Page 119 of When He Protects

“Stop!” A roar from Jorlan. “Or I will snap her neck!”

The hitman froze. Horror filled his eyes.

“I will break her neck right here and now,” Jorlan vowed. “Drop the Fed! Drop any weapons you have! Get on your knees or I will kill her!”

“The fuck you will.”

Her head whipped to the right. Oh. Oh, those were the sweetest, most beautiful words she’d ever heard in her entire life. Because those words were spoken by Tyler.

Tyler was rushing toward her and Jorlan. Surging straight for them like a seriously pissed-off avenging angel. His blue eyes burned, his face was locked into savage lines, and he gripped a gun in his hand even as he closed in on his prey.

I knew he wasn’t dead.

Kane was right behind him. Covering his six, as his friend liked to do.

“You’re dead!” Jorlan snarled.

“No. But you’re about to be.” Tyler stopped about two feet away. “You think I’m gonna miss from this close of a distance?”

Jorlan’s hold tightened on her. He’d threatened to break her neck, but it felt more like he was strangling her. She couldn’t pull in a breath. Her hands rose to claw at his painful grip.

“I think you won’t do a damn thing!” Jorlan thundered back. “Not while I haveher.You fool! You fell for her, didn’t you? You think you get to rush in and take her now?No.This isn’t the way I go out. This isn’t?—”

Clawing at the arm around her neck wasn’t working. Esme was afraid she might pass out at any moment. So, new tactic. She went for his eyes. Her hand flew up and her curled fingers and sharp nails went straight for his eyes.

He screamed, and his hold loosened. Dizzy, dazed, she fell to the floor. From the corner of her eye, she saw the glint of metal. A blade? Jorlan had pulled out a blade from who the hell knew where, and he was slashing it down toward her. Aiming for her face.

Tyler fired. Two quick shots. She heard the blasts echo around her. They thundered and then there was silence.

She sucked in a breath. Another. Her heart raced, and she couldn’t hearanything.Overwhelming silence. Because of the thunder of the gun?

Jorlan had fallen beside her. His blood had splattered onto her.

She stared at him.

Two shots.

One to the heart.

One to the head.

Jorlan would never get up again.

Hands reached for her. Gentle, careful hands. Her head turned from the sight of Jorlan’s dead body. Tyler had crouched in front of her. His lips were moving?—

“Esme.Esme, tell me that you’re all right.”

She touched his face. Such a perfect face. “I knew you weren’t dead.”

His mouth took hers. He kissed her with a bittersweet desperation.

“I need help over here!” A bellow from the hitman. “Gray is losing a ton of blood. He needs an ambulance!”

“On it!” Kane’s shout.

Tyler pulled away from her. Esme saw Kane running to help carry Grayson.

“Ambulance is outside,” Kane assured him. “So are about half a dozen cops. Let’s go.”

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