Page 149 of Barinov

“Babe, breathe.”

“Cade?”

“It’s going to be fine. Just stand down.”

“Stand down?!” My shoulders tense. “Do you not remember what this fucker—”

“Trust me,” he interrupts. “Give the gun to Caleb.”

Fire burns through my veins as I lower my weapon and hand it over to Briggs.

He nods to Zeke.

Zeke leans in closer to Ellie. “Ellie, sweetheart,” he breathes against her ear. “Take it off for me.”

Her fingers tremble as she reaches for the clasp.

Zeke removes the knife from her throat. “Turn around slowly and put it in my pocket,” he orders.

She does.

“Good girl.” He brushes a kiss to her forehead, lingering way too long for comfort. “You can go back to your cowboy now.”

“Zeke,” she whispers. “What is this?”

“Ellie go!” Zeke roars.

Ellie flinches, stumbling backward into Briggs’s arms.

“Now, I’m going to leave this room,” Zeke continues. “And none of you are going to follow me. You got it?”

“Like hell you are,” I grit.

“Now, Briggs!” Tex booms in my ear.

Something cracks against the back of my skull. A searing pain explodes… and everything goes black.

♥♥♥

Pain pulses behind my eyes.

A dull, throbbing ache like my skull’s been split down the middle.

“You didn’t have to hit him that hard.” Cade’s voice filters in. His hand drags slow circles over my chest.

“Yes he did, Cade,” Ellie counters from somewhere further away. “He was about to shoot Zeke.”

A groan tears out of me, the sound vibrating through my jaw.

“Babe,” Cade breathes, relief flooding his voice as he hooks his arm under mine to lift me off the tile. “Easy. Let me help.”

“Where is he?” I squint, my vision swimming. Cade’s face is a blur of tan and hazel before his features finally snap into focus.

“Lex,” he says, his hand tightening around my arm. “Don’t freak out.”

“Don’t freak out?” I shove at his shoulder, my hand fumbling for the back of my neck. “Cowboy just cold-cocked me with a .45! The fuck you mean don’t freak out?”

Tex pinches the bridge of his nose. “Barinov, breathe.”