Page 112 of Ned

“Stay put.”

Then he stood over her, his arms braced on either side of her. He was breathing hard, his chest rising and falling, the presence of him big and solid, and despite the shooting, she just wanted to turn and cling to him.

His mouth was by her ear. “We’re going to have to go into the ocean.”

More shots, and now there was yelling on the deck.

“Can you do that?”

You can be a victim of your circumstances, or you can be a victor.

“I can do that.”

“Okay, let’s—”

And that’s as far as he got before someone grabbed him from behind. He shouted, rounded, but the guard was there—Boris. How he’d gotten there, she couldn’t guess, but he had Ned on the ground, Ned fighting even as Boris slammed his rifle into his spine.

Ned roared, and another man jumped on him, caught him around the neck.

“Stop!” She held up her hands. “Stop!”

Ned looked at her with such agony she had to look away. Especially as they hauled him up and dragged her and Ned toward the deck.

Toward Lukka, who stood there with a small group of security. He wore a pair of black pants, a fur coat, a wool hat, and arrogance in his smile.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Lukka said. “We’re not done with you yet.”

Then a hood went over Ned’s head. He jerked, trying to fight the hands that worked to secure his arms.

No. No, it couldn’t end this way. Could not—

Boom!

The entire ship convulsed, a blast tearing through the twilight. It knocked Shae to her knees, toppled Lukka and a few of his men.

Ned tore away from his captor and ripped off his hood. “C’mon!”

Of course a guy who detonated breacher charges, kicked in doors, and threw grenades for a living might not be rocked by the fact that the entire mess area exploded into flames.

She grabbed his hand, let him pull her up.

And couldn’t help it—glanced over where Vikka had been standing.

The woman was gone.

But just for a moment, she thought she saw Judah. Standing in front of the flames, his eyes in hers.

If and when I blow up the ship, you’ll be the first to know.

He smiled.

And then black smoke billowed over the ship, and he was lost.

“Run, Shae!”

Ned grabbed her hand, taking off across the deck toward the smoke. A few shouts, but shots went wide and he directed her down the passageway toward the stern of the ship.

And then she got it. “What about the lifeboat?”

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