Page 54 of Stone

The gunfire made Nola jolt, and Knox pulled her closer. But he kept his gaze up and saw that Killian’s well-placed shots had hit Zolotov’s men in the shoulders. Both of them dropped their weapons, and clutched their wounds.

“Kill the woman!” Zolotov bellowed.

One young man still held his gun, his eyes wide. He spun, his hand shaking.

He aimed the gun toward Nola and Knox.

Fuck.

Suddenly, Nola rammed into him.

The gun fired. The bullet rush over her head, then he felt a burning sensation in his arm.

He grabbed her and they hit the ground.

Holy fuck.

Nola had felt the bullet whizz past her ear.

She pressed a hand to her hair, her cheek, the side of her neck. Nothing. No bullet hole. No blood.

She was okay. She looked up, and saw that Nick and Bram had the shooter pinned down. Devyn still held a weapon on Zolotov.

The rest of his men had dropped their weapons and raised their hands.

Safe.

They were safe.

She grinned. “Knox. It’s over.”

He was still holding her. He’d done it. He’d gotten her safe, just as he’d promised.

She rolled over. “We—”

Then she saw the blood on his sleeve.

She felt like everything dropped away. “Oh, my God. You’re hit.” Her voice rose, and she scrambled to sit up.

He sat as well. “It’s just a graze.”

“You got shot! You got hit by a bullet.” Her mind short-circuited and panic scattered everything.

“Nola—”

She touched his face. “We need a medic. Someone call 9-1-1.”

“Nola,” Knox said calmly. “It’s nothing. I’m fine. “

“You’re not fine. We need to stop the bleeding.”

“Sprite.” He gripped her chin, then he leaned forward and kissed her.

Oh. Instantly, she was swept away by the taste of him. She kissed him back and crawled onto his lap. He hauled her closer, his arms holding her tight.

Her panic leaked away, replaced by something much hotter.

When he pulled away, he pressed his forehead to hers. “Better?”

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