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She knew the worst of the dark corners of his soul, and she still trusted him.
It steadied him, and his focus narrowed.
“I can’t leave you alive to keep messing up my mission,” Radu said.
“You need a new job,” Boone suggested. “One that doesn’t involve kidnapping innocent women.”
“Spare me the sermon.” Radu raised his gun.
“No!” Gemma cried.
Boone gave a sharp whistle, then threw himself toward the ground.
Time seemed to slow down—like everything had slid into slow motion. Gemma was yelling, and then Atlas sprinted out of the mine entrance. There was the loud report of a gun firing.
A bullet slammed into Boone’s chest with the force of a sledgehammer. He grunted, knocked off his feet.
He saw Atlas slam into Radu, taking the man to the ground. The merc’s screams filled the air.
Time clicked back in, and Boone landed flat on his back.
If there’d been any air left in his lungs, the fall would’ve knocked it out of him. But the bullet had already done that.
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
“No, oh God. Boone.” Panicked, Gemma raced across the ground and dropped down beside him.
She ran her hands over him frantically.
Radu had shot him.
Boone made a low, gasping sound. “O-okay. Hit vest.”
Oh.The air rushed out of her tight chest. His vest had taken the bullet.Thank God.
She saw him struggling to loosen the vest and helped him open it. Tears welled in her eyes.
She’d thought she’d lost him.
The world would be a much worse place without this good, honorable man in it.
Sudden gunfire made her jolt. Boone grabbed her arm.
Gemma turned her head and saw Radu, with a bloody face, firing at Atlas.
No.
But the dog was fast, zigzagging wildly. He sprinted into the trees.
Gemma’s heart started to pound even harder. Radu heaved himself up, and she tried to shield Boone.
“I was told this would be an easy job. Snatch a spoiled heiress off the street, and deliver her. An easy paycheck.” The merc waved his gun around, blood oozing down his cheek. “This isnoteasy.” His voice rose. “When we tracked you to this man’s farm, we saw he had military experience. But he was just one man, and there was nothing special in his background.”
Boone rose, pulling Gemma close, and stared at the mercenary. “I was special forces.”
Radu nodded. “Your background didn’t mention that.”
Now Boone smiled, and it raised the hairs on Gemma’s arms.
