Page 68 of Wicked and Bound

“All that money. All that power,” Mila parroted with a snarl. “And you’re not bringing me down.”

Suddenly, gunfire erupted from all sides. Nash shoved Haisley behind a steel medical cabinet, prayed like hell, and opened fire, dropping the first guard with a head shot. The second took two in the chest before he fell.

Karliah dove behind an overturned gurney, taking out another guard with precise shots. “Nine o’clock!”

Nash spun, catching a guard trying to flank them. His shot caught the man in the throat. Blood sprayed across sterile white walls.

But for every guard they dropped, two more seemingly appeared. They were being herded away from the exits, pushed deeper into the corner. Nash counted ammunition—six rounds left. Not nearly enough.

A bullet whizzed past his ear, so close he felt the heat. Another struck the cabinet by Haisley’s head, making her flinch. His heart rattled in fear. They were running out of cover, out of options, out of time.

Through the chaos of gunfire and shattering glass, he caught a glimpse of Haisley’s copper hair as Karliah shoved her to her knees. Crouching, the female operative began guiding Haisley though the pandemonium, toward the exit—and safety. They were so close. A few more feet and…

“Stop them!” Mila’s command cut through the chaos like a blade.

Every guard in the room swiveled and trained their weapons on Haisley.

Mila crossed to them and hauled Haisley to her feet in a cruel grip. “Well, well. The noble warrior’s pregnant prize.”

Nash kept his weapon trained on her as he assessed their situation. The guards had them surrounded—six blocking the main entrance, four covering the connecting door, five flanking Mila. All armed with automatic weapons. His mind raced, calculating angles, searching for any opening that wouldn’t endanger Haisley or their child.

Rolling medical carts wouldn’t stop high-caliber rounds. The observation window was reinforced. The hallway was a killing zone. They were trapped in this sterile death chamber with a woman who’d spent years perfecting the art of breaking people.

The odds tightened like a noose around his throat.

His finger tightened on the trigger. If they were going down, he’d at least make damn sure Mila died first.

“One twitch of that trigger, and your child grows up an orphan. Assuming I let it live at all.” Mila glanced at Dr. Haynes’s body with sneering disdain. “Seriously? I needed the guards to get me safely across a compound crawling with feds. Five fucking minutes, and the bitch couldn’t handle one pregnant girl? Figures. She was weak, and she deserved to die.” Mila clutched her weapon with fever-bright eyes. “And you’re all fools if you think you can defeat me. Admirable little effort, but did you really think I was stupid enough to let you take down myempire? I built it from nothing while men like my dear, departed George played their petty power games and fucked their useless whores. So I framed him, and they both got what they deserved. I made sure of that. And I’ve transformed this island into something extraordinary.”

“It’s a pig with lipstick. Evil dressed up in luxury,” Haisley spat, not a trace of fear in her voice despite the guns aimed at her. “And you’re a pathetic slave of the rich and powerful, groveling to do their bidding for a few bucks.”

“Pathetic?” Mila’s laugh echoed off sterile walls as she pressed the gun against Haisley’s temple. “Haven’t you figured out yet that the world caters to the powerful, you naive little slut. You can either give them what they want and reap the rewards or watch them destroy you. I grew up the dirt-poor daughter of a drug addict and a prostitute, eating flour and catching bugs to survive. Your lofty morals are a hindrance. They’ll never put food in your belly or money in your bank account. I wanted more. I wanted better. So I figured out what the elites want. I’ve broken hundreds of women in this very room. Watched them scream and beg as I sold their bodies to the highest bidder, then took their babies for profit.” She gestured to the empty incubators lining the walls. “This is true power—having the ability to reshape someone’s entire life—and make a fortune doing it.”

Nash’s finger tightened on the trigger, but Mila grabbed Haisley by the hair and dragged her close, using her as a shield. His heart stopped as she gouged the barrel of her gun against Haisley’s temple.

Every muscle in his body froze. His head whirled. One wrong move and he’d lose everything—Haisley, their baby, their future.

“Maybe I’ll end your baby-daddy’s miserable life and let you carry this baby to term before I rip the child away forever.” Mila’s voice dripped poison. “I’ll send you videos of the auctionsso you can see exactly the pervert who will make your kid’s life hell. I don’t usually mix business with pleasure, but watching you cry and beg will be my supreme delight.”

Nash’s mind raced. Logic screamed that offering himself was pointless, but desperation clawed at him. If there was even a fraction of a chance, even the slimmest hope that he could somehow save Haisley and their baby…

He’d lost one child through fear and silence. He wouldn’t lose another.

“Take me instead,” Nash said into the horrible silence, forcing his voice to steady. “Let her go. Do whatever you want with me.”

Mila’s eyes lit with intrigue. For a fraction of a second, her grip on Haisley loosened.

“Nash, no!” Haisley lurched for him. When the guards yanked her back viciously, her yelp tore at his heart. Tears spilled down her cheeks, but her eyes held steel. She wasn’t giving up. “You can’t!”

“Ugh, you’re ridiculously noble.” Mila laughed. “But I’m not interested in your bargain. You see?—”

A flash-bang grenade crashed through the observation window, detonating in a burst of sound and light. The world exploded into chaos. Stars exploded in his eyes. His ears rang.

He shook his head to combat the effects and saw Haisley twisting from Mila’s grip—giving him just enough space to move in.

He dove for Haisley, tackling her to the ground and covered her with his body as gunfire exploded from all directions. “Stay down!”

The noise was deafening in the enclosed space, bullets punching through medical equipment and ricocheting off steel. An IV machine exploded beside them, raining plastic and metal.Rounds tore through the air above them. A bullet struck the floor inches from his face, spraying concrete dust into his eyes.

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