After peeking around the corner, my gaze tracked Mikita. Thankfully, his attention was focused solely on Isla in his arms. As my gaze narrowed on Mikita, prayers to St. Maria began to run through my head.
At the cock of his gun, I realized it was now or never. “NO!” Quinn screamed as he charged forward.
With one final plea to St. Maria, I pulled the trigger. At the crack of my gun, the world slowed to a crawl around me. Mikita and Isla’s bodies jolted back before collapsing to the ground.
An icy fear shot from the top of my head down my spine. Had I missed my mark? Had I hit Isla instead of Mikita?
Please, God, no!
I broke into a run just as Quinn sprinted to close the distance between them. After falling to the ground, he drew Isla into his arms. With shaking hands, he searched her head for a bullet wound. When he didn’t see one, he felt along her chest.
“Now’s not the time for that,” she teased.
“You’re not hit,” Quinn pronounced, and I staggered back with relief.
A shaky smile curved on her lips. “No.”
A sob tore from his throat. “But how–”
Isla jerked her chin over Quinn’s shoulder. Glancing behind him, Quinn sucked in a harsh breath at the sight of me. It was obvious that he never expected to see his little sister with a gun in her hand and a satisfied expression on her face.
“You?” he demanded.
“Even with a bodyguard, I’m never without a gun.”
Turning back to Mikita, Quinn surveyed the gaping wound between his eyes. “Fuck me, Maeve. Most men couldn’t make that shot.”
“I’m not most men.” The corners of my lips quirked. “I’m a Kavanaugh.”
“Damn straight.”
As Quinn rose to his feet, he bent over to help Isla up. My heart warmed at the sight of the two of them together. It was obvious that Quinn wasn’t going to need my help to get her back.
Just as I turned my attention to Nolan’s lifeless form, the Garda Síochána appeared. “What the hell happened here?” a tall officer asked.
Quinn glanced between me and Isla, giving us a look that said to let him do the talking. “Well officer, that man over there was stalking this woman. He had a gun to her head. I was walking down the street when I saw it. He shot my sister’s bodyguard over there when he went to defend her. So, I drew my weapon and shot him before he could kill her.”
The officer narrowed his eyes on Isla. “Is that what happened?”
“Yes, sir. He tracked me in from the states,” Isla answered.
“What’s your name?”
“Um, Isla Vaughn.”
The officer scribbled it down in his notebook. His gaze fell on Quinn’s next. “And your name?”
“Quinn Kavanaugh.”
“Kavanaugh?” He blinked. “As in the Belfast Kavanaughs?”
“Aye. I came up to Dublin to visit my sister,” he replied, motioning to me.
“Right. Well, um, thanks for the information.” He motioned to a white van pulling up. “That’s the coroner now. I”ll inform him there’s no reason for an inquest. You can call his office for the release of your bodyguard’s body.”
When he started walking off, his partner stopped him. “What the feck are you doing?”
“Keeping myself alive.”