by Kaylea Cross
Without conscious thought he’d sprinted full out to the pool and dived headlong into the deep end, his only thought to save Abby. Now that she was safe, the bitch who’d attacked her would fucking pay for what she’d done to Abby and Hani.
“Let me go, you corrupt bastard,” the woman gritted out, raking her nails over his forearms.
Kai barely felt the sting, his body in combat mode. “Shut up.” He squeezed her throat tighter, and the garbled words stopped.
From the corner of his eye he saw Abby scramble up over the edge of the pool and stay there on her hands and knees. Fuck, he wanted to go to her so badly, see if she was hurt. And he would in a few minutes.
But first, he had to deal with this murderer.
None too gently, he towed the woman the last few feet to the side of the pool. The water here was just shallow enough for him to be able to stand as he wrenched the woman’s arms behind her back and hefted her out of the water, dumping her onto the deck on her stomach like a landed fish.
She twisted and tried to sit up but he was faster, using the side of the pool as a springboard as he leapt out of the water and seized both her forearms, dragging them behind her back to pin them in place.
“I said, don’t fucking move,” he growled, shoving her arms higher, enough to make her cry out and arch from the pressure against her shoulders. She was goddamn lucky he had enough restraint to stop from breaking both her damn arms.
Three security guys rushed over to take her into custody. Kai kept a firm hold on her wrists until they cuffed her, then shoved to his feet, water sluicing off him onto the pool deck.
“Get her out of here,” he rasped out, half-afraid of what he might do to her if they didn’t get her out of his sight right fucking now. Because God knew he was amped up and ready to kill, but he wanted answers more. And by God, he’d get them.
A shrill scream behind him split the air. “Look out!”
Kai’s heart rocketed into his throat and he whipped around. Abby.
She was still on her hands and knees at the edge of the pool, but she wasn’t looking at him. He followed her gaze to a man who had appeared near a pathway leading to the pool. He was in silhouette, backlit against the shot-up tiki bar.
But Kai clearly saw his arms rise, along with the pistol in his hands. It was aimed directly at Kai’s chest.
Muttering a curse, Kai dove for the ground just as a shot shattered the taut silence.
Chapter Twenty
Abby jolted as the shot cracked through the air, ice congealing in her veins.
People were screaming again. Running from this new threat.
Through the chaos she cast a frantic glance at Kai, a sob catching in her chest. He was down. She couldn’t see him clearly because of all the people running around. Was he hit?
Trembling from shock and exhaustion, she swung her head back around to look at the shooter. He was still there, weapon pointed at Kai.
He fired again.
“No!” Abby screamed, the word torn from the deepest part of her, but it was drowned out beneath the noise of the panicked people trapped between the shooter and Kai.
The man must have heard her though, because he whirled to face her, weapon aimed. And everything stopped as her gaze locked on the muzzle of the pistol in his hand. Her heart lurched. Time froze.
Blood roared in her ears in deafening waves, heavy as a bass drum, raw terror flooding her body. Lurching to her feet, she took a running step just as a shot detonated behind her.
She flinched, cried out as a concrete planter exploded inches beside her. Desperate to find cover, she ducked behind a huge rectangular-shaped planter filled with tropical plants.
More screaming around her. Two more shots hit the planter, raining bits of plant and ceramic down on her.
Jesus. She huddled there, trapped and helpless. There was nowhere else to go. And he was coming for her.
She cast a frantic glance around, looking for something she could defend herself with.
Her gaze snagged on a dark shape lying on the ground a few feet away. The woman’s fallen pistol.
Stretching out on her stomach, Abby flung out an arm and snatched it just as another bullet smashed into the planter. Shards flew out, nicking her left forearm.
She flipped onto her back, raised the pistol in her shaking hands and braced herself. She’d never fired a gun, didn’t know what the hell else to do, but if he kept coming at her then she had no choice but to shoot. Kai might be bleeding to death right now. Abby had to end this if she could. At least had to try.
Battling the shaking in her arms and hands, she crept to the edge of the planter, risked a peek through the foliage. The man was coming toward her, a dozen yards or so away.
She had to do this. She had to do it now.
Praying she wouldn’t hit an innocent bystander by mistake, she took aim and fired. The gun bucked in her hand, jerking both arms upward. The man flinched but didn’t stop.
Dammit! She’d missed him.
He adjusted his aim to fire at her, his expression set. Promising death.
Lower, quick! Adjusting her aim, she fired again. Again. He grunted and lurched forward. The hand holding his gun dropped a few inches.
Again. Locking the muscles in her arms to counteract the recoil, she pulled the trigger once more. This time he fell to his knees. His pistol dropped to the concrete.
Abby fired again. Her weapon clicked. She squeezed the trigger. Another click.
Shit. Empty.
Trembling all over, Abby scrambled to her knees, gun still in her hands as she peered over the edge of the planter. The man was on his knees, one hand holding him up.
Then a human blur streaked through the darkness and plowed into the man’s side. Abby swallowed a cry. Kai.
He took the shooter down in a flying tackle, both of them slamming into the ground with a bone-jarring thud that wrenched a bellow of pain from the wounded shooter.
Shaking, queasy, Abby struggled to her feet and took a step toward them, the empty pistol still frozen in her grip.
Kai eased off the guy and got to his knees, both hands pinning the man’s wrists behind his back. His head snapped toward her and their gazes met, his chest heaving, stark relief on his face as he stared at her.
He’s okay.
Her heart started beating again. Hard, bruising thuds against her ribs. She stopped walking, lowered her arm.
Her hand was numb. The gun fell from her fingers. Clattered on the concrete.
Was it over? Were there any more shooters? She darted glances around her, looking for more threats. The woman was gone, and Kai had the man pinned. Security and cops were rushing toward them.
A strangled groan sounded from behind her. She whipped around. Walter was watching her from over behind the tiki bar, eyes glazed. “Ab-Abby,” he wheezed out.
On wobbly legs Abby rushed to him, dropped to her knees at his side. There was so much blood. His hands, belly and lap were covered in it, and a pool had formed around him. Two people were cautiously crawling toward them, now that the danger was over.
“Call 911,” she choked out. “Now.” God, she hoped somebody else already had.
Her boss gave a low, guttural moan, his legs moving restlessly. In agony.
“Walter,” she said, her voice hoarse and breathy. God, she was freezing. Shaking, her teeth chattering. But she had to stop the bleeding somehow.
“You…okay?” he managed. His face was pale, shiny with sweat.
“Fine,” she said, forcing a reassuring smile that fell way short of the mark. Her whole body trembled, her breaths coming in shallow gasps.
Someone handed her a shirt. Her hands shook as she wadded it up and pressed it to Walter’s belly. He cried out and arched, his expression twisting with pain.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she whispered, leaning into her hands to apply pressure. She didn’t know how else to help him. “G-get a blanket,” she said to the man nearest her.
They had to k
eep him warm. Keep him alert until they could take him to the hospital. She blocked everything else out, afraid to lose focus for even a moment, or she might fall apart.
A solid hand landed on her shoulder. “Ma’am. Ma’am, you can move back.”
She glanced up into the concerned face of a security guard. Blinked at him.
The man nodded once. “I’ll take over now. The paramedics are on the way.”
Reluctantly, Abby lifted her hands and eased away. She gripped one of Walter’s hands instead, squeezed tight. “I c-can’t leave him.”
“I understand.”
The guard ripped open a bag and began pulling out bandages. Holding Walter’s cold hand, Abby looked up, scanned for Kai.
She couldn’t see him. Everyone who had been trapped on the pool deck and pathways were now rushing away, back into the hotel, obscuring her view. And the man she’d shot…
A hard lump formed in her throat. The scent of Walter’s blood filled her nose, meaty and nauseating.
She swallowed, trying to force the prickly obstruction down, but it wouldn’t budge. Instead it grew, filling her windpipe until she could barely breathe, the memory of the gun kicking in her hand so vivid it was as though it was happening all over again.
Had she killed him? Hit someone else by mistake?
Her stomach twisted, bile rushing up her throat. The shaking got worse, an uncontrollable tremor that rolled through her in waves. She shut her eyes, tried to block everything out.
Kai. She wanted Kai.
“Ma’am?” the security guard said.
Abby didn’t respond, just squeezed her eyes shut and struggled to hang on to the last shred of her control.
“Somebody bring her a blanket,” he called out.
She barely heard him, fighting the sobs that burned in her chest. Everything faded out. Sounds around her blurred, voices became indistinct. She couldn’t even feel her fingers clutching Walter’s hand anymore.
“Abby.”
That deep, familiar voice penetrated the thick fog she was in.
“Hey. Shortcake, look at me.”
She opened her eyes, raised her head. Searching for the source of that voice.
Warm fingers grasped her chin gently, tipping her face up to meet concerned dark brown eyes.
Kai. He was kneeling in front of her, a worried frown puckering his brow. “Abby, say something. Are you hurt?” His voice was urgent as he swept his hands over her arms, her sides. Checking for injuries.
The knot in her throat burst free. A hard, dry sob ripped out of her. Releasing Walter’s hand, she reached for Kai.
Kai cursed under his breath and caught her to him, his big, strong arms locking around her back. “Sweetheart, are you hurt anywhere?”
She shook her head and buried her face into his shoulder, her bloody hands clutching fistfuls of his shirt. God, they’d almost died tonight.
“Okay, it’s all right,” he soothed, one big hand coming up to cradle the back of her head. Protecting her, sheltering her.
But he couldn’t take away what had happened. Or what she’d had to do.
“Is he…d-dead?” she ground out between chattering teeth. God, she was shaking apart, her bones aching.
The hand on her hair tightened, pressing her face harder into the wet fabric stretched across his chest, the warm muscle beneath it. “Yes.”
Her face scrunched up as another sob tore loose.
He made a soothing sound. “I’ve got you, shortcake. Just hold on tight.” Scooping her up into his arms, he got to his feet.
“No—” Abby lifted her head and twisted around to see Walter. “I can’t l-leave him.”
“The paramedics are taking care of him. See?”
Her blurry gaze found the uniformed men loading her boss onto a stretcher. “But—”
“Where are you taking him?” Kai called out to them, correctly guessing what she’d been about to ask.
“Memorial,” one of them answered, and went back to tending Walter.
Kai carried her over to another paramedic. He pronounced her banged and scraped up, in shock, but otherwise uninjured.
“She should probably go to the hospital and get checked out, just in case,” the paramedic said.
“No,” Abby said, adamant. “I just want to go to my room.” She gave Kai a pleading look. She just wanted to get away from all of this and be alone with him to get her bearings.
“I’ll take you up as soon as we give our initial statements,” he promised, squeezing her tight.
He held her to him while the police questioned them, warming her with his big body. It seemed to take forever, but finally they finished and were allowed to go—and only because he was DEA.
Kai started carrying her from the scene with rapid strides. “We’ll get an update once your boss is out of surgery. For now, I’m getting you the hell out of here.”
Abby nodded, glad to be leaving.
Several people came up to them as Kai carried her from the pool area. Security guards. Police officers. Kai snapped at them that they’d have to wait, and walked faster.
Guests and staff all moved out of their way as he headed for the main building, shock on their faces. Abby hid her face in Kai’s broad shoulder again and curled into his chest. She hated the stares, the horrified eyes on her. She wanted to be alone with Kai.
She didn’t know how long it took to get up to her room, but finally they were there. A staff member ran ahead and unlocked her door for them. Kai gave him instructions to tell the police and security services he would call them up to the room to answer more questions when she was settled, and not until. Then the door closed behind them, locking out the rest of the world.
Abby expected him to set her on the bed but he walked straight through to the bathroom, shifting her in his arms so he could reach out and start the shower. She didn’t move, needing the comfort of his hold almost as much as she needed air to breathe.
He seemed to understand that, because he waited a minute, then walked straight in with her, both of them fully dressed. She gasped as the warm water hit her chilled skin.
“I can’t—s-seem to—catch m-my—breath,” she said between gasps.
“It’s shock,” he answered in a low voice. “Totally normal. Just let the shakes roll through you. Don’t fight ‘em. Slow your breathing. In, out, one at a time.”
She tried to do as he said, but the hitching in her chest made it hard to control her breaths. “C-cold,” she whispered.
“I know. I’m gonna get you warmed up right now.”
Kai set her down on the small bench seat built into the shower wall, adjusted the spray so that the water sluiced over her body, then hunkered down in front of her to take her face in his hands. He scanned her face, settled his gaze on hers, then lowered his hands to grasp hers.
Abby looked down. They were covered in dried blood. Walter’s blood.
She shuddered, sucked in a breath and forced it out slowly.
Kai squeezed her hands. “That’s good, sweetheart. Nice and slow. Let your muscles relax.”
Focusing on his calm, steady presence, she willed her body to go lax. She was safe now. Kai had her, wouldn’t let anything else happen to her.
“Good girl.” Reaching up beside him for the soap set into a nook in the wall, he washed Walter’s blood from her skin. By the time he was done her breathing was more even, but she was still cold, occasional shivers wracking her.
He set her clean hands in her lap. “Let me get a better look at you,” he murmured, reaching for the sodden hem of her lavender dress. The soaked fabric clung to her skin as he gently peeled it up her body. “Lift your arms.” He eased it over her shoulders and head, tossed it aside before stripping off his own shirt.
Abby sat there, docile as a doll as he undid her bra and dropped it. His hands were warm and sure as they stroked over her shoulders and arms, her ribs. The scrapes and bruises all over her throbbed, but the cuts on her legs stung the worst.
He gr
asped one ankle and raised her leg, watching her face. She couldn’t quite control her flinch and looked down at where his fingers were probing. Thin trickles of blood ran down her calf to her ankle, turning to pinkish rivulets that dripped off her foot and swirled down the shower drain.
Raising her calf slightly, Kai angled her leg and squeezed two fingers on either side of a cut. She bit the inside of her lip at the swelling burn, hands gripping the edge of the bench.
Easing back on his haunches, he raised his hand to show her the tiny ceramic fragment he held between his thumb and forefinger. “All done. They’re not too deep. I’ll clean them and get a bandage after you’re dried off. I don’t think you’ll need stitches, except maybe for this one. We’ll see how it goes.” He stroked his thumb along the cut he’d just pulled the debris from, his touch gentle, soothing. “Can you shift around for me?”
“I’m fine.”
“Then turn around and let me see for myself.”
Abby turned a little, giving him her back. Every bruise and scrape throbbed and stung now that the adrenaline rush had disappeared. “That woman killed Hani?” she asked softly.
His hands stilled on her back. “Yes.” He smoothed his palm over her spine in a soothing caress, pressed a kiss to the top of her right shoulder. “I stopped at security to update them about everything when I got here. I was on my way to meet you when they called me back to look at some surveillance footage. It was her. Heading for the conference rooms.”
So she’d followed Abby and her boss outside from there. “Who is she?”
“Don’t know yet. But we will soon enough.” There was a dark edge to his voice she’d never heard before.
Abby wrapped her arms around herself, bowed her head and closed her eyes. “And the man? Who was he?”
“My guess is somebody working for Juan Montoya.”
She peered over her shoulder at him. “Who’s that?”
“Head enforcer for a new lieutenant with the Venenos.”
Abby faced the wall again, shock welling inside her. The bounty. He’d come here to kill Kai. “I thought he shot you,” she rasped out, shuddering.
