Page 103 of Trial of Deceit

It had to.

She couldn’t leave him.

Not now.

Not ever.

“Please don’t let her die,” Jediah whispered, his grip on Ashari’s hand tightening so Dimtiri couldn’t see how his hand began to shake again.

Dimitri dabbed at a cut at her forehead with an alcoholic wipe.“I won’t.”

Jediah nodded.As Dimitri continued to work, Jediah inputted the code into the anklet.It stoppedbeepingas it unlocked, then clattered to the floor.Dimitri glanced at the anklet, shook his head with a slight chuckle, then resumed working.

Jediah’s eyes darted to the video feeds.The crew was here.Some were in trucks while others were on foot, hastening across the property to get to the outskirts while others secured the main house with the estate’s guards.Jediah’s teeth gritted.Maybe it was time to listen to Bryony’s advice to build a gate in the fence at the back of the property.It’d cut off some of the distance that the side and front entrance currently gave.

Ashari’s hand twitched in his.Jediah’s eyes darted to her face.Ashari’s brows pulled together, her lips twisting into a wince as her eyes fluttered open.

“Ashari,” Jediah breathed from relief.He released her hand to cup the sides of her face.He smiled through his tears, never knowing it’d be possible to enjoy seeing her look this confused.

Ashari looked at him while Dimitri returned the kit to the closet.Her bloodshot eyes widened before she felt around her body.“Alive?”she murmured, her voice raspy.

“Don’t talk, Ash,” Dimitri said while returning with a paper cup.

Jediah accepted the cup.He tried feeding Ashari, but she shook her head.

“Y-you ne-ed…” Ashari forced out.She gulped hard, her mouth opening and closing as she tried forcing the words out.

Jediah shushed her.“Drink this.Please,” he begged.

Ashari stared at him, some fight still in her eyes before she sighed and accepted the water.Satisfied, Dimitri walked away to re-up on ammo while watching the screens.Jediah cupped a hand beneath her chin, capturing the excess water as Ashari greedily drank.

“You scared me,” Jediah said, his voice low, breaking with emotion, and making Ashari’s eyes soften.

“Sorry,” she croaked.

“This wasn’t how we planned to end the year, huh?”

Ashari chuckled.“We’ll rain check on that New Year’s gazebo date.”

Jediah and Ashari looked toward the door as another loud wave of gunshots went off beyond the room.

Reinforcements were here.

“We have fi go help before we lose anybody else.”Dimitri faced Jediah, his face expressionless.

Jediah exchanged a glance with Ashari.She nodded at him.He leaned forward, placing a long, hard kiss on her busted lip.Dimitri had done his best to clean her up, but she still tasted of blood.

Swallowing, Jediah pulled back.He rested his forehead on hers.“You and the baby will be good here.After we leave, use the phone that’s in the bottom drawer to call Reka and explain the situation.If anybody tries to come inside who isn’t me, Reka, or Dimitri, kill them.”

Ashari nodded.He pecked her lips, then stood.Jediah grabbed the ammo and gear Dimitri left out for him.He resisted the urge to look back at Ashari as he donned his gas mask, then left with Dimitri.

Whoever these people were, they would die.

Starting with whoever planted that bomb and risked his wife and baby’s life.

Chapter twenty-eight

Wincingatthepainin her raw throat, she placed the phone onto the table.She moved a hand to her belly, feeling it at different spots.A heavy sigh passed her lips, disheartened that the baby wouldn’t move to reassure her.Her back stung from slamming into the floor and irritating her old wounds.A slight throb developed at the back of her head and spread throughout her entire skull.

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