Page 113 of Erik's Salvation
Her heart thrashed in her chest, and Erik’s entire body tensed.
“That was you?” she whispered.
“Desperation will turn even the best of men, Hannah.” He stepped closer. “When you were talking about losing Angelo’s account, a better idea came to me.”
“You framed me.” Saying that out loud still hurt, even after she’d had time to come to terms with it. “You didn’t care what Angelo did to me, just as long as you got your money.”
“You don’t realize what you’re capable of until the alternative is a price you aren’t willing to pay.”
“What did they do to you?” she whispered, studying his bloodied hand again. His black and blue face.
James took another step, and Erik shoved her toward her office door. “He found me. Fucking tortured me for days until I gave up the location of the painting—then cut off my goddamnfingersas punishment! All becauseyougave them the recording!”
Nausea came alive in her belly. The stumps…those were what remained of his fingers. God, she was going to be sick.
“We did nothing to you,” Erik said quietly.
“Wrong! You diverted Angelo’s attention to me!” James yelled, little specks of spit shooting from his mouth. “Now he has his fucking painting, and I have even less than before I took it! I can only sit and wait until my dealer finds me and finishes me off!” Another step forward. “But not before you pay for your part in making me a dead man. Both of you.”
* * *
Erik worked his jaw.He wanted to kick his own ass for not carrying today.
He pushed Hannah closer to her office. “You need to calm down and lower the weapon.”
“Actually, I don’t. I’m as good as dead, so I’m taking the fuckers responsible with me.”
There were so many damn things Erik wanted to say to that, top of the list being that it was no one’s fault but James’s that he was in the position he was in. But the guy was no longer stable. There was no reasoning with him.
“I’ll pay your drug debt,” Erik said quietly.
James’s brows pinched. “You’re lying.”
“No. I’m not. I’ve got the money, and all I want is Hannah’s safety. Lower that gun, and I’ll write the check to you right now.”
There was no way Erik was actually doing that. The asshole would just spend it on drugs and be back for more. All he needed was the pistol lowered so Erik could disarm him.
For a second, James seemed to consider it. Hope danced in his eyes, lighting the dark brown depths. His fingers even seemed to loosen on the weapon.
Then the door opened behind him.
James cursed and turned, firing blindly at Reuben.
The second the man was distracted, Erik shoved Hannah into the office and lunged.
James swung the gun back around. Mid-swing, Erik grabbed his arm and kicked him into the wall. The pistol dropped. James attempted to punch Erik, but he dodged the feeble attempt. A second punch. Erik dodged again, then followed up with an elbow to James’s face.
James reared back.
Erik punched him two more times in the face. The man stumbled, narrowly missing the third hit. Erik saw the knife half a second before it slashed at his stomach.
He reared back, avoiding the blade.
Sirens sounded from somewhere in the distance. Erik let everything fade but the man in front of him.
James slashed the knife at Erik’s abdomen again. He twisted, grabbing James’s wrist and spinning him, his back pressed to Erik’s front. He forced the knife an inch from James’s throat, easily overpowering him.
“Get the fuck off me!” James yelled. He tried to pull away, but Erik pressed the knife firmly to his flesh, not breaking skin but close.
