Page 46 of Beautiful Vengeance
“I have.”Sorcha turned and looked at Jude, ignoring the gun in her face.“Step back.Now.”
Jude’s mouth went tight, but he did what she commanded.
And then he slammed forward, jerked the shotgun barrel toward the ceiling as Sorcha pulled the trigger.Plaster rained down and Sloan hit the floor, trying to make herself as small a target as possible.She watched Jude yank the gun out of the older woman’s hands, his face becoming a terrifyingly cold mask.“Did you think for a fucking second that I would let you walk out of this house alive after you threatened my woman?”
Sorcha didn’t raise her hands, didn’t flinch when he moved forward, into her space.“What can I say?I’m a survivor.”
“Not anymore.”He lifted the pistol.
“Stop!”Sloan shoved to her feet but didn’t try to approach.“Jude,stop.”
He didn’t look at her.“She’s a threat.”
She couldn’t pretend to argue that point.“You promised you wouldn’t, or was that a lie?”Her breath hitched, but she powered on.“She’s an old woman.”
Sorcha shot her a glare.“Notthatold.”
“Shut up.”She forced the panic out of her voice as much as possible.“Don’t kill her.”
“Did you forget what I told you earlier?”
That Sorcha was a potential threat to Callie.That she was as much a monster as everyone else in their world—more so, since her target had been her own family.The thought made Sloan sick to her stomach.“Tie her up.Leave her for Teague and Callie to deal with.Let them decide.”No matter how that fell out, at least it would be one less death on Jude’s conscience.
For a long moment, she thought he’d ignore her.She fully expected him to.But he finally gave a jerky nod.“Get your shit.”
“I’m packed.”She finished zipping up her suitcase, hardly daring to take her eyes off them.
“Go to my house and wait for me.”When she hesitated, he shot her an exasperated look.“Sunshine, trust me.”
It was a moment of truth in a way.She could demand to know what in God’s name he had planned, or she could obey him now and get her answers later.If she didn’t trust him—truly didn’t trust him—then she needed to walk out of this house, get in her car, and drive away without looking back.Without trust, they were doomed.
Sloan’s hand went to her stomach, to where, even now, there might be a tiny person growing.A baby.She could have killed my baby.
She opened her house to me.
She might be planning something horrible for Callie.
She took a measured breath.“Remember what you promised me.”Leave her to Callie and Teague.
He gave a short nod without taking his eyes off Sorcha.“I won’t be long.”
There was nothing to do but walk out of the room and pray that he kept his word.
Chapter Nineteen
Jude found Sloan sitting on his couch, her suitcase beside her, a distant look in her big brown eyes.Something had changed back in the O’Connor house, though he was at a loss to know what it was.Even when Sorcha had threatened her, Sloan stood up to him and demanded he keep his promise.
Jude crouched in front of her, putting himself in her line of sight.“She’s alive.”He’d left her tied as Sloan requested, but he didn’t like the woman’s odds once Callista Sheridan got ahold of her.Still doesn’t put Callista on my list.Not anymore.
“Thank you.”
He didn’t know what to say to that, didn’t know how to deal with the way his entire world had changed the second Sloan walked into it.Really, there wasn’t a damn thing to do but keep moving.He straightened.“It’s time to move.”
“Don’t you need to pack?”
He checked her eyes for signs of shock, but they were clear and her hands didn’t shake when she placed one in his.
“I’m ready.”He’d packed everything up but the bare necessities the second he’d gotten back to Callaway Rock after meeting with Dmitri.Even if he hadn’t, he was ready to leave on the fly as a matter of habit.“We’re taking my truck.”
