Page 58 of Wounded Hearts

“Fucking crazy bitch.” Drew shook his head at her diatribe and Mara glanced at Rhea for her reaction just the door behind her opened and she saw Drew look, his eyes going wide when he saw who entered. “You have got to be fucking kidding me.”

“Drew, so nice to see you alive. I would hate for someone to have beaten me to it.” Mara looked at Nazareli who stared at Drew with hatred in her eyes.

“So, you’re the daughter and that’s why you tried to kill me before?”

“Yes.” The words were a snarl of emotion.

“You do know I had nothing to do with your mother’s death, don’t you?”

“You’re his blood. You deserve to die.”

“So is she.” Drew pointed at Rhea and Mara saw the confusion on the younger woman’s face.

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not. She’s Marcus Preedy’s younger sister, Joanne Preedy.”

Nazareli looked to Rhea who was watching the exchange with fascination.

“He’s lying.” Rhea was calm, sure of her position. Nazareli looked unsure and Drew saw it too.

“Don’t let her use you.”

“He called her Jo. Brayden called her Jo, we both heard him,” Mara said trying to sway Nazareli.

“They lie, my darling girl. They are using you. Do not be the weak girl I found, show them your power,” Rhea encouraged.

Mara went still as the lights went out throwing the room into darkness. She felt a hard body land on her, pushing her low as bullets began to fly.

“Get down.”

Drew hovered close as his body shielded her. Then she was on her feet and moving, being pulled towards the back door. Drew fired off a shot behind him from a gun he’d produced from god knew where. Mara ran, familiar with the house even in the dark, she moved along the walls. A gasp escaped her lips as she fell over a body in the kitchen.

Drew pulled her up. “Keep moving. Head towards the door that goes through the library.”

Mara kept going, entering the library as the lights came back on as aback-up generator kicked in.

Bile curled up her belly and she thought she’d vomit when she saw the Brayden’s body sitting in his chair, his throat slit as blood pooled around his desk.

Drew wrapped her in his arms. “Go.”

The door swung open and Nazareli was there. “Now you’re mine,” she hissed at Drew and Mara paled.

“Run, Mara.”

Mara froze as she watched Nazareli approach Drew, knives in her hands as she confronted the man Mara loved.

Nazareli lunged but Drew dodged her, his gun out and Mara knew he didn’t want to kill this woman. He wasn’t a killer, but this girl was, and Mara could see that. If she left, would Drew die because he wanted to see the good in this lost woman?

“You don’t want to do this, Nazareli.”

“You know nothing of what I want.”

“I know you miss your mother. I know Marcus Preedy killed her like he killed my mother.”

Mara gasped at his words, shocked at Drew’s confession. Gunfire erupted inside the house and she knew the cavalry had arrived.

Nazareli paused for a second looking confused, heartbroken, and young. Then in slow motion Mara watched as she lifted the knife, throwing it just as Drew fired his gun. Nazareli went down, blood flowing from her shoulder as Drew jerked and fell to the ground at her feet, the seven-inch knife sticking out of his chest.