Page 80 of Crash and Burn

Behind her, Merrit Geller’s hand closed on her arm, yanking her around. She swung again with the stick, but this time it was ineffective. He'd pulled the shoe from his neck somewhere along the way. Blood was oozing down his collar, red and wet. She must have had the misfortune of puncturing muscle and not hitting anything valuable.

With a roar of rage that startled her spine straight, he pushed her backward until she stumbled and fell onto the ground. He was on her before she could react or fight back, his hands closing around her neck.

Though she fought and clawed, he squeezed until she couldn’t breathe.

Chapter Sixty-Three

The cabin was empty.

Sebastian's heart raced as the FBI agents methodically slammed their way through the cabin yelling “clear” each time they found a room empty. The words ricocheted like bullets, the word hitting him each time that Maggie wasn’t in there.

He could see into the back room, which held nothing but a splintered chair, lying in pieces on the floor next to a pale blue high-heeled shoe.

The shoe he had foundwasMaggie’s!

But this one had blood on the heel, spatters on the side. He could only hope the blood wasn't Maggie's. Beyond the wreckage, the window was open.

She wentout the window.Even as he had that thought, he heard the agents yelling to each other, “She’s in the woods!”

Two cars were already parked at the cabin when they pulled up. Sebastian, a quasi-civilian relegated to the back seat, hadn’t been able to see clearly on the ride up. Decker and Watson had talked the whole way, leaving him mostly out of the conversation, but it had been clear that they believed that both Geller and Sanders were here.

With Maggie.

His Maggie.

The agents were in the other rooms and far enough away that they couldn't stop him. Sebastian took advantage and slammed out the front door. They had protocol to follow, which he understood. He had protocol too, just not here. Here, his only job was saving Maggie, no matter what the cost.

He skidded his way around the corner and toward the back of the building. The clearing around the house was as small as the place itself and led into several trails, but one led directly away from the window. He bolted down it, deciding to take his chances there.

As he pounded his way along the trail, he saw broken branches and, ahead of him, he heard a struggle.It had to be Maggie. The sound gave him hope. If she was struggling, she was alive.

He braced himself for whatever he might find but told himself that keeping Maggie alive was his only goal.

He spotted a man from the back, presumably Geller, much further down the path. As the man moved and fought, Sebastian caught a glimpse of powder blue. Maggie!

She was on the ground and it looked as if Geller was trying to strangle her. But she was fighting back.

Sebastian ran like the hounds of hell were at his back. But they were in front of him. He pulled his gun even as his feet pounded down the trail and he prayed he would make it in time. Maggie was still so far away!

His brain was racing, letting him know to jump over roots and avoid low branches. He rolled his ankle but kept going.

He got as close as he dared before planting his feet and raising the gun. But he couldn't shoot. Any shot he took that would hit Geller might also hit Maggie.

“Geller!” he yelled, even as he heard the FBI agents racing up the trail behind him.

“Don't shoot!” Watson yelled, but he ignored her. He didn't give a flying fuck if Geller died.

Though Geller didn't loosen his hold on Maggie’s neck, he turned his head and looked directly at Sebastian, assessing the new threat. Sebastian didn’t look at him, but kept his eyes on Maggie. She was still struggling under Geller’s grasp, on her back on the ground, and doing everything right from what Sebastian could see. But how much longer could she take it?

“Get your hands off her or I’ll shoot!”

“Do it! You’ll kill her, too!” Geller’s eyes were as wild as his threats. He jerked, his hands clenching at Maggie’s throat, the sound she made almost had Sebastian pulling the trigger.

The man almost looked high. But his next jerk made his hands slip and Sebastian could hear Maggie gasp for breath. The sound meant she’d gotten some air.

Thank God!But he had to disable Geller and fast.

Though Sebastian desperately wanted to rush the man and tackle him, Maggie was still underneath Geller, and Sebastian searched frantically for a way to fight Geller that didn’t make things worse for Maggie. He wasn’t close enough for a clean shot or even to tackle the man without giving him a chance to snap Maggie’s neck before Sebastian even got there.

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