Page 81 of Lethal Attraction

But then I look down at my date and everything seems to evaporate. The worry and the fear become a distant memory, and my whole mind is attuned to Thalia.

We’ll protect each other.

Something crackles. It’s a distant, low buzz that makes me blink. I spot the wire that trails up to Thalia’s ear as her face sets into something cold and hard.

“Grab Taryn and Emma and get down.” She orders.

Chapter twenty-two

Reed

Achampagne chute shattering in the distance is the first sign that all hell has broken loose. Next, a gunshot echoes through the event center, causing mass panic as shrill screams pierce the air. Hundreds of guests surge in every direction, waiters abandon their trays, and the orchestra stops so abruptly that a violin scratches.

I’m jostled around by the crowd, fighting to stay in sight of Thalia, but it’s no use. The moment things clear, she’s already gone, and I’m left glancing around desperately as I try to locate Taryn and Emma.

Where the hell are they?

Another shot cracks through the air, and the mass becomes an all-out stampede as people fight to exit the building. I’m wading through bodies when the blonde man from earlier appears before me.

He’s grappling with someone, both of their hands around each other’s necks before the man with brown hair slides along the ruined floor and kicks the attacker’s legs out from under him.

Blondie laughs, the sound loud and booming, before he grabs a bottle of champagne and smashes the thickest part against a table to create a shiv and steps over the downed man. “This is for being a fucking traitor. Rest in hell.”

My eyes widen as Blondie uses the bottle to maim the man beneath him. Blood sprays, soaking across the floor as I shove back and fall onto my ass.

I can’t look away.

Not even when Blondie begins to rip his victim’s skin to shreds with the broken glass. I can only watch in horror as this man is mutilated beyond recognition.

A hand grabs my bicep before hoisting me up and yanking me out of the fresh nightmare before me. The brown-haired hitman is giving me a stern glare as he shakes me roughly.

“Get out of here! Now!” he orders.

I swallow before nodding and nearly tripping over myself. The main floor has cleared a little, and I get a direct line of sight to the tipped-over food table. Taryn is crouched down, shielding her wife as they huddle together with fresh fear painted on their features. I take one step in their direction before the curvy blonde woman from earlier appears to my left. She levels a gun and fires, making me jolt at the sudden crack that shreds my ears.

Next is the warm spray of something across the chest of my tux. The breath whooshes from my lungs as another man sways drunkenly in place, a massive crater in his forehead and a gun held limply in his right hand, before his knees buckle and he crumbles in a heap of limbs.

“Motherfucker,” I breathe raggedly in disbelief as my adrenaline punches through my system, causing my limbs to shake and my heart to slam.

The blonde woman gives me an incredulous look, placing a hand on her hip as she waves her gun in my direction. “Well, don’t just stand there! Get the fuck outta here!”

I blink rapidly as if doing so will end this nightmare, but no such luck. This is very real, and I’m in the center of it all right now.

“Brooks,” I mutter. “Where’s Brooks?”

The woman’s head rears slightly in surprise. “You two know each other?”

“Everything I know about him is against my will.”

She huffs a laugh as her face twists with disgust. “Same.”

She’s on our side. Whatever side that is…

I glance around at the utter chaos, my mind racing but hyper-focused on one thing. “We have to find him before he can get to Thalia.”

Protect her.

I promised.