Page 72 of Fast Fury

Again.Locking the muscles in her arms to counteract the recoil, she pulled the trigger once more. This time he fell to his knees. His pistol dropped to the concrete.

Abby fired again. Her weapon clicked. She squeezed the trigger. Another click.

Shit. Empty.

Trembling all over, Abby scrambled to her knees, gun still in her hands as she peered over the edge of the planter. The man was on his knees, one hand holding him up.

Then a human blur streaked through the darkness and plowed into the man’s side. Abby swallowed a cry.Kai.

He took the shooter down in a flying tackle, both of them slamming into the ground with a bone-jarring thud that wrenched a bellow of pain from the wounded shooter.

Shaking, queasy, Abby struggled to her feet and took a step toward them, the empty pistol still frozen in her grip.

Kai eased off the guy and got to his knees, both hands pinning the man’s wrists behind his back. His head snapped toward her and their gazes met, his chest heaving, stark relief on his face as he stared at her.

He’s okay.

Her heart started beating again. Hard, bruising thuds against her ribs. She stopped walking, lowered her arm.

Her hand was numb. The gun fell from her fingers. Clattered on the concrete.

Was it over? Were there any more shooters? She darted glances around her, looking for more threats. The woman was gone, and Kai had the man pinned. Security and cops were rushing toward them.

A strangled groan sounded from behind her. She whipped around. Walter was watching her from over behind the tiki bar, eyes glazed. “Ab-Abby,” he wheezed out.

On wobbly legs Abby rushed to him, dropped to her knees at his side. There was so much blood. His hands, belly and lap were covered in it, and a pool had formed around him. Two people were cautiously crawling toward them, now that the danger was over.

“Call 911,” she choked out. “Now.” God, she hoped somebody else already had.

Her boss gave a low, guttural moan, his legs moving restlessly. In agony.

“Walter,” she said, her voice hoarse and breathy. God, she was freezing. Shaking, her teeth chattering. But she had to stop the bleeding somehow.

“You…okay?” he managed. His face was pale, shiny with sweat.

“Fine,” she said, forcing a reassuring smile that fell way short of the mark. Her whole body trembled, her breaths coming in shallow gasps.

Someone handed her a shirt. Her hands shook as she wadded it up and pressed it to Walter’s belly. He cried out and arched, his expression twisting with pain.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she whispered, leaning into her hands to apply pressure. She didn’t know how else to help him. “G-get a blanket,” she said to the man nearest her.

They had to keep him warm. Keep him alert until they could take him to the hospital. She blocked everything else out, afraid to lose focus for even a moment, or she might fall apart.

A solid hand landed on her shoulder. “Ma’am. Ma’am, you can move back.”

She glanced up into the concerned face of a security guard. Blinked at him.

The man nodded once. “I’ll take over now. The paramedics are on the way.”

Reluctantly, Abby lifted her hands and eased away. She gripped one of Walter’s hands instead, squeezed tight. “I c-can’t leave him.”

“I understand.”

The guard ripped open a bag and began pulling out bandages. Holding Walter’s cold hand, Abby looked up, scanned for Kai.

She couldn’t see him. Everyone who had been trapped on the pool deck and pathways were now rushing away, back into the hotel, obscuring her view. And the man she’d shot…

A hard lump formed in her throat. The scent of Walter’s blood filled her nose, meaty and nauseating.

---