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“You’re the real accomplice, aren’t you?” Raid asked. “The one who threatened Rosa. Who was that other person your brother led us to?”
Ellis smiled. “We had to find someone who’d take the fall to keep the radar off me. Amazing what people will do when they’re desperate for money.” His smile turned to a scowl as he looked at her. “You went to the fucking cops, Hannah. Didn’t I warn you that you’d pay if you did that?”
“How . . . how did you know I spoke to the police?” she asked.
“We pay our lawyer well. Very well. He was informed that a new victim had come forward. I guessed that it was you, but Steven likes facts before he acts. But our lawyer managed to discover your name. The FBI has so many leaks that it’s laughable.”
“Wait . . . you just said that you warned me?” She swallowed back bile, her hand going unconsciously to her throat. “That was you? Not Steven.”
“Yep. Me. Not Jared. That’s his name, not Steven. My brother doesn’t like roughing up his marks. He prefers the wooing side. I come in when things get heavy. Like when we needed to warn you off from talking to the cops or when you needed a punishment for embarrassing him at that club.”
He grinned evilly.
“That was . . . that was you?” She was going to vomit. How had she not known the difference between him and Steven?
“God, getting to touch you was so fucking satisfying. Unfortunately, when I had to warn you off talking, I couldn’t take my time. I was on a time crunch.”
“I’m going to be sick.” She started to gag.
“Easy, baby.” Raid took a step back, pushing at her to move away.
“Don’t move!” Ellis yelled.
“You’re not going to get away with this. Someone will figure out what happened,” Raid warned.
Ellis scoffed. “No one knows about me. I’m completely off the radar. She didn’t even know which brother was fucking her!”
Oh God.
Keep it together, Hannah.
You have this. You can deal.
“How did you find Hannah?” Raid asked. “How did you know we were here tonight?”
“Pfft. Like that’s so difficult. She told Jared where she lived and what she did. I figured I’d start there. And I found a really helpful colleague of yours, Hannah. A tall, tanned blonde with big tits who was only all too eager to tell me that you were currently living on his ranch with him.”
What? Oh God. There was only one person he could be talking about. Simone.
That. Bitch.
“I’ve been watching and waiting for my moment. And tonight, it’s finally come. Once you’re gone, so is the case against Jared. The FBI will have no legal reason to hold him.”
He raised his gun at Raid, who tensed.
Oh shit. Oh hell.
“Why are you doing this?” she cried. “What did I ever do to you or your brother? Why do you target innocent women for money and then threaten them to get them to stay quiet?”
He just smiled. It was Steven’s smile. She’d once thought that smile was handsome.
Now, it just looked like pure evil.
“Because we grew up with nothing. And when we were old enough to do something about it, we figured out a way. I’m a fucking genius on a computer and excellent at intimidation. Jared, he’s good at getting people to believe him, love him, and do what he wants. We’re amazing at what we do. And we’ve amassed a fucking fortune. And as soon as Jared gets out of prison, we’re going to go somewhere warm and live it up.”
Her breath shuddered in and out of her lungs, and she pressed her hand to Raid’s back.
“I’m so sorry, Raid. I’m so sorry.”
“Hush, baby,” he told her gently. How was he not freaking out?
“Time to say goodbye!” Ellis cried.
“Do not shoot! Drop it!” someone yelled.
She cried out as Raid shoved her to the ground, covering her with his body. There was the sound of multiple gunshots, and she screamed again, certain that he was going to hit Raid. She wriggled, trying to get out from under him.
Noo!
He’d been shot, and she’d never even told him that she loved him!
She needed to help him.
“Calm, baby,” Raid urged. “Wait for the all-clear.”
She froze. What?
“Are you hit? Raid! Please, are you hit?” She gasped for breath. Why couldn’t she breathe? Tears flooded her eyes as she shook with tremors.
“I’m fine, baby. I promise. Everything is all right. Just calm down and wait for a moment. Then I’ll look after you.”
She didn’t need him to look after her. She needed him to not be shot!
“All-clear,” a voice called out. Wait. Was that Saxon? What was he doing here?
Then Raid suddenly moved. Standing, he leaned down and picked her up. Her legs could hardly hold her up and she nearly collapsed to the ground.
