Page 185 of Celestial Combat

“Now, Trevor.”

For a moment, everything was still. I saw it then – the flicker in his fingers, the twitch in his left hand. He wasn’t reaching. But he was thinking about it.

The killer in him stared right back at me, calm as glass.

A plane roared somewhere behind us, breaking the silence.

I watched from the edge of the SUV as Zane’s voice cut through the heat-shimmered air. His gun aimed unwavering at Trevor.

“Think ofyour wife.Your child.”

Trevor’s face contorted – anger sharper than anything I’d ever seen on him at the mention of Natalia and their baby.How could Zane?

This couldn’t be happening…

I didn’t think. I ran.

“Zane!”

But when I made it to him,he grabbed me and pulled me into his chest.

The cold barrel pressing against my temple.

My breath caught as I froze, heart pounding in sudden panic.

ThenI saw Trevor – his own gun in his hand, pointing at us.

“Don’t fuck with me,” Zane snarled behind me, eyes locked on my brother.

My brotherhesitated a beat longer before lowering his weapon and dropping it with a muted thud on the pavement.

“Did your parents kill her?”

“No.”

“Then what happened to her?”

That silence pulsed.

My vision blurred with tears.

My voice came out low and broken. “Zane, please…”

I was terrified.

And not for my life.

For my boyfriend’s. And my brother’s.

Zane’s arm tightened around my waist like iron – protective, possessive. His breath was hot at my ear as he spoke in a tone meant only for me.

A whisper of command and protection.

“Jump.”

I frowned for a moment before my face relaxed with understanding.

“When I tell you to jump, you fucking jump. You don’t ask me why. You don’t talk back. You. Fucking. Jump.”

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