Page 16 of His Violent Vow

She kicked the woman in the stomach, making the assassin drop one of her knives. The killer drove her knee into her ribs and Kat struggled to breathe for a few seconds.

“Your time is up, Princess,” the killer said above her with a maniacal grin.

Chapter Eight

Angelo checked his watch for the second time since Kat had left his side. Kat was gone seven minutes.Theo’s with her, Angelo reminded herself.

Besides, only a fool would go for his wife at a charity gala and yet, doubts crept into his mind. He couldn’t keep ignoring his gut instinct that told him something wasn’t right. Rising from his seat, he gave Theo a call. No answer. That was odd. In all his years of service, Theo never once ignored Angelo’s calls or messages.

Angelo wanted to break into a run, then remembered he was in a public space. Someone was always watching. He forced himself to take brisk steps instead.

Someone called his name, but he flashed the speaker an apologetic smile and made his way to the nearest bathrooms. He exited the ballroom, made a few turns, and found himself in an unfamiliar corridor. Had he somehow gotten lost? Curiously, he was alone. Then Angelo recalled the auction had started. Most people were probably in the hall.

Hearing a shout, followed by a muffled gunshot, Angelo slipped a hand inside his jacket. Pulling out his revolver, he unlocked the safety and traced the source of the noise. Angelo spotted Theo tussling with a muscular man dressed in an ill-fitting suit. Blood left a trail down the left side of Theo’s face and Angelo could see another crimson spot blossoming on Theo’s ribs.Not a good sign at all. Neither man had noticed Angelo’s arrival. A mercy. Too bad Angelo couldn’t get a shot off, not without hitting his second.

Theo’s assailant managed to knock the gun clutched in Theo’s fist. The man made the error of smirking down at Theo. He stilled and Angelo took that opportunity to put a bullet in his skull. The unknown assailant toppled to one side like a broken doll. How did this bastard manage to sneak up on Theo?

“Boss, inside. Your wife,” Theo managed to gasp.

Angelo was already pushing his way inside the women’s room. A brunette in a red dress sat on his wife, about to drive a wicked blade into his Kat’s skull.

Fortunately for Angelo, her back was turned toward him. He fired three times at her chest. The knife clattered. The assassin was undoubtedly dead. These two were professionals, Angelo thought, and therefore expensive. Who had that kind of money to throw around? Plus, their employer certainly had guts, targeting his wife at a charity gala. That told him whoever hired these freaks was probably confident they would complete their job no matter what.

Kat pushed the corpse away from her with a grunt and Angelo finally saw her dreadful state. Her makeup was smudged, her hair a mess, and she was bleeding. Angelo kneeled in front of her. He brushed the stray strands of hair that had fallen across her face and assessed her injuries. Bloody cuts covered the length of her arms and the assassin managed to stab her in the shoulder.

“I’m fine,” she whispered. Despite saying that, she leaned against him for a few moments.

“You’re not. You’re in shock,” he said.

Angelo gently helped her up. She was unsteady on her feet.

“Theo,” she suddenly said, clutching his arm.“I heard a commotion outside.”

“He’ll be fine,” Angelo answered in a hollow voice.

“Liar,” she whispered.

“We need to get him to a hospital,”Angelo confessed.

Still holding her, he didn’t want Kat to leave his side, and he made several calls.

“Angelo,” she said after he ended his last call.

“It’ll be fine,” he assured her, stroking her hair. Cold fury filled him the more he looked at Kat’s injuries.

“That assassin confirmed Tomas Barbaro was behind this,” Kat said.

He furrowed his brows and asked,“You are certain?”

Kat explained what went down in the bathroom. Amazement filled him after hearing Kat’s side of the story. Few people would possess Kat’s strong sense of self-preservation. By sheer grit and determination, his wife had managed to hold off a professional from gutting her. She really was a gift, one he was discovering he didn’t deserve. Too bad Kat had to make do with him. He kissed the top of her head.

“I’m proud of you,” he told her fiercely.

Kat managed to blush, despite the trauma she had gone through tonight.

Two of his men arrived less than five minutes later, along with the paramedics. Angelo knew the host of the event personally, and called in a favor, so this corridor would be sealed from prying eyes.

An hour later, he and his wife were in one of the private hospitals where Angelo was a major shareholder. No one would rat him or his group’s activities here.

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