Page 8 of Prince of Wrath

“See, little birdy,” Cole licks the shell of her ear. “I told you your Prince Charming would come. He must be really in love because, you know what? He just handed me his entire fortune today.” My girl shakes her head in disbelief, as if she is not worth the exchange. She is. Worth hundreds of millions and decades of work. I did it for her, and I would do it all over again. My eyes remain on her.

Hold on, Ella.

No game is finished until the last move has been made. Cole’s fingers tighten at her throat, and her breath hitches. Her hands come up to his arm, not strong enough to pry him away, only enough to show me how little air he is giving her. I lift both hands slowly.

“I’m here.” The cell behind him is smaller than I expected. Somehow that makes it worse. I see the shape of her captivity in pieces, and each one enters me like shrapnel.

“How good of you,” Cole says. His eyes flick over my shoulder to the corridor behind me, expecting more men.

“Alone?”

“Alone.”

“Without your chivalry? How vulnerable you must feel.”

I let him see my empty hands. “You asked for me.”

“I did.” His smile twitches. “I didn’t think you’d actually listen.”

“Let her go.” Cole laughs, and Ella flinches at the sound before she can stop herself. That small movement makes something in me shift badly. I think of the men cooling in the hallway behind me. I think of the blood on my sleeve. I think of the man I was before entering this place, and the line I crossed without looking back. Cole’s gaze slides past me again, toward the corridor. His grin grows.

“How many?” I do not answer. “How many of my men did you leave behind you, Ashford?”

“Enough.” Cole blinks, then grins wider, pleased in that sick, theatrical way of his.

“There he is,” he murmurs. “I knew you were hiding the real you under all those tailored suits.”

“Why hurt her when I gave you everything you asked for?”

“Because I can finally have something you can’t, and that… That, Tristan, is real power.”

“Just tell me what you want to let her go.”

“You on your knees, Ashford.” I have never been on my knees in my life. This is not the way I was brought up. Ashfords were raised to rule and command. Grinding my back teeth, hands turning into fists, I swallow my pride and slowly, slowly go down on my knees for the woman I love. Her eyes turn glossy, watching me debase myself for this man, only she should not cry those pretty tears. Because I would do anything to free her.

“I’ll cover this as a suicide,” Cole reveals. “Write a letter saying you could not keep going with this workaholic lifestyle, that eventually, you gave up.” I shake my head, trying to find a way out.

“I’ll give you a yacht, a plane, a fucking dinner date with the president, just… just release her.”

“Who's trying to be helpful now?” he smirks. My hand twitches. His gun changes angle and points at me in reflex.

Bingo, it’s now or never.

In one motion, I catch my gun from my holster in my back, pointing it at him, my girl now free from the threat of his barrel. Tension fills the room as Ella is still held by the throat in his hand.

“Don’t. Fucking. Move,” he seethes. “I can still shoot her,” he grits out, stepping backward as we face each other, my back on the wall of the cell as he approaches the entryway, using her as a human shield. He wants to escape. He knows it is too late for him to win now. How can I shoot him without shooting Ella too?

“Do it,” I read on her lips, as if she knew the risk and why I’m not shooting him on the spot. I keep my eyes on Cole because looking at her too long would break the part of me that still has to think. She winces, her air restricted by this monster. An agitated Cole studies me, breathing faster now. His hand flexing and closing as if he cannot decide whether to hold her or hurt her.

“You’ve got what you wanted, tons of money, my money, that’s it, Cole. You’ve won. Walk away and I won’t shoot, just…just let her go.” I offer, knowing that I’ve lied. I wouldn’t let him walk away. Not anymore. Licking his teeth, I can see the thoughts weighing on him.

“I have a better idea. I disappear, and so does she.” My jaw clenches, lightning shooting straight at my heart.

“Wha…” In a last attempt to save her life, Ella elbows him in the ribs with all the strength she has. She lunges toward me, almost falling to the floor, but I catch her at the last moment.

A gunshot shatters the air.

Then a second.