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Fear finally brings me to my knees in slow motion, pain rattling through me even though I’m not the one injured. My pain is for him, for Benji, as my chest squeezes so hard I think I may stop breathing.
Crawling on my hands on knees, uncaring for my own safety any longer, I find them slumped side by side. Blood pools around the two of them, a scene I’ve only ever come close to seeing in movies before.
A sob bursts from my lips when I find the bullet holes. One is lodged perfectly between the masked man’s eyes, a hole in his balaclava to match the one in his skull from Benji’s nine-millimeter firearm, or whatever he fucking called it. I can’t remember. The other has me reaching out a shaky hand to stroke my thumb over Benji’s cheek.
How did we go from celebrating a win in regards to Wade and the secret club, to this? This blood now on my selfish, guilt-ridden hands?
My sob turns to an almighty cry as I peer down at the man who has somehow managed to change my entire life in the space of a few days.
The man who isn’t looking at me.
The man who doesn’t seem to be breathing.
The man with a bullet hole in his chest.
TEN
Benji
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
I hear the world trying to seep into my mind, rousing me from my sleep, but the depths of my dream cling to me, unrelenting as I sink back into the darkness once more.
The soft, repetitive sound spins in my mind as my back presses against the wall. My ears prickling in an attempt to hear the attacker. I can’t believe the hitman still has the audacity to show up here. Clearly, he didn’t get the memo about the guy paying him, or not in this case, since the motherfucker is dead.
A scream filters into my ears, rendering me speechless as my body takes off toward the noise, but halfway across the hall I frown. I don’t remember Nate screaming. What the fuck is going on?
Glancing around me, I don’t have time to waste as movement catches my eye, halting me by the gym door as a man dressed in black from head to toe stands before me, his feet planted shoulder-width apart, gun raised and pointed toward someone inside the gym. I tiptoe closer. I’m always focused, and always stealthy, but this time, there’s an unwavering hint of fear settling over my chest.
Nate.
I didn’t have time to close the door. Why didn’t I make some fucking time to lock Nate in there?
Panic kicks in, the fear etched into Nate’s face as he stares at the hitman will forever be scored into my mind. I want to see this man have his own bakery. I want to see this man smile at the most ridiculous shit. I want to see this man be whoever it is he wants to be. And I can’t do any of that if he’s dead.
By my side or not, this man deserves more than what he’s been offered, more than what he’s been served without question, and I’m taking it as my personal responsibility to see it through.
Raising my gun, aiming at the assailant that stands between Nate and I, my eyes flicker one final time to Nate’s, and before I can pull the trigger another gunshot rings out, terror beckoning me as my world is suddenly blinded by an unbearable light.
Chest heaving with every breath I take, I struggle to blink past the brightness of the room I’m in, my hand resting on my stomach as I attempt to get some control over myself.
It can’t be true, Nate can’t be…
“It’s okay, Benji, relax, lie back down. I’m going to get someone to come and help.” The voice almost sounds like a whisper, fighting to be heard against the pounding in my ears.
A hand presses against my shoulder, encouraging me backward against the pillows as they continue to talk to me. “I’m going to call for the nurse. Everything’s going to be okay, Killer.”
Killer?
Killer.
Fuck, Nate.
Despite the light burning my retinas, I blink my eyes open, coming face to face with the blond-haired, blue-eyed beauty who has consumed my every thought, dream, and nightmare since I first laid eyes on him.
