He closed his eyes and prayed. He’d never been a religious man; that was Padre’s area of expertise. As his vision faded in and out, all he could do was pray. Pray and hope. He loved Rachel too much to just give up, but no matter what he did, he wasn’t going to be able to save her. Not this time. He didn’t even have the strength to wipe away the tears in his eyes.
Please, God, don’t let her die. Give her the strength I lack. Please.
It was the best he could offer. Even if the Kings showed up right that very moment, he it would be too late. Gabriel would just kill Rachel right away before trying to fight his way out of the warehouse. Unless Rachel was able to take him out first, it was all over. There was nothing else he could do.
Gabriel tried the doorknob first, but Rachel had locked it. He jiggled it a few times, the metallic sound ringing inside his head. A soft sigh reached Griffin’s ears, immediately followed by a crashing sound as the door busted inward. Just like the door into this room, that one hadn’t been fortified either. This place was meant to be a hideaway, not a fortress.
The world faded away. Griffin fought to hang on, fought to stay awake, but he couldn’t do it. His consciousness was slipping away for good this time. He tried to fight it, putting all of his willpower into staying awake, but it was useless. Nothing he did worked.
The last thing he heard was the echoing sound of a single gunshot. Then, the world went black and quiet as everything around him disappeared.
33
Rachel
Silence. Somehow, the silence was worse than the constant gunfire. Rachel kept the gun clutched between her hands, pointed at the doorway, just waiting. Would Griffin call out to her? Was it all over out there? More than anything, she wanted to believe it was done with, wanted to believe he’d taken care of everything.
Deep down, she knew it wasn’t. The hair on the back of her neck still stood on end.
Breathe, she told herself. Just keep breathing.
That was all she could do. If she tried to go out there and see what was going on, it wouldn’t end well. Either she’d be walking into a trap or Griffin would be pissed at her for not listening to him. So she just sat there and waited, seconds ticking into minutes. Her heartbeat echoed in her head, the only sound she could hear.
Then, the world exploded. The door flew forward, splinters of wood going everywhere. Rachel let out a squeak and flinched, though none of the shards came near her. Her body acted on instinct, her finger squeezing the trigger the moment she saw a man standing in the doorway.
The bullet went wide, embedding itself into the door frame. The recoil was stronger than she’d expected, and she dropped the gun. It clamored to the ground, the metal echoing as it hit the tile floors. Rachel didn’t reach for it. She just sat there, staring openmouthed at Gabriel.
It was all over. Just not the way she’d hoped.
Gabriel’s laughter filled her ears. The sound echoed on repeat as she stared into his grinning face. Never before had she seen him looking so pleased with himself. He looked very much like a kid on Christmas who’d just unwrapped the one thing he’d asked Santa for. At the same time, his eyes narrowed, locking onto her, and she shivered. His wolf-like gaze pierced her. There was nowhere for her to run.
She tried to look past Gabriel, but he took up her entire field of vision. His body was impossibly large, filling the entire bathroom as he loomed over her. He was there, and she had no backup, no one who could come to her rescue. His standing there meant Griffin was gone, that he couldn’t save her this time.
Anger welled up inside her, eclipsing the fear and grief. She’d barely known the man. Yet Griffin hadn’t once questioned throwing away everything to protect her. Protect her and her child. The smile he’d given her whenever they’d talked about the baby . . . He didn’t care that it wasn’t biologically his. He’d wanted to be a father, had wanted to stand by her side and raise their little one.
When Gabriel stepped forward, Rachel pushed it all aside. She wasn’t going to let Gabriel win, wasn’t going to give in to him. Not this time. Not ever again.
She dove forward after the gun, but Gabriel must have anticipated the move. He stepped forward and kicked the gun, sending it skittering to the side. Before she could move an inch toward it, a man stepped into the room and scooped it up into his hand, pointing it at her. She’d never seen the man before, but she recognized the Jokers patch on his leather vest.
“Rachel, Rachel, Rachel . . .” Gabriel still smirked at her as he shook his head, making tsking noises. The look he gave Rachel made her feel small, insignificant. But she didn’t back down this time. She glared up at him, which made his smirk broaden. “I’d hoped if you spent enough time around me, you might eventually grow a brain in that empty little head of yours. But, alas . . .” He shrugged.
Rachel’s hands balled into fists. She wanted to dive at the man, wanted to beat him into a pulp. But even if she could’ve somehow overpowered him, the guy with the gun would’ve shot her before she could’ve even reached him. Plus, Gabriel still had a gun of his own, though it was pointed down at the ground instead of at her. Of course he wouldn’t want to kill her, not yet.
He had to make her suffer first.
Wasn’t that his usual MO? Even in the business world, he wasn’t known for delivering a swift end to his competitors. He drove them into the ground until they came crawling to him. He didn’t just buy out other companies. He ran them ragged first, like he wanted to punish them for even daring to think they could compete against him.
Of course that was what he’d want to do to her. He wouldn’t let her off with a quick death. That would be too much for her to ask of the universe.
“I’m not sure who’s the dumber one, you or Selena. She thought she was being slick, sneaking out and having fake documents made to help you disappear. She actually thought I would marry her if you were out of the way.” Gabriel shook his head again, still smirking. “You women aren’t the brightest bulbs in the box, are you? Like I would ever marry a chica like her. She was good for the occasional fuck. Nothing more.”
Rachel glared up at him. She’d warned Selena he wouldn’t marry her, but she hadn’t listened. It was too bad she wasn’t there to hear him admitting it. Maybe then she would have believed Rachel, would have left the bastard. She wasn’t a big fan of Selena’s, but she didn’t think anyone deserved Gabriel. He was a punishment she wouldn’t wish upon anyone. No one deserved that.
Gabriel shrugged, giving her a “what can you do?” look as he continued. “She was angry when I told her that, but she’ll get over it. Can you believe she actually thought the only reason the Jokers worked with me was because of her? She’s not even one of them! Just the cousin of one of their members!” Gabriel laughed, the sound echoing around the small bathroom. It grated on Rachel’s ears, and she had to fight the urge to flinch away from him. “It’s just too bad you didn’t have it yet. A child would’ve been useful to carry on my legacy, but I guess I’ll have to adopt one at some point. I have no urge to try again, and once you’re out of the way, I’ll find someone else to take care of a kid for me.”
Rachel shuddered. She pulled her knees up against her chest on instinct. He wasn’t even planning on keeping her alive even long enough to have the baby. She couldn’t let him hurt her daughter, but how could she stop him? She didn’t have the gun anymore, didn’t have any real way to defend herself against him. Short of a miracle, she was going to die in that bathroom, die knowing she couldn’t protect her baby from a monster.
“The Treasury Department is still after you,” Rachel said, the words spilling out of her mouth. “You won’t be able to do anything once they find you. You should just run now. Get as far away as possible before they close in on you.”
Gabriel stared at her for a long moment, his eyes boring into her. Then, he started laughing again. His eyes lit up as he grinned down at her. He was enjoying this far too much. “Do you think I can’t make that go away? A few bribes to the right people,
and it’ll all be swept under the rug. Or better yet, I’ll frame you for it. I’ll turn myself over to the police after having escaped you and your thug friends. How could my dear, beloved wife use my connections for her illicit dealings?”
“I’ll never go along with that.” Rachel glared at him again. As if she was going to take the fall for him. She didn’t know exactly what Griffin had done to figure out Gabriel’s illegal activities or all the details, but she knew enough. If he tried to turn her over to the cops, she’d tell them everything she knew. She was done rolling over for him. Done letting him call all the shots.
“Well, it’s too bad you were killed by your criminal contacts after they’d tried to kidnap me. They must have wanted to cut their losses, knowing everything was about to become public.” Gabriel shrugged as he pointed his gun at her. “I tried, you know. I tried to help her. Even with all the mistakes she’d made, I still loved her. I will always miss my dearly departed wife.”
The world started to spin. Rachel could see it clearly. He’d muss up his suit and stumble to the nearest police station, begging for them to protect him. He’d pin everything on her and the Steel Kings. Maybe there would even be a way to trace Griffin’s anonymous tip to the Treasury Department back to him. Then, Gabriel would be able to claim Rachel had set him up, showing them the fake documents Selena had gotten her. He’d spin an entire narrative for them about the delinquent wife who’d gotten mixed up with the wrong crowd.
And because he was Gabriel Aaronson, everyone would believe him. He was Mister Perfect, the kind of guy who could do no wrong. No one would have wanted to believe the news about him anyway. They’d all eagerly accept whatever story he gave them. Then, everything would be for nothing. Gabriel would be right back in his mansion, his bid for state senate even stronger as he leveraged pity for having been betrayed by his wife.
Tears stung at the corners of her eyes. She’d fought so hard to be free of him. But it had all been useless. Nothing mattered, nothing would change. Gabriel still won.
Damn it. Damn him!
A soft kick pressed against her belly. No. She wasn’t going to just roll over. She was going to die either way. What did she gain by sitting there crying until he pulled the trigger? She needed to do something, anything. Even if it got her killed, she’d at least die knowing she’d tried.
Her breathing slowed, a sense of calm overtaking her. Her hands balled into fists, the nails biting into her palms. She wasn’t shaking anymore; the world had stopped spinning. The Jokers disappeared, leaving just Gabriel. He was her sole focus. No one else mattered.
Without warning, she launched herself forward at him. He stood only a couple feet in front of her, and she moved before she could react. Her body slammed against his. He stumbled backward, but he was stronger, bigger than her, and stayed on his feet. Rachel didn’t stop. She grabbed for his arms, tried to wrestle him to the ground.
Her face was only a few inches away from his. He glared at her, and she glared right back. Rage filled her as she pushed against Gabriel. Her anger gave her strength, and Gabriel stumbled back another couple steps. She could do this. All she had to do was knock him to the ground, get his gun away from him, and she could end it all.
Just a few more seconds.
The gunshot felt like it ripped a hole in the world. The sound deafened her as she stumbled back, her hands going to her ears. Everything around her spun, her knees going weak. It hadn’t been enough, she thought as tears streamed down her face. She’d given it everything she’d had, and it hadn’t been enough.
Her vision blurred as the tears continued to fall. She didn’t even have the strength to reach up and wipe them away. She just stumbled backward, collapsing onto the cold tile again.
It was all over.
34
Griffin
Griffin winced as he struggled to roll over. His entire body was on fire. Even opening his eyes had hurt, but he’d somehow managed it. The room was almost silent, and it took a few moments of lying there, staring up at the ceiling, before his hearing came back to him. Someone was talking nearby. His brain was rattled, and he couldn’t place the voices. Yes, voices. He was pretty sure it was two people talking. A man and a woman?
Rachel!
He tried to sit up, but pain shot through his shoulder. The world went black again for a moment, then came back to him. Everything continued to spin, his breathing shallow. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, trying to get himself under control.
The wound in his shoulder was going to need a doctor to look at, but it wasn’t life threatening. Which meant he needed to get off his ass and get in there to protect Rachel. He couldn’t let that monster harm her. She’d already been through so much, and he’d made her a promise. Gabriel couldn’t be allowed to harm her, not again. Never again.
But each time he tried to sit up, pain ripped through his body, knocking the breath from his lungs. How the hell was he supposed to protect her when he could barely move? And where were the other guys? How long had he been passed out, anyway? It felt like he’d been lying there on the cold concrete for hours. But if Gabriel was still in there with Rachel, it couldn’t have been that long.
Breathe. In and out. Focus on that first.
Gradually, he got his breathing under control, his heart rate slowing along with it. The pain in his shoulder still burned, but it no longer threatened to completely overwhelm him. He was able to sit up, though it sent another jolt through his body. He stayed fully conscious this time, forcing himself to take deep breaths. He could do this. He needed to do this.
Griffin shifted onto his hands and knees, wincing at the pressure on his shoulder. A long vacation was in order after this was all over with. Him and Rachel, on a tropical beach somewhere. She’d be holding their daughter, that adorable baby laughter mixing with the surf crashing against the shore. He focused on those thoughts, picturing it all clearly in his mind. That gave him the strength he needed to stand.
That strength only got him so far, though, and he stumbled, bumping into the bed. He dropped onto it, his breathing quickening as the pain continued to work its way through his body. He wasn’t going to give up. The image of Rachel and the baby sat firmly in the front of his mind. As long as kept thinking about the two of them, he could keep going.
Rachel was his source of strength. She had been ever since he’d first laid eyes on her. She kept him grounded, helped him focus. Since he’d met her, it was like he’d finally found his purpose in life. He was no longer bouncing from thing to thing like a ping-pong ball on crack. He couldn’t imagine going back to the way things were before. He couldn’t imagine being without Rachel again.
He had to get into the bathroom somehow. Gabriel and his thugs hadn’t yet noticed Griffin was still alive, but he couldn’t count on that lasting forever. If he didn’t get in there soon, he wouldn’t be able to stop them before they put another bullet or two in him. They hadn’t even touched the dead Jokers Griffin and Padre had killed, their guns still lying on the floor.
If he could get one of those, he could get into the bathroom and take out Gabriel before he hurt Rachel. That was easier said than done. Griffin tried to stand up off the bed only to fall back onto it. Running on adrenaline only got him so far. His body was exhausted, pushed to its limits, and it was all he could do to stay conscious.
That didn’t mean he was going to quit. He was stronger than that, more stubborn. He wasn’t going to let a bullet lodged in his shoulder stop him from saving the love of his life. Even if it killed him, he was going to make sure she was safe and sound. It didn’t matter if he never walked out of the old warehouse as long as Rachel did. She was the only thing that mattered, the only person that mattered.
She was his everything.
Griffin sucked in a breath, gritted his teeth, and stood. His knees wobbled, his entire body trembled, but he stayed standing this time. For a moment, he stayed put, focusing on his breathing and trying to push down the pain radiating through him. The
re would be plenty of time for pain once he was dead. Until then, he was determined to push past it, to keep going and accomplish his mission.
Each step he took was like his legs were encased in cement blocks. It took considerable effort to even lift one foot, then the other, and walk across the small bedroom. His shoulder continued to throb, but he was able to ignore it by focusing on his steps. It was slow and painful, but it was progress, and that was all that mattered. As long as he got to Rachel before Gabriel, it didn’t matter.
He just had to get to one of the guns before Gabriel got bored listening to himself talk. Thank God the man was a blowhard who got off on the sound of his own voice. That was Griffin’s only saving grace, the only thing giving him hope at the end of the tunnel.
An eternity had gone by before he stood in front of the closest gun. The world around him spun, his body still shaking and trembling. It was a miracle he hadn’t already collapsed and fallen unconscious again. Somehow, he managed to stay up, though. He smirked to himself, proud of his accomplishment. Never underestimate sheer stubbornness. It was the same way he’d gotten through school. Focusing had never been his strong suit, but when he was challenged, he put everything he had into it.
And this was his biggest challenge yet.
Biting his bottom lip, Griffin knelt down in front of the gun. He’d regained enough of his senses to know if he’d just bent over, he’d have toppled forward and landed flat on his face. He was still only bordering on consciousness and didn’t want to do anything to tempt his body to slip back into the comforting darkness. Eyes closed as he focused on his breathing, Griffin groped around blindly until he found the cold metal of the gun.
His fingers wrapped around the grip instinctively. The gun nestled in his hand, like the two were meant for each other. It wasn’t his gun, but the weight was familiar, helping cement him more solidly in reality. This time, when he stood back up, he didn’t sway quite as much. Somehow, the heavy gun kept him anchored. His purpose never once left his mind. Now that he had the gun in his hand, the goal was in sight.
Hunted (Steel Kings MC Book 4) Page 13
