Page 114 of The Honeymoon Hack

If this was how it ended—wrestling for a rifle with a trained killer—at least I’d tried. At least I’d come for her.

At least she’d know, in whatever time we had left, that she was worth dying for.

Chapter 43

Brie

Willand Lark were locked in a battle for control of the rifle. Lark—eyes still closed from whatever Will had sprayed into them—drove his elbow into Will’s ribs, followed by a vicious headbutt that snapped Will’s head back. Will careened into the server rack door, blood streaming down his face.

Lark opened one eye enough to close the distance and bring his knee up hard.

Help him!

I took a step forward, but strong hands grabbed my waist, yanking me backward around the corner of the server cluster.

Two black-kitted men stormed past me, weapons raised. Tactical commands echoed through the data center.

“You don’t have any way out, Lark!”

“Step away from him!”

The blur of activity slowed, and Rav’s face came into focus. Of course, he’d been the one to grab me. But he didn’t look at me. He just barked, “Brooke!”

“I’ve got her! Go!” A woman—Brooke?—tugged me around the corner into one of the other rows. She wore the same thick vest laden with gear, and the helmet with its comms, but shedidn’t have a weapon. She forced a smile at me. “Hopefully, they’ll be fast.”

Rav had been quick and gentle, but between his body armor and helmet, the shouting, and being tugged every which way, nothingfeltgentle.

“Step away from him!” came the order again.

“Drop the weapon!”

A burst of gunfire erupted from the server row—rapid, suppressed pops that seemed to come from overhead.

“Will!” I struggled against Brooke’s hold. That was my man fighting with Lark. Had he been shot? Was he all right?

Oh my god, was he still alive? “Will!”

Brooke tightened her grip as I fought to break free. The tactical team’s shouting intensified, but I couldn’t make out the specific words.

Then Lark’s voice cut through everything. A strangled cry unlike the menace he’d hissed into my ear. “The phoenix will rise!”

Another gunshot. One. Not suppressed.

The shouting stopped abruptly, replaced by urgent but quieter communications I couldn’t make out. My stomach twisted into knots. I had to know if Will was alive. Had to?—

“Let me go!” I twisted free from Brooke’s grasp, panic overriding every logical thought in my brain.

I sprinted around the corner, my gut churning with fear and adrenaline. Where was he? Was he hurt? Was he?—

“Get out!” Will’s voice, raw and desperate, cut through my panic. He was alive.

Relief crashed through me so hard my knees nearly buckled. But the relief ended when I rounded the corner of cluster fifty-seven and saw him.

“Bomb!” He stumbled through the aisle, waving the Pendragon team out of the area. Blood covered half his face,streaming from a wound over his eye. Fresh blood, wet and bright red, soaked his torn shirt. “Everyone move!”

So much blood.

His eyes found mine, and he surged forward, shoving aside one of the men as he ran toward me. He gained speed as he reached me, scooping me up in his arms without breaking stride, my feet leaving the ground as he carried me away from the server cluster.