Page 54 of Seven Deadly Sins

Harper drew her weapon and entered right behind him. A woman, clad only in her underwear, what there was of it, sat in each stall. Their hands had been zip-tied to the toilet tank. Both were gagged with their ankles tied. On the wall, a timer counted down. “We have two minutes!”

She didn’t carry a knife. How was she going to free this woman in time?

~

Liam quickly sliced through the woman’s bindings. “Harper, take her outside. I’ll cut the other one loose.” He glanced at the time. One minute. “Hurry.”

She grabbed the woman by the arm and dragged her from the building.

“Hold still. I don’t want to cut you.” He sliced the tie around her wrists.

She squealed behind her gag and bounced on the toilet seat.

Thirty seconds. Liam cut the tie around her ankles.

The woman tried to stand and fell. “My legs are asleep.”

He put his arm around her waist and dashed for the door. Harper peered at him from behind the jeep, her eyes wide in a pale face. Time was up.

The explosion slammed him into the side of the vehicle. Stars swam in front of his eyes before darkness claimed him.

He came to as sirens wailed. He struggled to a sitting position and groaned.

“Stay still. The ambulance is here.” Harper smoothed the hair away from his face.

“The women?”

“The one you helped is injured. A broken arm from the concussion, I think. What about you?”

“I don’t think anything is broken, but I’ve got one heck of a headache.” He put his hand to the back of his head and brought his fingers away sticky. His stomach rolled as he blinked into the angry face of Chief Donnelly.

The man’s fists were planted on his hips. “When are the two of you going to start calling for backup before doing something stupid.”

“We saved the two women, sir. Barely. If we’d waited for help, they’d be dead.” Liam used the car to get to his feet. A pang of regret pierced him at the damage he’d caused to the driver’s side door when he’d been slammed into it.

Harper’s gaze followed his. “The door can be fixed. Don’t worry.”

The chief shook his head and marched to the burning bathroom.

“When I saw you flying through the air…then hit the car and go limp…” Harper’s choked back a sob. “I thought the worst.”

He cupped her face. “I’m far too mean to die that easily, sweetheart.” He smiled through the pain of his headache.

“But people can die days later from head trauma.” Tears streaked down her cheeks. “I don’t want you to die.”

He leaned his forehead against hers. “I’m in agreement with you.” With his forefinger, he tilted her face to his and planted a soft kiss on her lips. “We still have work to do.”

She smiled through her tears. “Yes, we do.” She stepped back as her phone buzzed, then showed him the screen.

Of all the worldly passions, lust is the most intense. All other worldly passions seem to follow in its train. –Buddha.

Without any break, they’d be headed off to the next clue or death scene.

DEADLY LUST

Cynthia Hickey

Consciencewill sleep a while when lust is awakened.