Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“Nah, nothing. She was glad to get away.”
“You must know something,” I pleaded.
Carl got to his feet and pulled something from behind his back. He was pointing a Glock at us.
I tensed. “What are you doing?”
Carl ignored my question. He moved a few steps back, then gestured with the gun at Devon. A silencer was attached to its barrel. “You. Sit beside her. I want you close together.”
“Calm down,” Devon said. “We don’t mean any harm.”
“Shut up!” Carl snarled, spit flying from his mouth. “Get over there, or I’ll put a bullet through your skull.”
Devon stood from the armchair and slowly made his way over to me. I never took my eyes off the weapon in Carl’s hand. I wondered if he knew that a silencer didn’t actually silence a gun completely. The sound of the gunshots would be suppressed but the neighbors might still hear them. Not that anyone around here would give a damn.
“What did you do upstairs?” I asked.
“A couple of days ago, a guy showed up on my doorstep. Promising money and all, if I called him when I saw you. Thought he was joking, but he gave me five hundred bucks for nothing and promised there’d be a lot more where that came from. Of course, I’d thought that’s all I’d ever get. Didn’t think you’d be stupid enough to show your face around here.” He cackled, glee shining on his face.
“What have you done?” I whispered. My hands began shaking, so I curled them into fists.
“I always knew something good would come my way. Never figured it would come from you, but I’m happy to be surprised.” He smirked and I wanted nothing more than to stalk over to him and smash his face. But he still hadn’t told me who he’d alerted of our presence. And there was the problem of the gun.
Devon’s fingers brushed my hand. I hooked my pinkie with his. “Who was it? Who was here?” I made my voice come out hard and unafraid, despite the fear turning over my stomach. Was the FEA looking for us? Or was it someone from Abel’s Army?
“Dunno,” he said, glancing at the window. I followed his gaze toward the street. “But the guy should be here pretty soon. I called him when you first got here and he said he was close by.”
I shifted, every instinct telling me to do something, to run. Carl wouldn’t shoot us. He wouldn’t get a reward if he delivered us dead. Carl chanced another look at the window and suddenly Devon ripped away from our touch and stormed toward him. Carl was slow but he raised the gun before Devon had a chance to reach him. A crack sounded through the room and Devon twitched and swayed backward. A bullet had hit him.
“No!” I screamed and ran toward them.
Devon collided with Carl and a second shot rang out. The back of Carl’s head smashed against the wall and he crumpled to the ground. Devon lay right beside him. For a moment I wasn’t sure who the second shot had hit, then I noticed the bullet hole in the ceiling. Carl’s chest was rising and falling—just unconscious.
I kneeled at Devon’s side, trying to squelch the overwhelming panic pulsating through my body. I rolled Devon over so he was facing me. Blood flowed from a wound at his shoulder. There wasn’t a second hit. Devon’s eyes fluttered, and he gave me a shaky smile. The color drained from his face but luckily he stayed conscious.
“Why did you do that?” I whispered as I helped him to his feet. Even if he was wounded, we couldn’t risk staying here for much longer. Whoever Carl had called would be here at any minute.
“Remember? I’m bulletproof.” The humor died on his face, and he grimaced from pain as I wrapped his arm around my neck. He leaned heavily on me as I led him out of the living room.
“It doesn’t look like that to me,” I muttered. Though I knew I should be grateful.
Devon had bought us time and gotten us out of a hopeless situation, but I couldn’t forget the stab of panic I’d felt when I’d watched him being shot.
I cracked open the front door and peeked outside. The street was still empty. I hurried to our car, dragging Devon along with me. I could tell that he was trying to walk on his own, but his legs were too shaky. I pushed him onto the passenger seat and he gave me a grateful smile. Droplets of sweat beaded on the top of his lip. I walked around the car and slipped behind the steering wheel. Part of me wanted to speed away, but on the other hand, this was a good opportunity to get a glimpse at the person who was following us. If it was Abel’s Army, it would be good to know the faces I’d have to look for. Again, I thought of letting them catch me. If they took me prisoner, at least there was a good chance they’d be leading me to Holly. But what about Devon?