Page 89 of Savage Obsession

He makes a quick assessment, then, “Mild concussion, boss. Has there been any vomiting?”

“No.”

“Headache? Dizziness?”

“Not yet.”

“There might be. She needs rest and keep an eye on her for the next couple of days. Any unusual symptoms, see a doctor.”

“Is it safe to move her?”

Krzysztof peers into Julia’s eyes. “Do you have any pain anywhere else, miss?”

“No, no, I don’t think so. My ears are ringing, and… oh!”

“What?”

“Headache.” She shields her eyes with her hand.

“That’s to be expected. It should pass in a few hours, but some pain relief would help.”

“What do you have?” I demand.

“Co-codamol. Can you swallow this, do you think?” He produces a tablet from his bag and a small bottle of water.

Julia takes the medication, then, “Adan? Is he…?”

So, they’re on first-name terms suddenly. I catch Kris’s eye. “Well?”

“He’s alive?” Kris has his gun in his hand, the muzzle pressed to San Antonio’s temple. “But not for long.”

“No…” Julia protests.

I’m also inclined to not be so hasty, but for different reasons. “We should speak to him first,” I suggest. “Intelligence…”

Kris’s eyes narrow. “Nah, don’t think so. We know all we need to know.”

“Think about the consequences. If we kill their king, we’ll be at war with the San Antonios.”

He stares at me as though I just sprouted an extra head. “You don’t think we’re already at war? What was all this? He kidnapped your family, for fuck’s sake.”

“Yes, but they’re both home, safe. Unharmed. That has to mean something.”

“It means we got here in time.”

“Kris, I just think… Look, there’d be no coming back from this.”

“If I don’t end him here, now, he’s the one who’ll be coming back. Who knows what he’ll try next time?”

He has a point, but I’m not ready to give up quite yet. “We need to do a deal, find a way through this.”

“Are you deranged? There’s only one way to resolve this, and it involves a bullet in the back of his head.”

“I have a really bad feeling about this.”

“Well, you don’t have to watch. Take Julia and leave.”

I shake my head. “You’re making a mistake, boss.”

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