Page 33 of Protected from Malice (Blade and Arrow Shadow Team #1)

I creep through the dining room and into the kitchen, moving on silent feet and listening.

“I worked with him for two years!” she says, her voice rising in agitation.

“Two years! Two years of trying to convince Chris that I was the one for him. Two years of bringing his favorite cookies to work every Monday. Two years of lunches at the diner down the street. Two years of trying to show him I could be a good girlfriend. It should have worked! He should be mine!”

“I’m sorry,” Eden replies quietly.

Relief sweeps through me so quickly, so powerfully, I’m breathless with it.

She’s alive. Talking. Hopefully not seriously hurt.

Sliding my weapon from its holster, I hold it at low ready. From the kitchen, it’s just a short distance down the hallway to the living room. No more than fifteen feet at most.

I want to rush in there, but I know I can’t. Though my instincts tell me to, logic and decades of training urge caution. I need to get a clear view of them. Find out what kind of weapon is involved. Come up with a more solid plan than get the fuck in there and do whatever it takes .

The woman continues ranting, “Two years! But I really thought I had a chance. Until a few months ago when he started talking about this perfect woman he’d seen online.

He couldn’t stop talking about you. Going on and on about how amazing you were.

How you’d eventually fall in love with him and the two of you would live happily ever after.

I couldn’t believe it! My fucking neighbor ! How ironic is that?”

“I didn’t know,” Eden says. Her voice is shaking. But I can tell she’s trying to hide it.

“Of course you didn’t! But I did! And I tried to tell Chris it was pointless.

That you had no clue who he was. But no!

He wouldn’t listen to me. Instead, he thought it would be a good idea to follow you.

We might run into each other , he said. I could buy her a drink.

Or maybe she’ll have a flat tire and I can help her. It’ll be like I’m her hero. ”

“Gayla,” Eden starts, “this isn’t a good idea. You know it isn’t. You can leave now. I won’t even call the police. We can just pretend it never happened.”

“Pretend it never happened ?” the woman—Gayla—shouts. “The man I love is in jail! Because of you! When I went to jail to visit him, he wouldn’t even talk to me! It’s not right!”

I’m nearly at the living room doorway now.

Almost there.

My fingers tighten around the handle of my gun.

I force my heart rate and breath to slow.

I envision the living room in my mind—the couch on the west wall and two armchairs making a U out of it. The TV on the wall across from it with twin bookshelves on either side. The coat closet by the front door with the small catch-all table beside it.

Depending on their position, I might be able to take Gayla down before she sees me. If she’s facing away…

“I got so fed up with his obsession, I thought I’d put an end to it myself,” Gayla continues.

“It was a great idea, too. I took Chris’s car—I told him mine was in the shop—and I tried to run you off the road.

I was going to kill you once you crashed.

Drag your body into the woods. And then… no more Eden for Chris to obsess over.”

“You used his truck?” Eden asks, sounding confused. “But… now he’s being blamed for it. How does that help Chris?”

“Shut up!” There’s a soft thud, then a gasp of pain.

Fuck!

I can’t wait.

I need to get in there. Now .

Peering around the doorjamb, I allow myself a moment to assess.

Gayla is standing in front of the couch, with her back to me. She’s holding a gun in her right hand. It’s not pointed directly at Eden, but close enough to make me extremely nervous.

And then, just past her, Eden.

My Eden. Bleeding .

Rage erupts inside me, white-hot and incendiary.

Eden’s hurt. From here, I can see the gash on her temple and the blood running down her face and neck from it. I can see the crimson stains on her shirt. I can see how her hands are twisted together, trembling badly.

Lightning-fast, I run through my options.

I could shoot Gayla, but then I take the chance of her moving and the bullet hitting Eden instead.

I could try to signal to Eden to duck, then take out Gayla. I’m not crazy about that idea, though. There’s too great ?a chance of something going wrong.

Or I could sneak in there to disarm her, eliminating the need for my gun at all.

“I didn’t realize!” snaps Gayla. “I just used his truck because it was bigger than my crappy sedan.” She pauses. “But you know what? It doesn’t matter. Because once you’re dead, they’ll let Chris out of jail and I’ll be there to help him pick up the pieces.”

“How is killing me going to get him out of jail?” Eden asks. “I don’t think it works that way.”

Gayla cackles. “Oh, it will. Because I’ll make it look like you killed yourself.

In a minute, we’re going into the bedroom.

You’re going to write a note saying how sorry you are.

How you faked it all. How no one tried to kidnap you.

How you feel so guilty for ruining a man’s life, you can’t go on any longer. ”

As I step through the doorway, Eden’s eyes widen slightly. But she’s so strong, so smart, so fucking amazing, she covers her reaction before the woman in front of her notices. Instead, Eden keeps her engaged, saying, “I’m not sure, Gayla. Maybe we could come up with another plan.”

“No! I don’t need another plan! This one is perfect!”

On a held breath, I lunge forward.

Praying my skills hold sound.

Praying I don’t fuck this up somehow.

I loop my arm around Gayla’s elbow and yank down. No holding back, I use all my strength, even if she is a woman.

Her elbow pops. The gun falls to the ground.

Then I spin her around, sweeping my leg behind her knees to take them out from under her.

Eden leaps off the couch and kicks the gun away as I wrestle Gayla to the floor.

Gayla shrieks bloody murder.

In the distance, sirens approach.

I grab my trusty zip ties from my pocket—I’m going to sleep with the damn things at this point—and quickly restrain the struggling woman, hog tying her ankles and wrists together.

Satisfied that the threat is neutralized, I jump back up and rush to Eden.

She flings herself into my arms, shuddering.

“Rafe.” Her voice wobbles. “I knew you’d come.”

My eyes burn.

Emotion like nothing I’ve felt before sweeps through me.

Anger. Guilt. Relief.

Love.

Ah, fuck.

I fucking love her.

Of all the times to realize it.

I hug Eden to me, feeling dangerously close to tears. I bury my face in her hair, breathing in her sweetness. Reassuring myself she’s safe. That she’s?—

Shit!

Jerking back, I frame her face in my hands. Tacky blood clings to my fingers. “Shit, baby. Ah, shit. You’re hurt. Shit.”

I accidentally graze the cut on her temple and she winces. “I’m so sorry,” I croon, “I didn’t mean to hurt you. How badly does it hurt?”

Wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I guide Eden over to the armchair furthest from a still-wriggling Gayla.

After I sit Eden down, I hurry to the discarded gun and pick it up using my sleeve, then place it on top of the TV stand along with mine, in plain view of the front door so the police can see them when they come in.

Then I rush back over to Eden.

Crashing to my knees in front of her, I take her face in my hands again. “Are you dizzy, baby? How’s your vision? Did she hurt you anywhere else? Did she—” As the thought occurs to me, I cast a frantic look down her body. “She didn’t shoot you, did she?”

Eden takes my hands in hers. Her gaze is tearful, but steady. “I’m okay, Rafe. She didn’t shoot me. She just hit me with the gun twice?—”

Fury surges. “What?”

“It’s fine. I might have a mild concussion. Maybe. But that’s all.”

“A concussion ?”

I’m dangerously close to losing it.

Outside, sirens shriek. Tires squeal. Doors slam.

I know what’s coming next.

Police storming in. Paramedics. Hours of questions. The hospital.

They’ll want me to leave Eden’s side. But I won’t.

“Eden.” I pull her back to my chest. “Shit. I was so scared.”

“I was too,” she whispers. “But I knew you’d be here. I just had to wait for you.”

Ah, shit.

This is not the time to tell Eden I love her.

Not with the police steps from the front door. Not with Eden hurt.

But I love her.

Fuck, do I love her.

“Baby,” I murmur against her hair. “I’m never leaving you again.”