Page 92 of Cruel Ice

Declan whirled toward Cade. He knew he had to fire. Fast. But he couldn’t risk hitting Marley. She had to get the hell out of the way?—

Marley had already broken free of Cade as he stared in shock and fury at Declan. She surged toward the wall.

Declan smiled at him. “Guess we’re taking each other out, huh?”

“You aren’t leaving this room, you sonofabitch.Everything you have should be mine! Everything should be?—”

Marley slammed a painting into his back. The wood of the frame hit his head and shoulders. Cade jerked and shuddered, and he whirled toward her even as Declan tried to lunge forward.

“Hey, asshole.”Royal burst from the curtains near the terrace. “You don’t screw with my brother, got it?”

And when Cade started to fire at Royal…

Royal took the shot first. And so damn fast.

Two hits. One to the heart. One to the head. Zero hesitation.

Cade hit the floor with his mouth hanging open in a scream that he never got to voice.

Declan’s breath shuddered out. His grip was too tight on the gun, but he couldn’t force his fingers to relax. He was too tense. Too certain that another attack would come.

A door slammed into a wall.The front door? Again?

Footsteps pounded toward them. “Declan!”

Hunter’s voice this time.

Don’t be another betrayal. Don’t be.

“Need me to kill him?” Royal asked.

Hunter burst into the den. Took in the scene with wide eyes. Then… “Declan?” Wooden. “Declan, all that blood on you…is it theirs or is it yours?”

A sharp cry escaped Marley as she bounded toward him. She reached for his coat.

Fuck that. He reached for her. He hauled her against him even as he heard Hunter calling nine-one-one.

“Yeah, yeah, I told you heroes to get here fast—I need faster. My best friend is bleeding his ass out all over the place. Hurry,”Hunter ordered, voice blasting.

“You were shot.” Marley shuddered against Declan. “Why didn’t you say something?”

Little too busy killing my father figure, sweetheart. Little too busy.“Guess I’m like you,” he managed instead. “It’s just a scratch.” No, it wasn’t. “No need to mention it.”

She pulled back. Stared up at him. “I love you, Declan Flynn.”

“Am I dying?” He felt his body weaving. “That why you’re lying to me now?”

“It’s not a lie, and you’re not dying.” Her jaw hardened. “You’renot, understand? Because if you try, then I will follow you to heaven and drag you back to me.”

His legs gave way. Shit. He hit the floor.

Or almost did. Hunter grabbed him from behind. Carefully lowered him down. Went to work on the wound that Declan couldn’t even feel any longer.

“How the hell was he on his feet?” Hunter demanded.

Marley touched Declan’s face. “I love you.”

“Not going to heaven.” He knew this. She did, too. “Always bound for hell.”

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