Page 42 of Close Quarters

Alex held up his hands. “How?”

The other man grunted and withdrew a knife from his pocket. Flicking it open, he cut through Alex’s bonds, then put the gun back in Katie’s side.

“You try anything, she dies.”

Katie’s wide eyes stared at him with fear. Alex made a small nod, then took Reeves’s weight from Amanda.

“Move,” Tony said.

“Which way?” Alex growled.

“Straight.”

Half supporting, half dragging Reeves, Alex walked deeper into the trees. The further they went, the harder it became for the deputy to walk. As he was about to stop and pick him up in a fireman’s carry, the trees thinned out and Alex could see they were coming up to a cliff.

A few feet from the edge, the trees gave way. Tony ordered them to stop.

“Tie the deputy and Katie to a tree.” He pulled a rolled rope from his bag and tossed it at Alex.

Alex hesitated, knowing they stood less of a chance of getting out of this if they were restrained.

Tony dug the gun into Katie’s side. She let out a soft grunt and her face contorted for a brief second. “Don’t make me shoot her now. A shot in the gut won’t kill her. Not right away.”

Biting his tongue so as not to further enrage the man, he nodded. Tony gave Katie a shove toward the tree. Alex followed her with Reeves.

“I—can’t stand,” Reeves breathed.

“Then sit,” Alex said. He lowered the man to the ground. Katie sat next to him and Alex lashed them to the tree. Hoping Tony wasn’t a knot connoisseur, he tied a quick hitch knot. With his body blocking their captor’s view, he tapped Katie’s arm with a finger. When she looked down, he tapped the end of the rope, then looked her in the eye. Her head bobbed a fraction, and he stood up.

Tony walked over, put a finger under the rope near Reeves’s shoulder and tugged. It stayed taut. Satisfied it was secure, he pointed to the tree to his left. “Now it’s your turn.” He took out another rope and handed it to Amanda. “Tie him up.” He pointed the gun at Katie again, knowing it would make Alex comply.

Alex clenched his teeth together, grinding away the enamel as he spun and walked to the tree. Amanda looped the rope around him and the tree trunk and tied it off.

“Last chance, sweetie,” Tony said to Amanda after he checked the rope. “You want to give daddy-dearest a pass and come back with me?”

“He’d never believe me if I did. And he’d be right not to.”

Tony shrugged. “Have it your way.” He raised the gun and shot her between the eyes.

Katie’s shout of surprise sounded over the echo of the gun. Alex’s stomach lurched and anger hit him hard in the gut as he watched Amanda fall. Using all his strength, he curled his arms, searching for the knot Amanda tied, almost sobbing in relief when he realized she tied a hitch knot as well. He yanked on the end, pushing against the rope until it slithered down to his feet.

Tony’s back was to him, giving Alex a slight element of surprise. In two powerful strides, he was within reach of the other man and launched himself at him as Tony raised the gun to shoot Reeves.

The shot went wild as they fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Alex used his size to his advantage and stretched up to grab the wrist of Tony’s gun hand, slamming it to the ground to try to make him let go. Tony bucked, sending Alex sprawling to the side, and he lost his grip. Cursing, he scrabbled to flip over, turning in time to see Tony stagger to his feet and aim the gun at him.

“I’m going to enjoy this. You and your lady have been a pain in my ass.”

Fuck! Alex closed his eyes, knowing he lost. “I’m sorry, Katie, I tried. I love you,” he whispered.

Tony grunted, and Alex’s eyes popped open to see a look of surprise and pain on the man’s face. He dropped to his knees, and Alex saw Katie standing behind him, holding the hilt of Reeves’s knife, which stuck out of Tony’s back between his fourth and fifth ribs near his spine. The gun fell from his fingers and he pitched forward, landing on his face in the dirt, the knife still stuck in his back.

Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod! I killed a man! Katie stared at the knife sticking out of Tony’s back, her stomach doing somersaults. She heard Alex get to his feet a moment before he touched her arm.

“Katie, honey? Are you all right?”

Her eyes snapped to his as she came back to herself. The words she heard him whisper as she stabbed Tony registered. She glared at him. “You picked a hell of a time to say you love me. Jerk. Having it associated with a murder and me stabbing a guy is not the way I want to remember something like that.” Upset with what just occurred, she lashed out at him.

“I’m sorry, I thought I was about to die! It seemed like a good idea at the time.” He cupped her face in his hands. “It doesn’t change anything, though. I meant what I said. I love you. And if it helps, think of it this way—in my last moments, I professed my love for you over anything else.”

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