Page 111 of Best Laid Plans

I heard another creak, and I pulled my arm away from Nova, immediately alert. Something was prickling down my spine like it did when I was in Afghanistan—before an ambush. I sat up and opened the bedside drawer. I pulled out the gun I'd put there when Bailey threatened me with Pete, who was still missing.

I leaned to put my lips to Nova's ear. "Sugar, I need you to wake up."

She did but didn't move as if she understood instinctively she shouldn't. "I need you to roll off the bed and go into the bathroom and lock it."

I knew she wanted to argue, but she'd seen the gun in my hand, and when she heard a sound, she did as I asked.

Once I heard the soft click of the closed bathroom door, I walked to stand at the wall by the door. I controlled my heartbeat, because people made mistakes when they panicked. Staying calm was the key to protecting my woman.

The door opened, and I heard the pops of a silencer go off. Nova's bed jerked.

I didn't need to see the man behind the door to know who it was. I recognized how he shot. We'd gone to the gun range often enough for me to know his style.

Pete walked into the bedroom and looked at the bed. I stepped behind him and put my gun to his head.

"You wanna drop your weapon now, Pete."

He froze, and I could see the muscles in his neck tense from the light pouring in from the city.

"No way," he growled. "I'm dead either way."

No way was I going to let Pete commit suicide by my gun. After four years in the military and over numerous kills, I didn't ever want to take someone's life again. But if it meant protecting my family—Nova, I would.

"You don't wanna die, Pete," I said, hoping that Nova would be smart enough not to walk out of the bathroom now. I wanted her to stay there and be safe.

"I have no way out of this," he cried out. "You did this, you son of a bitch. After all that I did for you—"

I poked the barrel of the gun hard into his neck. "You fucked my fiancée. You hurt my woman. What the hell else have you done for me?"

"Everything. I kept the mob away from your business when your daddy was alive, 'cause he was walking into their clutches," he roared. "I protected your ass from that bitch."

"And Bailey?"

I was buying time. I needed to find a way to call the cops. I needed to do something to de-escalate this situation. I also needed to find pants, ‘cause I was fucking naked.

"Bailey was a mistake."

No shit, Sherlock.

"You're in trouble, Pete, 'cause you got involved with the mob." I wish I had my phone with me. But I was in skin…no damned pockets. "You gambled. You cheated on your wife. Pete, your life is where it is ‘cause—"

We heard police sirens and Pete moved, turning around. I had a choice. I could shoot the sumbitch, or I could disarm him.

In a split second, I made my decision. I shifted my grip on the gun and lunged forward, using the barrel to knock Pete's arm to the side. The force of the move sent his weapon clattering to the floor. Pete's eyes widened in surprise, but I didn't give him a chance to react. I twisted his arm behind his back, and pressed him against the wall, holding him in place with my body weight.

"Don't even think about it, Pete," I growled into his ear, my breath hot with anger. "It's over."

The sirens grew louder, the flashing lights of the police cars illuminating the room through the window. I kept my grip on Pete, ensuring he couldn't move.

"Anson," I heard Nova from the inside of the bathroom. "I need to let the police in."

"You can come out, Sugar."

Nova had put on a robe, and I saw she held her phone in her hand. Smart girl. She looked at Pete, who was struggling, and nodded at me before going to open the front door.

Things happened fast after that.

Two Savannah PD officers quickly moved in, two of them securing Pete with handcuffs, while another retrieved the fallen weapon. They pulled him away from the wall and led him toward the door. He look enraged and defeated.

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