Page 192 of Protecting Peyton

Peyton’s eyes locked with mine. “You came.”

“Shut up,” O’Connor said. He roughly pulled her head back by her hair. “Put the gun down, March.”

“I told you I wasn’t letting you go,” I assured my woman.

A dead man lay slumped against the wall to my left, a gun at his feet.

O’Connor cocked the hammer. “Shut up, tough guy, and put the gun down, now.”

“No,” Peyton cried.

“I’m putting it down,” I said, slowly lowering my weapon. I had no play. With the hammer cocked and his finger on the trigger, even if my shot ran true, his finger could spasm and kill her.

“Zane, no.” A tear streamed down her cheek.

“It’ll be okay.” Even if he took me out, the other three would get him and save her. I laid my weapon on the floor.

“Kick it over here.”

I did.

O’Connor chuckled. “Checkmate, March.” O’Connor chuckled, then swung his gun toward me.

Peyton

Zane had come for me,but now he was defenseless.

O’Connor pulled my hair harder and chuckled, then he extended his gun to shoot Zane.

Never give up. Fight with everything you have.

I hit his arm, lifted my foot and brought my heel down as hard as I could on his foot.

The roar of the gun was deafening. The shot missed Zane.

O’Connor squealed like a stuck pig, dropped the gun and released my hair as he doubled over.

Simon appeared in the doorway and pulled out his evil gun.

“Behind you,” I yelled.

Zane lunged to the side.

Simon shot and missed.

Zane slid across the floor to Buzzcut’s feet, grabbed the gun and fired twice.

Simon fell back against the wall.

O’Conner leaned over to pick up his gun.

I brought the pointy end of my shoe up into his crotch as hard as I could.

He screamed in pain and curled into a ball on the floor.

Zane got up and kicked O’Connor’s gun away.

I kicked the detective again. “That’s for Cassie.” And again. “That’s for Olivia.” And again. “And that’s for Nancy.”