Page 30 of Deadly Designs

Johnny froze at the gun poking his back.

“Who are you? No, I said don’t move.”

“Go to hell,” the man growled.

“I’ll gladly send you there. Give me a reason.”

“Christian!”

He turned at Aja Blue’s panicked cry to see a mandragging her toward a vehicle. That split-second of brokenconcentration was all Johnny needed. He swung around and landed ablow against Christian’s jaw, making him see stars. He wanted toretaliate but had to prevent Aja Blue from being kidnapped.

Before Christian could stop him, Johnny raced to hisvehicle, jumped inside, and sped away. He couldn’t risk shootingout his tires when there were innocent people around who might gethit by a stray bullet.

With a feral growl, he stashed his gun and turnedtoward Aja Blue. She was putting up a good fight as he quicklyclosed the distance. The man cocked back a fist to strike her whenChristian dove for him, jerking his arm backward until he heard abone crack. The man howled in pain. Christian thought it was fromthe broken arm, but it could’ve been from the obnoxious odorflooding their faces. His eyes burned and welled with tears. Itfelt as if his throat had closed, and he had trouble breathing.

“Oh, God, sorry,” Aja Blue cried. “Did I getyou?”

Christian would’ve answered if he could speak. Heignored the fact that his face was melting off and took the man tothe ground.

“Ah, my eyes are on fire, and you broke my arm.”

Christian disregarded his cries and looked in AjaBlue’s general direction. He couldn’t see her. “Are you okay?” Hisvoice was a hoarse croak.

“Yes, and I’m so sorry. I was only trying to hit himwith the mace.”

“I’ll be okay. Did you call the police?”

A wailing siren in the distance answered hisquestion. That was fast.

Christian managed to zip-tie the man’s legs together.He searched for a wallet or cell phone but didn’t find one. Hestood and kicked the man. “Who hired you?”

“Go to hell. I need a doctor. I’m in pain.”

“Step back, everyone. I’m a nurse.”

A woman wearing a baseball cap with lengthy, blackhair spilling from the back pushed through the assembled crowd anddropped beside the man to check on him.

Christian’s vision was clearing, though his eyes werestill pouring. He’d only gotten a glancing shot of the mace. Hereached for Aja Blue, needing to feel her to know she was safe.Having her alive in his arms had his heart beating sinus rhythmagain.

“How did he see you inside the vehicle? The windowsare tinted.” No answer. He blinked down at her. Through blurryeyes, he noticed her wince.

“Aja Blue?”

“Hum?”

“What is it?”

She sighed. “I might’ve gotten out to help you.”

The nurse jumped to her feet before he could chastiseher for disobeying his orders. “My God, what did you do to thisman?”

“Mace,” Aja Blue answered.

“No, you did something else. He’s dead.”

Chapter Eight

Christian thought the mace might’veaffected his hearing because he swore the nurse said the man wasdead. “Excuse me?”

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