whatdoeshurt? A bullet to the head.”

Fuck it.

We’re damned if we do, damned if we don’t.

Might as well go down fighting.

Every demon trapped in my mind busts loose as I lunge for Knavish. Everything feels like it’s happening in fast-forward as I catch him around his legs and topple him backward. In my peripheral vision, I see March dash toward the hole as Knavish and I grapple. I’m a man possessed as I bite the fingers he has wrapped around the weapon until blood floods my mouth. Until he opens his hand and I’m able to snatch the gun from him. I spring to my feet. Squeeze the trigger and…

…nothing.

Nothing fucking happens.

The gun isn’t loaded.

The fuck?

Knavish is lying on the ground, cradling his bloody hand, and when he struggles to sit up, I place my foot on his chest and press him back down. “You really are as crazy as they say if you believe I’d actually shoot her.”

Alice’s kick to Knavish’s face snaps his head to the side. “I don’t like it when people call him that.”

It takes a second for me to register that she’s okay. She’s dirty and her dress is ruined, but she’s alive. I also see that hermouth is cut and swollen, and there’s blood smeared on her chin.But she’s alive. Wish I could say that’s all that matters, but it’s not because this motherfucker hurt her, and now I’m going to hurt him.

Hurt him to death.

“Get her out of here,” I snap at March.

“What? No!” She protests when he takes her hand and pulls her away, fighting him every step of the way toward the path that leads back to the maze.

“March…” I say, my tone laced with warning.

“You don’t worry about her,” he says, gently dragging her away. “You worry about that motherfucker.”

“Maddox, I swear to God—” she yells, trying to break away from March.

But Knavish cuts her off. “Go ahead, kill me.” His laughter is manic. “But you better kill Scarlett, too.” He pulls a mocking pout and, in a singsong, asks, “Aw, now what do you think her daddy will do to you if he finds out you murdered his precious daughter?”

“That’s none of your concern. In fact, nothing is your concern anymore.” Roman strides into the center of the maze and walks right over to Alice. “On Scarlett’s behalf, I apologize for…” His strained apology trails off to a heavy sigh. He’s never been a man at a loss for words—until now. “I promise she will be dealt with accordingly.”

“Roman…” Alice whispers. “You don’t have to?—”

“Yes, I do.” Roman cups her jaw and turns her head this way and that, examining her damaged face. “I left Ivory by the entrance of the maze. She’ll help you clean yourself up while this…problem…is handled.”

Which is his gentle way of demanding that she leave.

Alice drags in a shuddering breath, and I expect her to protest, but instead, she gives him a curt and reluctant nod. Before she leaves, though, she comes over to me, and I clench my jaw, molars grinding, when I get an up-close view of her face. I close my eyes for a moment to catch my breath, to calm the fresh wave of rage that crashes over me. But when she cups my face, I open my eyes to the magnificent glimmer of strength reflected in her eyes and the determined lift of her chin. “I knew you’d find me.”

“Always.” I kiss the tip of her nose. “You can’t get away from me, Malice.” I snake my arms around her trembling body, needing to feel her against me because, loaded gun or not, I could have so easily lost this woman. “Go pack your shit. I’ll come get you when this is over.”