She was the most beautiful thing Drew had ever seen.
Carl smiled. “Right. You’re the one we want...” He waved toward the door. “Go,” he said to Paige and the others. “Before you’re dead on the floor.”
Kim and Heather dragged Paige toward the door. When they crossed the threshold, when they were clear outside, Drew exhaled slowly.
Alive.
He knew that Dylan, Gunner and Logan would make sure they stayed that way.
The door closed behind them.
“Now it’s your turn,” Carl said. He took a step back from Drew. What? The better to aim?
Drew kept his muscles loose. His legs were braced apart, his hands at his sides. He’d attack as soon as the moment was right.
Carl backed up. One step. Another. Then he had his gun at Tina’s head.
“All right, boss,” Carl said into the phone. “Are you ready for me to pull the trigger?”
* * *
ANTON STARED INTO Mercer’s eyes. How long had he waited for this moment? And it was everything that he’d hoped it would be.
“Tell your man to stand down,” Mercer ordered him.
As if Mercer had the power to give him orders.
“Is the agent still there?” Anton asked softly. “Can he see Tina Jamison very clearly?” Because the agent would need a good, up-close view of what was coming.
“Yes,” Carl replied.
Carl. Such a useful man. They both shared a love of pain. This would be a wonderful moment. “Don’t pull the trigger, Carl.”
He saw Mercer’s shoulders relax. Some of the tension slipped from Mercer’s face. “I knew you could do the right thing,” Mercer said. “I knew—”
You knew nothing. “Use your knife on her instead,” Anton told him quickly. “Make her hurt, make it last, make her suf—”
“No!” The door to the interrogation room flew open.
Mercer whirled around.
A beautiful blonde stood in the doorway. Her eyes were bright, angry; they were—Marguerite’s eyes.
“Get out!” Mercer barked at her. A tall, dark-haired man stood just behind the woman. His face was granite-hard. “Agent, I’m giving you an order.” Mercer tried to push her away.
The man—the agent—pushed Mercer right back. “She wants to be here. I wasn’t going to keep the truth from her.”
“Damn it,” Mercer swore, his voice a growl. “I told you—”
“I had the wrong woman.” Anton barely breathed the words. He couldn’t take his gaze off the blonde. He could see Marguerite in her.
The sight was almost painful.
Mercer stormed toward Anton. “You’re dying. You think I don’t know about the cancer eating you up again? How much time do you have left? Weeks? Days?” He shoved the phone at Anton. “You tell your man to stand down. Tell him not to hurt a hair on Tina Jamison’s head.”
“She wasn’t your daughter.” He had to give Mercer credit. He’d outsmarted him damn well. Led him down the wrong trail all along.
The blonde came fully into the interrogation room. Her guard—the agent had to be her bodyguard—shut the door behind her.
“I’m Mercer’s daughter. The woman you’re trying to kill just got caught in the cross fire.” Her gaze was steady, direct. “She’s not of any use to you now. Let her go.”
“Boss? Boss?” Carl demanded, his voice cracking from the phone.
“I won’t be able to kill you,” Anton said as he realized the truth. There just wasn’t enough time left. “But it’s okay. I wanted him to suffer, as I suffered...” He forced his gaze off Marguerite.
No, she’s not Marguerite.
He didn’t know her name. Right then, he didn’t want to know.
“You will suffer, Mercer, because that woman down in New Orleans might not be your blood, but I heard the emotion in your voice when you talked to her. Sometimes, it’s not just blood that makes a family, is it?” He didn’t even feel the pain in his chest anymore. The pain that had eaten at him for so long. This was his moment. “Go ahead, Carl,” he ordered as he raised his voice so the man would hear him. “Kill her.”
“No!” the blonde screamed.
She was too late.
There was no going back now.
* * *
CARL SMILED. He tossed aside his phone. “I’ve got my orders. She’s gonna die. I’ll cut her, again and again, and she’s gonna scream for me.”
Tina wasn’t making a sound right then.
“The hell she is,” Drew snarled at the bastard.
Footsteps shuffled behind him. He tensed. Two men, armed. Were they coming to kill him? Let’s see you try.
“They can take you outside,” Carl said, surprising him, “or you can die right here with her.”
Why were they trying to make him leave? That didn’t make sense. Anton Devast was a sadistic freak. He would want to take out everyone in his path.
So why free my sisters? Why try to let me go?
This scene wasn’t adding up to Drew.
Rough hands grabbed his arms and hauled him back.
Tina still wasn’t speaking. She was just watching him with those wide, resolute eyes of hers.
That knife was so close to her throat. If he fought the two men right then, in front of Carl, the SOB could slit her throat while he watched.
No, he couldn’t risk it. He had to pick a better moment to attack. Hold on, Tina. I’ll get you out of here.
That was what he tried to tell her with his stare, but what he said was, “Goodbye, Doc.”
She blinked back tears.
They pulled him away. Shoved him toward the door.
When he tried to turn back, the taller man put a gun to Drew’s head. “Now walk away, hero. Don’t look back. Just go.”
Was Carl already using his blade on Tina? He didn’t hear a sound coming from her.
“There’s going to be no escape for you two,” Drew said, deliberately using the code word because he wanted the EOD agents to swarm. “You won’t be able to just walk out of here. You have to know that’s not going to happen.”
But the men just smirked at him. “Who said anything about walking?”
Drew was directly in front of the main entrance. A few more steps and he’d be out of the building.
Only, he didn’t plan to leave.
“Why just follow orders?” he demanded even as he palmed the small blade he’d tucked beneath his belt. You missed that one on your weapons search. “Why let Devast use you? He’s going to make sure you all die, too. Don’t you realize that?”