Page 109 of Marked

“Did you do this?” he asked, gesturing at the dead man.

Sophia’s mouth went slack. She shook her head.

“Nick? Christ!” the man behind her moaned.

“Easy, Tuck. If she didn’t do this, someone else is in the building. Get everyone on foot now.”

Sophia swept her gaze to Tuck. His eyes were misty, his skin sallow as he nodded. If they didn’t already know about the guy upstairs she’d cut open, they’d soon find out.

Kenneth’s words sank into her mind. Someone else is in the building?

Her lungs with hope.

Cole?

Tuck left the room the way they’d entered, and Kenneth strode forward. “I’m not surprised you escaped. You were always too damn smart.”

Emotion swelled the sensitive flesh around Sophia’s eyes. She didn’t want to die. Not like this. “Kenneth, please. Please don’t do this to Bella. She needs me.”

Kenneth nodded, but the gun in his hand said he didn’t give a damn. “I know. I feel bad for the kid. Honest, I do. But she’s got Bart. He’ll take care of her. You know that.”

Tears leaked out of her eyes. Sophia’s knees buckled, but somehow she remained standing. She wouldn’t die begging.

He’d made his decision, and he was too far away for her to fight—he’d get a bullet off in half a second and she’d bleed out before she made it even five feet. “You’re making a mistake. You’ll go to prison. You know you will.”

“Sorry about this. I really, really am.” Kenneth’s tone turned gravelly. His weak and tired eyes landed on her, and he lifted the gun.

Crack!

Sophia dropped to the ground, but no pain surrounded her body. Shouts followed.

Her mind raced, desperately trying to piece together what had happened, as she lifted her head from the safety of her arms. Kenneth ran past her and through the door, firing shots behind him—but not at her. What the—?

Kenneth disappeared into the hallway. She hadn’t been shot. She was alive. Confusion swirled around Sophia. She hadn’t fired. Who—?

A form stalked toward her. The sight of the build vacuumed the air from her lungs. His gaze landed on hers. All six feet, three inches of dangerous man bent next to her. “C-Cole?”

She scrambled to her knees, but before she could get to her feet, he’d hauled her to his chest and was encircling her body with his protection.

“He’s alive. Kenneth is still—”

“Shh. I know. It’s okay, I’ll get him,” Cole soothed. “Holy shit. Holy fucking shit,” he mouthed against her ear.

He squeezed her tighter and his scent enveloped her, stealing all her terror, as if the last couple of hours hadn’t even happened. Everything would be okay now. She wasn’t alone.

She was with one of the deadliest men on the planet.

And God help her, that gave her comfort.

“I thought I was too late.” He pulled away, and his gaze searched her face as his hand rested on her cheek. A cloud crossed his face, darkening his already steely irises. “Did they touch you?”

She shook her head. “No.” She dragged her teeth over her bottom lip, and tears flowed from her eyes. “I killed someone. Upstairs. I—I sliced open his abdomen.”

Cole’s eyebrows crept up with amusement. “Good.”

She huffed out an exasperated breath. “It doesn’t feel so good.”

“Think about all the kids you saved from his hands.”

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