Page 95 of Wilde and Deadly

“Shit. Adrenaline surged through his veins as he rolled behind an overturned table, drawing his weapon in one fluid motion. But a Glock was no good against a fucking long-range rifle. The sniper—herefusedto think it was Liam—could still be out there, waiting for people to run out so he could pick them off. “Everyone, stay down! NYPD will be here soon. Stay calm, and don’t move!”

“You better fucking find Liam before I do,” Cade hissed, then he moved low and fast toward the kitchen at the back of the café. Nova was tucked against his chest, her tiny form completely shielded by his bulk.

Davey exhaled hard, relief hitting him in a sharp wave.

Cade and Nova were out of the sniper’s line of sight. That was the only thing that mattered.

For half a second, his shoulders threatened to uncoil. He could feel his pulse pounding in his ears, his body thrumming with the raw adrenaline of knowing they’d made it to cover. The worst of the danger was past?—

Except it wasn’t.

The relief curdled into ice.

The back door let out into an alley.

A dead end.

Unless Cade planned to break through a solid brick wall, the only way out was right back into the sniper’s line of fire.

Shit.

Davey’s stomach clenched. They weren’t safe. The sniper was still watching, still waiting. If Cade made a move—ifanyonemade a move—the next shot would be clean.

The civilians in the café were still huddled under tables, their terror thick in the air. Trapped.

Rowan’s voice echoed in his head.“No heroics.”

He almost laughed.

That ship had sailed.

His gut already knew what his brain was trying to catch up to.

Hewas the target.

Not Cade. Not Nova. Not the barista cowering behind the counter or the young couple whispering prayers beneath an overturned table.

Him.

And if he ran, if he made himself a moving target—he could buy them time.

“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath.

This was going to hurt.

twenty-four

Rowan had a bad feeling.

It had settled in the moment Davey announced he was going to meet Cade alone, and it hadn’t gone away since.

She paced the length of the apartment, arms crossed tight over her chest, trying to ignore the two men keeping watch over her like a pair of sentinels.

Liam hovered near the door, arms folded, watching her like he knew exactly what she was thinking. Which, unfortunately, he did.

But if she left, she wasn’t going to make a run for the door. No, she’d use the fire escape. Without her climbing equipment, it was her only option as she wasn’t too keen on free-soloing down the side of the building.

The problem was Sabin.

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