Page 78 of Shielded Hearts

His finger twitched on the trigger, his instincts screaming at him to take the shot and end this nightmare. But there were too many what-ifs, and he couldn’t take a chance that Willow or Aspen might be hurt.

His universe narrowed to one pinpoint. One goal. Make that fucker pay.

At that moment, Willow turned and saw Gideon. She let out a scream that echoed faintly through Carson’s comms, since he was closest to her.

“Willow!” Gray’s voice shredded on their sister’s name under the thunder of his boots on the stairs.

With a calm honed by years of battle, Colt’s nervous system stilled. His breathing steadied as he set his finger over thetrigger, waiting for the perfect shot at the man who was out to kill the woman Colt loved.

* * * * *

The cabin seemed to pulse with the tense silence. But that was silly—it was just four walls. It couldn’t pick up the fear of its inhabitants.

Aspen clutched her phone. She was supposed to be going over details of her client’s stay with Willow, but neither of them seemed able to utter a word. Willow stood with her gaze riveted on the window, and Aspen knew she was watching out for her brothers.

A creak on the floor behind her created ripples up and down Aspen’s spine. What was that sound? It didn’t make any sense—Willow was in front of her.

Willow heard it too and swung toward the noise. She let out a shrill scream that wobbled as a man leaped out and shoved her.

Aspen whirled to Gideon, eyes wide. As she saw the big, lethally sharp blade he held, her eyes bulged.

She threw up her hands. “Gideon. Let’s end this. I’ll give you anything. Money. The jet. My house and car. Just let us walk away unharmed.”

He looked like he’d been living rough since he held her captive in that mountain cabin. Dirt streaked his face and blackened the fingers wrapped around the hilt of the knife. His hair was even oilier than she last saw him, clinging to his head in dark clumps.

But the madness in his eyes wasn’t something she expected to change. It had just gone from crazy to deranged.

She wrenched her gaze from him, stomach lurching with terror.

Meanwhile, Willow regained her balance after being shoved. She staggered and then drew herself upright with all the confidence of a queen about to walk to the gallows.

Aspen wouldn’t let her new friend come to any harm. If it came down to her or Willow, she’d throw herself on that blade to save her.

Gideon’s mouth stretched in a parody of a smile. The state of his teeth made her stomach turn, but that volatile sneer had adrenaline pumping through her veins hard and fast.

Though he didn’t take a step toward her, the threat he posed clawed at her from all sides. Aspen’s mind couldn’t process what was happening.

Willow getting shoved. The glint of the knife.

Gideon, right here in the house.Hidingin the closet the entire time.

Fear was a hot ball in her throat, making it difficult to draw enough air.

“Gideon, let’s talk this through. There has to be a way we can come to an agreement.”

He seemed past the ability to speak. He took a slow step toward her. Light flashed off the keen edge of the blade.

When he kidnapped her before, her nonstop chatter had driven him over the edge. But did she want to do that again? He was even more unhinged now.

From the corner of her eye, she saw his reflection in the large window overlooking the water. The edges of his image were blurred, but that didn’t make him any less terrifying.

She risked a look at Willow, making sure she was okay. The woman was totally still, her stare fixed on the man who wanted Aspen dead.

His image flickered in the glass. Then she saw it—his blade raised high as he lunged at her.

This is it. This is how I die.

Then came the explosion. With a crash that deafened, the glass window shattered. Shards sprayed over her and Willow like tiny daggers. Throwing up her hands to shield herself, Aspen let out a scream. The sting of glass slicing her skin was sharp and yet Aspen didn’t connect to the pain, only the fact that she was still on her feet, still alive to fight.

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