Page 86 of Bulletproof Love

“No shame in that. I’d very much like to keep breathing too.” I climb a few steps, keeping my weapon aimed and eyes on him. “What’s your name?”

“Don’t come any further,” he yells, his voice trembling.

I don’t need to. I’m close enough now to take him out without a problem. “Looks like we’re in a situation here, big guy,” I say.

“It’s Bruce,” he says, correcting me.

“Ah, Bruce. Well, Bruce, since neither of us want to kill each other, maybe we can help each other out instead?”

Bruce’s hand lowers, and I suck in a breath. “He killed him. Beat him to death right in front of me.” His voice cracks. “Over nothing. A fucking mistake anyone could have made.”

“Who did, Bruce? You can tell me, I’ll help you.” I chance a few more steps forward, now seeing moisture shining in Bruce’s eyes. I remember him now. He’s the fucker who grabbed Blake. Karma is a bitch, Brucey boy. But now I know for sure who has Falin and my chest tightens.Orlov.“Come on. Promise it’ll help to talk about it.”

That gets him to look at me directly. He’s thinking about telling me what I need to hear. I can see it in his eyes. “He’ll kill me too. Slowly. Painfully.”

“Not if we get to him first.” I’m close enough now to see the tears on Bruce’s face. “Where are they?”

His eyes widen, his mouth opening like he’s going to ask me a question, but he closes it just as quickly. “The roof. But you should know?—”

I don’t hesitate. I won’t make the mistake of letting any of them live again. The bullet catches him in the chest and he slumps against the cement wall. As he slides down, a crimson trail spreads beneath his body, and his wide eyes meet mine.

“Thank you,” he whispers.

I kick his gun aside and run. His words echo in my head, but I can’t dwell on that. My legs burn but I don’t slow down. I barely think. Twenty-seven floors worth of stairs and my heart’s about to explode, but none of that matters. She has to be okay.Please don’t let me be too late.

The roof access door is ahead, close enough that I hear voices coming from outside. Through the small window I see them. Falin standing near the edge, Alexander a few feet away with his gun aimed at her head.

Panic squeezes my throat, choking the air from my lungs. I hear him raising his voice over the cool night breeze. “You’re trapped, stupid girl. Should have ran down the stairs, but I wouldn’t expect smart thinking from you.”

“How do you know this isn’t exactly where I wanted you?” she says. She’s standing tall and strong. I need a fucking plan, but every way I look at it, there’s no being stealthy here.

Orlov snickers with cold indifference. “Corner me on my own roof? Like I said, not much going on upstairs. Good thing you’ll make up for it in other ways. If I decide to let you live.” He takes a step closer, his gun trained on her head. “Where’s Blake? I told you to bring her.”

“Like I’d hand over my best friend to a piece of shit like you. Who’s the stupid one, now?”

A gust of wind rattles the door. I use the distraction to quietly crack it open, so I can hear better.

“Such fire.” He clicks his tongue, pacing back and forth. “Too bad it won’t save your boyfriends. That warehouse you’re all so interested in? It’s wired to blow the moment anyone breaches the door. Your friends will be dead before they realize what hit them.”

Oh my fuck.I have to warn them, but I can’t bring myself to look away from Falin. One distraction and she could be gone.

“You’re lying.” She holds her chin high, but her tense body betrays her.

“Am I? You really think you’re in control here?” He moves closer. “That’s your problem, isn’t it, you dumb whore? Always needing to control everything, everyone. That’s why you came here alone. How’s that working out for you?”

“Better than being a piece of shit who trades in human lives. No one loves you, let alonelikesyou. Brennan did your job better and you know it.” She inches closer. The fucking balls on this woman. “You’re a pig. A disgusting middle-aged white man who can only get it up when he’s raping a woman.”

He grabs her by the hair, yanking her down. As I’m about to sprint forward, his words hit me like a tire iron to the back of the head. “Like that pretty brunette? What was her name? Oh, that’s right. Bailey Shea.”

I freeze, my hand gripping my weapon so tightly, my fingers go numb.

“Fuck you,” Falin seethes.

“She begged for her brother at first. Cried for him. Cried to go home. But now?” He smiles. “Now she won’t even remember his name.”

I burst through the door, my gun raised. “You fucking bastard!”

“Jasper, no!” Falin meets my gaze. Fear shines through her smokey wide eyes.

---