Page 76 of Beautiful Vengeance

Heath ran up a few moments later, took in the situation with a sweeping glance, and ripped open his rucksack. “I’ll put on a pressure dressing and then we’ll get her loaded.”

The former PJ gloved up and worked fast. Marcus stayed at Kiyomi’s side, his heart breaking every time she grimaced and gasped as Heath worked. Finally it was done.

Heath looked up at him. “You need treatment too. Colebrook,” he called to Brody. “Get Marcus on board.”

Marcus hated to let go of Kiyomi. Hated being parted from her for even a moment, but he was useless to her now. He sank back to the bloodstained grass as Heath and Megan lifted her and rushed her to the waiting Puma.

Brody arrived a moment later, bending down to grab him around the ribs. “Come on, big guy,” he said, and helped Marcus onto his right foot once more.

Marcus glanced over his shoulder to check behind them. Zack was helping Trinity to the Puma.

Ty and Jesse had the Architect. They’d put a pressure dressing on her shoulder as well. Unlike Kiyomi, she was fully conscious. Fighting them as they hustled her to the waiting helo.

From out of nowhere a tidal wave of rage rose up to choke him. He’d never wanted to kill anyone as badly as he wanted to kill her, but they needed answers. The Valkyries deserved answersandjustice.

“Keep me the fuck away from her,” he warned Brody as he hobbled toward the Puma.

Thankfully the team had moved the bitch to the rear of the aircraft as Brody helped him inside. Marcus immediately crawled over to where Kiyomi lay on the deck, surrounded by Heath and her fellow Valkyries.

Marcus was barely aware of the aircraft lifting and nosing forward, all his focus on the pale, still woman in front of him. Kiyomi’s eyes were closed now, and he hoped whatever she’d been drugged with was sparing her the worst of the pain.

Heath and the others all moved aside to let him collapse onto his right hip beside Kiyomi. Marcus grasped her hand, his fingers automatically going to the pulse in her slender wrist to reassure himself she was still alive.

Someone laid a hand on his shoulder. Probably Megan.

He didn’t look up, didn’t utter a word, refusing to look away from Kiyomi’s pale face as he clenched his jaw, the acidic burn of tears scalding the backs of his eyes.I’m right here, love. Hang on for me.

****

Fire. She was burning.

The pain registered at the back of Kiyomi’s mind as she floated up toward consciousness.

Her eyes fluttered open to find herself in a dim, quiet room. She was in bed, blankets tucked around her. She sucked in a breath, tensing as the fiery pain suddenly took over. She glanced down at her left shoulder. Everything was covered in a bandage, her arm secured to her chest.

Plastic squeaked nearby and then a shadow loomed over her bed. Her heart seized for a moment, then a gentle hand smoothed her hair back and a beautiful, deep voice spoke in a Yorkshire accent. “You’re okay, love. Just out of surgery.”

She relaxed, relief flooding her. She blinked up at Marcus, his features becoming clearer as her eyes adjusted to the dim light. Her throat was sore, probably from the intubation when they’d operated.

“You missed,” she said hoarsely as everything came flooding back. It was the only explanation why she was still alive.

His hand froze on her head, his face tensing. “No,” he finally answered, his voice rough. “I aimed for your shoulder, but then you moved as I squeezed the trigger and I thought… I thought…”

He sucked in a ragged breath and leaned over her, his other arm coming up to slide beneath her neck. Then he pressed his bearded cheek to hers, his familiar scent filling her nose. “I’m so goddamn sorry,” he choked out.

His pain distressed her. “No,” she whispered, reaching her right arm up to embrace him.

His shoulders shook and he pulled in an unsteady breath. She could feel wetness on her cheek, trailing down to her neck. Her heart clenched. This strong, proud and humble man was crying because of what he’d been forced to do. “I’msorry. You should never have been put in that position.”

He shook his head, holding her tighter. “I couldn’t get to you,” he said, his voice catching on a sob that broke her heart. “I couldn’t save you and I only had one shot left. I didn’t know the others were coming, I just saw her take you into that helicopter, and…”

“But youdidsave me,” she told him, squeezing tight, her eyes stinging. “I asked you once to promise me you wouldn’t let me be taken, and you didn’t. Youdidn’t.” Her voice broke.

She hated that he’d been forced to shoot her to save her, but he’d seen it as the only way, and even then he couldn’t bring himself to take a head shot. Hadn’t been able to kill her because he just couldn’t.

Her pulse raced, her heart beating frantically under the tide of emotion, and suddenly she couldn’t hold her feelings back for him a moment longer. “Marcus, I—”

“I love you,” he told her, easing back to cup her face in his hands. “I love you so goddamn much, and because of that, when it came down to it, I just couldn’t do what you’d asked.”

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