Page 115 of Stone
He took several deep breaths.
“Who?”
“I did. I’m sorry, Stone. I was the person responsible for killing the man.”
Perhaps a part of me had wondered whether this was the big secret and the one my father had taken to his grave. Yet hearing the words brought all the years my father had suffered back to life. Without thinking or hesitating, I smashed the side of the weapon against his face.
As he went down, both secret service and Gray surrounded us.
Just as my phone rang for a second time.
“You absolute worthless piece of shit. You allowed my father to take the blame for something you did?”
“I’m sorry, Stone.” Bradford rubbed his face, but he wasn’t trying to de-escalate the volatile situation.
“How could you do that, Father? How?” Dani stood over him, her entire body shaking.
“And my father took the blame.” I ripped my phone into my hand, hissing as I answered. “Kekoa. Not a good time. I’m a little busy.”
“You’re about to get a lot busier, Stone. I received a report in that a boat landed by a private dock on the opposite side of the island. Akoni found it on his way to work. There’s evidence our visitors are carrying weapons. We’re on our way.”
“Fuck. Get here when you can. I have a houseful.”
“Understood.” Kekoa ended the call.
“What is going on?” Gray asked.
“I think we’re about to be attacked. Dani, get back to the house. Now. Don’t argue with me.”
I turned toward her and immediately several shadows caught my eye.
Fuck. We were already surrounded.
“Gentlemen, I hope you’re well trained.” I pushed Dani to the sand just as the shadows grew larger.
Gunfire was all around us, flanking us from three sides. The fuckers had managed to arrive undetected since I wasn’t inside the goddamn house.
Everything happened quickly, another series of bullets flying in our direction. With Dani still underneath the full weight of my body, I threw up my arms, firing off three shots in a row.
Two of the assailants went down while one of the secret servicemen was screaming to get the vice president to Marine One.
There were at least fifteen assailants, all rushing forward. “Get Dani to safety,” I called to Gray, who didn’t argue with me, taking her arm and rushing toward the safety of the trees. I caught sight of his weapon. Thankfully he had one. He’d better keep her safe.
I rushed forward, forced to drop and roll. As soon as I landed on my back, I caught sight of another soldier. The single bullet was enough, the man dropping like a rock.
There was no time to rest. I jumped up, weaving from side to side as I managed to tick off three more.
But one of the secret servicemen was gunned down. Then a second.
I saved the life of a third, putting a bullet between the assailant’s eyes.
Nowhere did I see Matis.
That concerned me.
The pilot of Marine One was attempting to get the bird into the air as bullets were hitting the second helicopter.
A sudden explosion pummeled me backward into the sand, the hard thud knocking the wind out of me. Goddamn it. They second helicopter was gone.
