chest.
A dark-haired officer stood over him. “He went for my weapon,” the guy said. He didn’t take his gaze off Daniel. “I wasn’t about to end up the way prison guard Charlie Branson did. Murdered by this SOB.”
“Get a medic!” Faith yelled as she crouched near Daniel.
A medic wasn’t going to do the guy much good.
“S-Sophie…” A desperate croak that was her name—Daniel’s voice strained as he tried to call out to her in what Lex knew were the guy’s last moments.
He hoped Sophie hadn’t heard that call.
But she pushed against his chest. Her head lifted. “He wants me.”
Too bad. The guy was dying. He’d never have the chance to attack her—
Sophie pushed against Lex again. He just tightened his hold on her. More cops were swarming back there, and he wanted to get Sophie out of there.
“I have to see him.” Her voice was fierce. “I have to.”
Dammit. He let her go.
Clark had rushed back into the holding room. Lex saw that Clark had taken the gun away from the officer who’d fired—the cop was a tall fellow, a little on the thin side¸ with close-cropped brown hair. He looked pretty young, maybe in his early twenties. When Lex looked up at the fellow’s eyes, he expected to see shock. Maybe horror.
No emotion was there.
“S-Sophie…”
Daniel was still alive. Fighting to keep talking. Sophie tried to get closer to him.
Lex caught her hand in his. “That’s close enough.” Then he raised his voice. “She’s here, Daniel. Say whatever the hell it is—”
“S-sorry, Soph…” Daniel’s breath rattled in his lungs. Rattled—
Silence.
Daniel Duvato wouldn’t be a threat to anyone else ever again.
***
He watched as Sophie was led out of the police station. She kept glancing over her shoulder, looking back as if she couldn’t quite believe what had just happened.
Daniel Duvato is dead. Just like I promised you.
He’d just needed to put the right amount of money into the right hand. It had been so easy. Sure, he would’ve liked to pull the trigger himself, but dead was dead.
Sophie stood on the station’s steps. Her new lover was at her side. The lover wrapped his arm around her shoulder as he tried to act all protective. Such bullshit. Sophie didn’t need anyone protecting her.
That’s what I’m here for.
He was looking out for Sophie. Protecting her, as no one else could. He wasn’t afraid to make the tough choices. Wasn’t afraid for lives to be lost. Those who hurt Sophie got exactly what they deserved.
Pain. Death.
Did she realize it was all for her? He hoped so. Maybe he’d visit her again. Let her show her appreciation to him. With Daniel soon to be rotting in the ground, he knew Sophie would be happy.
Would she kiss him when he went to her?
Wrap her arms around him and hold him tight?
He couldn’t wait to see just how much Sophie appreciated all he’d done for her.
***
Ethan Barclay was running toward them.
Talk about some seriously bad timing. When the guy rushed up the police station’s steps, Lex put out his hand. “You need to get the hell out of here,” he ordered.
Ethan ignored him and stared at Sophie’s too pale face. Lex didn’t like that pallor.
“What happened, Sophie?” Ethan seemed to brace himself. “Were you too late? Did Daniel talk?”
Lex glanced over his shoulder. He could practically feel eyes on them. “Daniel isn’t talking to anyone right now. Seriously, man, get the hell out of here. We’ll call you.” He started ushering Sophie down the steps.
Ethan followed.
“He’s dead,” Sophie whispered. “One of the guards—it was Griffin Hollister, the new guy—Griffin shot Daniel. Daniel was reaching for his weapon. Griffin had to defend himself.” Her words were stilted, almost as if she were speaking on some kind of autopilot, and she definitely sounded like she was channeling her inner defense attorney.
Ethan stopped following them. “Dead?”
He sounded satisfied. Lex didn’t have time
A dark-haired officer stood over him. “He went for my weapon,” the guy said. He didn’t take his gaze off Daniel. “I wasn’t about to end up the way prison guard Charlie Branson did. Murdered by this SOB.”
“Get a medic!” Faith yelled as she crouched near Daniel.
A medic wasn’t going to do the guy much good.
“S-Sophie…” A desperate croak that was her name—Daniel’s voice strained as he tried to call out to her in what Lex knew were the guy’s last moments.
He hoped Sophie hadn’t heard that call.
But she pushed against his chest. Her head lifted. “He wants me.”
Too bad. The guy was dying. He’d never have the chance to attack her—
Sophie pushed against Lex again. He just tightened his hold on her. More cops were swarming back there, and he wanted to get Sophie out of there.
“I have to see him.” Her voice was fierce. “I have to.”
Dammit. He let her go.
Clark had rushed back into the holding room. Lex saw that Clark had taken the gun away from the officer who’d fired—the cop was a tall fellow, a little on the thin side¸ with close-cropped brown hair. He looked pretty young, maybe in his early twenties. When Lex looked up at the fellow’s eyes, he expected to see shock. Maybe horror.
No emotion was there.
“S-Sophie…”
Daniel was still alive. Fighting to keep talking. Sophie tried to get closer to him.
Lex caught her hand in his. “That’s close enough.” Then he raised his voice. “She’s here, Daniel. Say whatever the hell it is—”
“S-sorry, Soph…” Daniel’s breath rattled in his lungs. Rattled—
Silence.
Daniel Duvato wouldn’t be a threat to anyone else ever again.
***
He watched as Sophie was led out of the police station. She kept glancing over her shoulder, looking back as if she couldn’t quite believe what had just happened.
Daniel Duvato is dead. Just like I promised you.
He’d just needed to put the right amount of money into the right hand. It had been so easy. Sure, he would’ve liked to pull the trigger himself, but dead was dead.
Sophie stood on the station’s steps. Her new lover was at her side. The lover wrapped his arm around her shoulder as he tried to act all protective. Such bullshit. Sophie didn’t need anyone protecting her.
That’s what I’m here for.
He was looking out for Sophie. Protecting her, as no one else could. He wasn’t afraid to make the tough choices. Wasn’t afraid for lives to be lost. Those who hurt Sophie got exactly what they deserved.
Pain. Death.
Did she realize it was all for her? He hoped so. Maybe he’d visit her again. Let her show her appreciation to him. With Daniel soon to be rotting in the ground, he knew Sophie would be happy.
Would she kiss him when he went to her?
Wrap her arms around him and hold him tight?
He couldn’t wait to see just how much Sophie appreciated all he’d done for her.
***
Ethan Barclay was running toward them.
Talk about some seriously bad timing. When the guy rushed up the police station’s steps, Lex put out his hand. “You need to get the hell out of here,” he ordered.
Ethan ignored him and stared at Sophie’s too pale face. Lex didn’t like that pallor.
“What happened, Sophie?” Ethan seemed to brace himself. “Were you too late? Did Daniel talk?”
Lex glanced over his shoulder. He could practically feel eyes on them. “Daniel isn’t talking to anyone right now. Seriously, man, get the hell out of here. We’ll call you.” He started ushering Sophie down the steps.
Ethan followed.
“He’s dead,” Sophie whispered. “One of the guards—it was Griffin Hollister, the new guy—Griffin shot Daniel. Daniel was reaching for his weapon. Griffin had to defend himself.” Her words were stilted, almost as if she were speaking on some kind of autopilot, and she definitely sounded like she was channeling her inner defense attorney.
Ethan stopped following them. “Dead?”
He sounded satisfied. Lex didn’t have time
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