Page 36 of Tempting My Billionaire Master

“I will. But they will just send someone else after her.” He paused and added, almost reluctantly, “And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”

A gun appeared in my peripheral vision, Gordon pointing it at Ethan from behind me. Panic bubbled up inside me, but I knew I couldn’t let him shoot Ethan. I threw myself back against Gordon with all my weight.

Ethan lunged forward in a blur of motion.

The gun went off with a deafening bang, and pain exploded in my head.

I crashed to my knees, hands clapped over my ringing ears.

Gordon and Ethan’s feet shuffled and pivoted in a frenzied dance. Then Gordon hit the ground, unconscious.

Ethan was at my side in an instant, pulling me into his arms. I clung to him, trembling. Over the ringing in my ears, I could just make out the soothing sound of his voice as he stroked my hair. I shook my head, still clutching my abused ears.

“Are you okay?” Ethan asked again, his voice still muffled but becoming clearer as my hearing slowly returned.

I nodded against his chest. “Yes, I’m fine.” I pulled back to look at him, tears welling up. “I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.”

“There’s no time for apologies.” Ethan cupped my face in his hands, his gaze intense. “We have to go. Now.”

I turned around to see Gordon lying unconscious on the ground, but Ethan didn’t give me much time to take it in. He grabbed my hand and we started running through the morning woods, the damp leaves underfoot crunching softly with each step.

“Damon is waiting for me in Pinegrove,” I panted, struggling to keep up with Ethan’s long strides.

“Can we trust him?” Ethan asked, concern furrowing his brow.

“Yes, he’s my editor and closest friend,” I reassured him.

Ethan nodded, pointing in the direction of the road. “It’s that way.”

We picked up our pace, but after a few minutes I noticed a growing warmth on my hand. I glanced down and saw that my hand, clasped in Ethan’s, was covered in blood. Blood seeped from his jacket sleeve, staining both his suit and my skin. I stopped abruptly, tugging on Ethan’s hand. He paused and turned to face me, his face pale beneath the dark stubble.

“Your shoulder…” I whispered, horrified at the sight of the huge patch of blood surrounding a bullet hole in his jacket.

“Chloe, there’s nothing we can do about it right now,” Ethan said, his voice strained yet determined. “We need to get to town first.”

“No, we need to treat your wound now!” Guilt and fear warred inside me, threatening to rip me apart. This was all because of my stupidity. Because I didn’t listen to Ethan.

I felt tears prickling at the corners of my eyes, but Ethan drew me into his arms, holding me close. Then his lips were on mine, soft and warm, chasing away my anxiety. For a moment I forgot about everything else. For a moment, it felt like everything would be alright again.

“Let’s go,” he murmured against my mouth.

When Ethan pulled away, I saw that my sweatshirt was stained crimson. My panic returned tenfold. “You’re losing blood.”

“We’re nearly there,” Ethan insisted. “Just a little further.”

We continued moving through the woods until we finally reached the road.

I kept glancing at Ethan, watching his face grow paler and paler. His steps slowed and I could tell he was fading fast.

“How far is Pinegrove?” he asked between ragged breaths.

“Less than two miles,” I said. “We’re almost there.”

Ethan nodded, but said nothing more. Two steps later he stumbled and nearly fell. I caught him just in time, bracing myself under his shoulder.

“Stop!” I demanded, planting my feet. “Let’s at least try to stop the bleeding.”

“Chloe, the town is so close,” Ethan said, his voice weak and strained. “I need to get you to safety. Trust me.”

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