Page 99 of Corrupted Empire

I glance back at Gabriel, and he is no longer struggling against the ropes. He has gotten free, I realize. And so have at least a few of the others. Gabriel’s eyes lock on mine, and he nods.

“Your funeral,” I mutter, and my finger hovers over the trigger.

The Colombians are all watching the scene intently. Gabriel and the others take advantage of their distraction and charge at them.

All hell breaks loose. Bullets fire blindly through the air, including the one I meant for Felicity. She knocks my hand up a second before I shoot, and the bullet lodges in the ceiling. I barely have time to process the fact that I actually pulled the trigger before she’s on me, trying to wrestle the gun out of my grip.

I try to yank the gun away, but the sudden movement sends me teetering off balance. I fall, and the hand holding the gun smacks painfully against the ground. My grip releases, and the gun goes skittering over the hardwood. Felicity and I lock eyes for one fraction of a second before we both dive after it.

34

Gabriel

Felicity is going to get the gun. Both Alexis and Felicity are reaching for it, but Felicity is closer, and I know Alexis won’t make it in time.

I can see the dreadful scene playing out in my mind—Felicity’s hand closing over it a second before Alexis. Felicity aiming at Alexis’ head, and firing. Alexis going limp on the floor.

The ballroom is in chaos, and there are at least six Cartel members standing between my woman and me. There could be a whole army and it wouldn’t be enough.

“Felicity!” I roar, charging across the room.

I’m an easy target, and a bullet rips through my arm before she even turns to look. I hiss in pain but push forward, not caring how many guns are pointing in my direction and how slim my chances of surviving this gauntlet of fire are. I need to save Alexis. Harry needs his mother, and I cannot live in a world without her.

Alexis’ eyes meet mine. They are wide with terror.

“Go!” I yell. “Run!”

I am nearly there. I shove past one of Felicity’s thugs, who tries to grapple me to the ground. I shake him off, but I haven’t made it two steps before blinding pain shoots through my thigh. I grit my teeth and keep going, even though every step is agony.

Felicity’s features knit in surprise when she sees that I haven’t gone down. I use this to my advantage and tackle her to the ground, grabbing the gun she’d been just about to pick up and holding it to her head.

It’s going to be over soon. One more second and Felicity Huffman will be dead. Alexis will be safe.

My finger closes over the trigger, but before I can shoot, someone kicks the gun out of my hand. I look up just as the Cartel member lands the next kick on my face, sending me sprawling onto my side and freeing Felicity.

It feels like every inch of my skin is on fire. I try to lift my arm to halt my fall, but the bullet has ripped through the muscles and made it all but useless. I land hard on my shoulder, the wind knocked out of me.

I open my eyes, head pulsing. The sounds of the battle seem distant, like I’m hearing it all through layers of cotton. The gun is lying on the floor a few feet ahead of me, and I propel myself toward it.

A hand reaches down and closes over the handle of the gun. My gaze tracks up the person’s arm, and I realize that it’s Alexis. Her features are honed in a dark fury, and she lifts the gun, aiming it at Felicity, who is just off to my left, struggling to get to her feet.

Alexis has never looked more beautiful. Strands of silky dark hair have pulled free of her updo, and her eyeliner has smudged a little under her eyes. With her elegant gown and the bloodied diamonds at her throat, she looks like a warrior queen. I pity any who would refuse to bow before her.

Before Alexis can aim the gun, one of the Cartel men slams his boot into her spine, and she cries out in pain but does not fall. Instead, she wheels on him.

I am distracted for only a few seconds, but it is long enough for Felicity to retrieve a knife strapped to her thigh and sink it into my chest. The pain is white-hot. I scream and lurch toward her, but Felicity scuttles out of my path.

BANG.

The man who kicked Alexis falls dead to the floor, and Alexis swings the gun toward Felicity. Felicity tries to scramble to her feet. If she starts to run, Alexis might not be able to hit her. I really need to make sure she gets combat trained when this is over.

I try to sit up, and the knife wound screams at me. I only have a precious few seconds before Felicity is on her feet, so I push through the pain and lunge after her. My fingers wrap around her ankle, and I yank her back to the ground, holding her in place despite her kicking at my face.

“Shoot!” I urge Alexis.

Alexis has both hands on the gun. She stares down at Felicity with a hatred so dark and so bitter that I wouldn’t be surprised if Felicity perished from the look alone.

“You were never my mother, bitch,” Alexis snaps. Then she pulls the trigger.

---