Page 71 of Twister's Salvation

“That’s it, doll.I played Twister.”

She shook her head.“I have a feeling there is more to this story.”

She was right.There was a tiny little detail I was leaving out.

She crossed her arms over her chest.“Spit it out, Twister.”

I threw my hands in the air.“I was naked!”

Her jaw dropped, and she fell into a fit of giggles.

Yeah, it was ridiculous.I had been young, dumb, and drunk on whiskey.

“Ha, ha, doll.Now forget I told you that, and kiss me so you can get ready for work,” I ordered.

She couldn’t stop laughing but managed to press a kiss to my lips.“That is better than anything I imagined.”

I rolled my eyes and slapped her butt.“Get ready for work.”She squealed and headed to the bedroom.I followed behind her because what else was I supposed to do?

I watched her rummage through the closet, then padded into the bathroom with her clothes under her arm.The shower turned on, and it took everything in me not to barge in there and offer to wash her back, among other things.

I walked her to the stairs once she was dressed and gave her one last kiss.“I’ll be down soon.Don’t unlock the door until I’m down there.”

She gave me a salute and headed down the stairs.

I jumped in the shower and was shrugging on my cut when my heart stopped.

Glass shattered loudly, and a scream ripped through the building from downstairs.

I was already halfway down the stairs when the second crash echoed.

I didn’t stop to think, I just moved.

“Tempi!”

The bar was in chaos.

Two men in black ski masks were inside.One stood behind the pool table with a gunto Britta’s head, the other held a lighter above a puddle of what I instantly recognized as spilled liquor.Tempi was on the other side of the bar, surrounded by spilled liquor.If that asshole dropped that lighter, Tempi would be right in the middle of the fire.

Britta’s eyes were wide, furious, and terrified at the same time.Tempi was frozen behind the counter with her hands raised and her mouth parted in horror.

“If you move,” the gunman barked to me, “she dies.”

I held up my hands slowly, and my heart thundered in my chest.“Let her go,” I said evenly.

The guy with the gun sneered.“You should’ve left when you had the chance.”

“Look, we don’t need this shit.Put the gun down.Walk away.No one has to get hurt,” I tried to reason.

He laughed, low and cruel.“You think this is aboutyou?”

He turned to his partner.

“Light it.”

“No!”I shouted, but it was too late.

The man dropped the lighter.