Page 66 of His Virgin Vessel

"They seem to happen a lot to people who cross you."

"I like to think of it as God redressing the balance."

"You're going to sit there and tell me that none of these people's deaths was anything to do with you?" In my frustration, I was starting to push. I had been interrogated so much recently that I seemed to have picked up the tone of my inquisitors.

"That's exactly what I'm telling you," Rassi said. "And I find myself somewhat surprised that you're not dropping it and getting on with negotiations."

"I want some guarantee that Corinne won't be harmed the way that Chelsea Grant was. Or Leo Turner. Or Melinda Watts."

Rassi's eyes narrowed. "My, you have a command of names."

"Oh, those ones you recognized?"

"They are all names of people who have in some way been tied to me by ugly rumor and corrupt law enforcement, but what interests me is the level of research you seem to have done before coming here." Rassi made an airy, matter of fact gesture. "Perhaps it's a personal prejudice, but I never considered bikers to be heavily into research."

I had gone too far. I had made the man suspicious. The important thing, now, was Corinne's safety. Unfortunately, Rassi knew exactly what I was thinking. His hand moved like a striking snake, grabbed Corinne, and pulled her in front of him as a human shield.

"If I'm going down, she's going first, Mr. Covert!"

The world seemed to slow in front of me as options scrolled behind my eyes. All of them sucked. Any second, the SWAT team was going to burst into the building, but what could they do? If they went in guns blazing, then Corinne was dead. If they let Rassi go with his hostage, then she was as good as a dead. Rassi would want to punish the people who had tried to trick him. Rassi's minions all around him were armed, so if I tried to help Corinne now, then I was as good as dead.

But Rassi, himself, did not seem to carry a weapon. It would ruin the line of his suit, and he was the sort of man for whom such things mattered. If I moved quickly, then perhaps I could get Corinne away from him. His men would be afraid to fire with their boss that close, so Corinne would be safe. Then, when the SWAT team entered, Rassi would be unprotected. I would be as good as a dead, but Corinne would have a fighting chance.

It was a no-brainer really.

The guns started firing the moment I launched myself at Rassi. I felt the shock of the first bullet, but the pain, for the moment, seemed not to hit. The second bullet tore through my shoulder. From behind me, I heard an explosion. The SWAT team had arrived. Perhaps they had been waiting for me to make my move, but, either way, their timing was excellent, as assorted minions now had something to fire at other than me.

Rassi cried out as I bore down on him with murder in my eyes. He gripped Corinne tightly around the throat, trying to threaten me, but actually just making me madder. I grabbed his arm, pulled it loose, and was delighted to see Corinne sharply elbow the mobster in the ribs and tear herself free.

"Go!" I yelled. I might have known that wouldn't work. Corinne Dugas seldom did as she was told. She grabbed my hand, pulling for me to follow her. But now, Rassi was scrambling out of the way, trying to get himself to safety, and, without him nearby, I had once again become a target for his men. I saw the guns turn towards us, almost in slow motion. Without thinking, I pushed Corinne as hard as I could out of the way.

The guns fired.

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