His head whips my way, the gun pointed halfway between the ground and my face. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, we brought private security with us. They’ll be here in seconds.” I attempt to defuse his anger. “Now, you said you wanted to talk, so how about you put that gun away, and let’s just talk. I’ll do whatever I can to help you, Jace.”
Jace stares at me, his face a blank mask. His eyes dart around, looking for the boogeymen I just told him are out there, and then his regard slowly comes back to me. “I don’t believe you.”
I barely get my mouth open to point out the building where Malik is perched, but Jace’s hand comes up fast, gun swinging my way.
Vaguely, I’m aware of Kynan ordering Malik in my earpiece to take the shot, but it’s my brother who leaps at Jace. It all happens so fast—a blur of motion, screaming, and the gun goes off. A shot cracks through the air like lightning in a charged sky.
Pain explodes in my arm—white-hot and searing. I hit the ground without thinking, my brain barely catching up to the fact that I’ve been shot. I feel blood but I can’t look away from the horror of my brother wrestling Jace for the weapon.
They fight and grapple, almost in slow motion, and in my ear comm, Kynan says, “You get the clear shot, you take it.”
“Roger,” Malik says.
I clutch my upper arm, sticky warmth flooding through my fingers. “Don’t shoot my brother,” I yell into the comms.
Peter tackles Jace hard, taking him to the ground in a brutal crash of rage. I’m relieved to see the gun fall from his hand, but it sits only inches away. I try to crawl over to grab it, but I’m stopped by a roar of rage from my brother.
“You son of a bitch!” Peter screams, punching Jace over and over again in the face. “She didn’t deserve this!”
Blood spurts from Jace’s nose as Peter rains his fury down on his former friend. Knuckles colliding with flesh make a sickening sound.
Thwack, thwack, thwack.
In the distance, tires scream against gravel and then Jameson agents flood the clearing—Ladd, Greer, Jackson—weapons drawn, efficient and focused.
Kynan is there and finally pulls my brother off Jace, leaving him bloody and unconscious on the ground. Other agents move in, zip-tying his hands and ankles. Peter takes one look at Jace and then shrugs out of Kynan’s hold, running to me.
Greer beats him there, dropping beside me with a medical kit. Her hands move quick, scissors cutting my sweater away. “You’re okay, Mila. Stay with me.”
My vision is blurry, the pain sharp but manageable. I think coming down off that adrenaline rush is what’s making me so dizzy.
“Will she be okay?” Peter asks as he squats beside me.
“It’s not bad,” Greer assures him as she assesses the wound. “A graze. She’ll be just fine.”
Ladd radios in. “Suspect in custody. One civilian injured. Request police and ambulance.”
Malik appears above me, his calm presence a lifeline. He holds a rifle in his hand. “You did good, kid,” he says quietly.
I nod, glancing down as Greer bandages my bloody arm. “What’s going to happen to Jace?” I ask, watching as Jacksonand Ladd roll him on his side so the blood pouring from his nose doesn’t choke him. He’s still unconscious.
“The police will take custody of Jace and charge him with attempted murder.” Kynan squats so he can look at me eye to eye. “You did it, Mila. You brought him down.”
“Webrought him down,” I say with a weak laugh and then look over to Peter, chest heaving from the exertion. I reach a hand out and he crawls toward me, taking it in his own. “Thank you.”
“Anything for you, sis.” He then looks over at Kynan. “Think we can get her to a hospital?”
“Ambulance is en route,” Greer says as she tapes the gauze. “But I’m thinking some sterilization and a few stitches, she’ll be good as new.” She then grins at me. “I actually have the necessary stuff to do that for you now, if you want.”
“You got anesthetic in that little bag of yours?” I ask.
“Nope. Real agents don’t need anesthetic.”
“Then take me to a hospital,” I reply and everyone laughs.
CHAPTER 29
