Page 51 of One Way Out
I thought that someone having their throat slit would produce massive squirts of blood, but it’s more of a cascading ripple. It could be that Amato is blocking the artery as he clutches at his neck.
Shaw shoves him to the ground, and I sob.
My head shakes, making my hair fall over my eyes. Come to think of it, my whole body trembles, especially my knees.
I’m a little concerned I’m hallucinating.
This doesn’t feel real.
“Ridge.” A massive man steps around the back of the van, but I’m so frazzled that I pivot in his direction, still aiming the gun. He points at his chest and says, “Friend. I’m with Shadow Security. Don’t shoot me.” My head tilts when I spot the reflective aviator sunglasses. It’s the middle of the night. My hand shakes, and he growls, raising both his palms. “I saiddon’t fucking shoot me.”
“You’re okay, little one.” Valor steps in front of me. He’s still cuffed behind his back, but just seeing him is enough to cut through my frazzled instincts. “The fighting is over.”
“Lower the gun, pet.” Omen nuzzles his face to mine from behind as his hands tease over my lower back.
Fuck.
That’s right.
He’s still cuffed too.
Pointing the gun at the ground, I turn around and shove the weapon into Omen’s hands.
My eyes fly up, and I stumble backward. His entire face is covered in blood that drips down his jaw and onto his shirt. It’s thickest around his mouth, and I frown, trying to figure out what happened.
“Oh, God. Are you okay?” I ask as Valor’s scent envelops me from behind.
Omen laughs. “I’m fine, darling.”
“Did you bite him?” I ask, feeling a little dazed.
“The fucker had a hard head,” Omen says, shrugging. “Luckily, his neck wasn’t sporting any armor.”
“That’s kinda gross,” I hear myself say.
“Yes, well, I needed to put an end to him quickly, and my options were limited, thanks to the cuffs.” Omen chuckles. “I told you. There are very few lines I wouldn’t cross to keep you safe.”
My heart thumps erratically. That is surprisingly sweet, but my head is still stuck on something else.
“I got the gun.” I shake my head. “I thought it was easy, but I knew I had to do something.”
“You did great,” Valor says soothingly.
“I shot Amato, but Shaw killed him.” I gasp, spinning around and face-planting into Valor’s chest. “Oh God. Shaw is here. I saw him. I think I did. Did I make that up? Am I hallucinating?”
“Nah, princess,” Shaw says from somewhere from behind Valor. “We’re here. Leo and I are safe. He’s making his way down from his vantage point now.”
My knees get weak, and my vision goes a little hazy.
Holy shit.
I think I’m in shock.
ChapterSeventeen
Shaw
“Are you trying to bloody drown me?” Omen sputters, slapping Valor’s hand away. The stream of water from the hose we found outside the abandoned warehouse goes wide, and I sidestep to avoid getting soaked.
