Page 102 of Erik's Salvation
But it wasn’t just those things that had the pit forming in Erik’s gut…it was the fact that he recognized them from a collection of photos Chandler had sent him this afternoon, before they got on the road to Seattle.
Mug shots of Vincent’s men.
He lowered his head. “Brigid. Get out of there. The dealers are here.”
There was a gasp over the line before Brigid spoke. “What? They’re here?”
“Who’s here?” James asked in a rush.
Erik cursed as he rose and closed the laptop. “If they see you together, they’ll assume you’re with him.” He pulled out one of his Glocks and handed it to Hannah. “Keep this on you. If someone comes toward you, shoot.”
Hannah’s eyes were wide, but she nodded.
He ran out onto the balcony to see it was too late—both James and Brigid were being chased and running toward the staff stairs. But Brigid was slower. One of the men grabbed her before she could make it.
She screamed while the other man disappeared down the stairs behind James.
Erik pulled out his second Glock and aimed it at the asshole. “Let her go or I shoot.”
The guy spun, gun to Brigid’s head. “We’re gonna go down these stairs, and you’re not gonna stop us.”
Gasps and screams sounded around them. The footsteps of people running away from the violence. Erik ignored them all. “Not happening. She’s not part of this.”
“She was with him, so sheispart of this. My boss’ll want to have a little chat with her.”
Brigid’s face lost its color, and Erik fucking hated that. “I’m not letting her go with you. So your options are, join your friend and chase the asshole who owes your boss money—or die.”
The guy’s chest rose with a deep breath, his mouth tight. Then, suddenly, he shoved Brigid toward Erik and took off down the stairs.
Erik didn’t bother going after him. If the guy wanted James, he could have him. Instead, he holstered his weapon and steadied Brigid. “Are you okay?”
She nodded vigorously. Henry appeared beside him and tugged Brigid into his arms. Erik spotted Hannah behind Henry, gun in one hand, laptop bag in the other. She was just as white as her friend, but one look at Brigid had relief spiraling over her features.
Police sirens rang in the background, and everyone on the balcony had run out of the bar.
Erik tugged Hannah to his side and breathed in the scent of her. They didn’t have James…but they had a confession.
CHAPTER30
Hannah leaned her head back, the dull thrum of the engine background noise for her racing mind. Tonight had not gone the way she’d envisioned. Yes, they’d gotten James’s admission of guilt, but Brigid had been held at gunpoint. Then the police…it had all been one giant nightmare.
Erik reached over and covered her hand with his own. “You okay, Angel?”
“Yeah, just tired.”
It was only nine-thirty, but it felt later. They’d gotten food and ate it while driving home before dropping Brigid and Henry at his place.
“We’ll be home in a couple minutes.”
She found a vein on his hand and traced it. “I hope Brigid’s okay.”
Her friend had been quiet the entire drive home, which was nothing like her. Not that Hannah blamed her. Tonight had been a lot. Brigid hadn’t meant to give away that those thugs were at the venue, but in doing so, she’d also given herself away.
“She’s tough,” Erik said quietly.
She was. But she had been with James for a long time, and that hurt would cut deep.
“James is just such a…” God, she didn’t even have words. “Brigid deserves better.”
