Midnight Hero - By Diana Duncan Page 0,75

a woman who reads, indeed! Especially a guy who’d stood in the brawn line twice, and skipped the brains altogether.

She turned and ran toward the escalators. She had to get downstairs, to Con! Con. She stumbled. If the robber had gotten past him, Con was either wounded or…she couldn’t bear to finish. Her duty at the moment was survival. Con would want that.

He’d spent the entire night ensuring her survival.

Her exhausted limbs dragged like lead weights. The day had been long, the night even longer, and she was fighting the strain. She forced herself to keep running. Syrone. She’d head for Syrone. He had a machine gun, and knew how to use it. She could access her red walkie-talkie to warn him, and he’d ambush the guy. Then she’d find Con and help him.

Running footsteps pounded behind her, and she shot another look over her shoulder. Glacier Eyes was up and closing the distance. Fast. The fierce scowl creasing his broad forehead told her he was seething.

Her heart thundered. Dread streaked through her veins, and she poured on the speed. If he caught her, there would be no more chances.

The escalator came into sight. Almost there. Keep going.

Shockwaves exploded inside her as the robber grabbed the back of her sweatshirt and jerked her to a stop. No! Oh, no! So close!

He spun her around to face him. Red-faced, he growled, “Think you’re clever?” Iron fingers clamped her shoulders, and he shook her so hard her spine nearly snapped. “I’m going to teach you a lesson you’ll never forget.” He raised his fist and backhanded her across the face, knocking her to the floor several yards away.

Dazed, gasping, she sprawled on the cold marble. Her head spun, her face throbbed and black spots swam in her vision. She licked her stinging lips and tasted blood. Down and fading fast. As helpless as baby Constance. His face contorted with hate, the robber lunged at her. Her life expectancy was about two minutes.

They would probably seem longer.

A savage war cry rang in her ears, and Con hurtled out of the stairwell. His narrowed gaze touched her briefly, and the rage in it sent her reeling.

“I’ll kill you for that, you bastard!” Running full out, Con tackled the robber.

Joy thrummed through her. Con was alive! And looking plenty healthy.

He clocked Glacier Eyes with a powerful punch to the jaw. The robber grunted and staggered. Then he rebounded and slugged Con.

She tried to scramble to her feet as the men battled, but couldn’t coordinate her disjointed arms and legs. The blow had stunned her more than she’d realized.

Glacier Eyes’ fist rammed into Con’s stomach. Con bent double and the robber whipped his gun from the holster.

“Con, gun!” she yelled.

Con’s hands shot out and clamped onto the robber’s wrist, and the pistol waved wildly between them. The men struggled for possession.

The robber aimed a vicious kick at Con’s knee. Con feinted left, deflecting the blow. The robber broke free of Con’s hold, whirled, and pointed the gun at her head. “Shut up!”

She stared into the black hole at the end of the cylinder. Stared at her own death. So, this is how her life would end.

Then everything segued into slow motion. Con wheeled into a crouch in front of her, flinging his body between her and the gun.

Three loud pops broke the silence.

Con jerked backward, then lurched sideways.

Her heart leapt into her throat. He’d been shot!

Events rocketed into fast-forward. Panic careened through her. She surged to her feet, her horrified gaze searching for blood on Con’s clothing. She didn’t see any.

The body armor! Con was okay. The vest had stopped the bullets.

As relief ebbed away her panic, Con’s arms shot out, and he dug his fingers into the robber’s shirt. Locked in the horrible dance, the men swung on the momentum and slammed into the balcony railing. For an awful moment they hung suspended in midair.

Then they pitched over the balcony and disappeared.

The robber’s scream broke off mid-cry. Con didn’t make a sound.

She heard thrashing, felt a gust of wind and then a horrendous crash shook the walls.

Silence descended. Dead silence.

She stood paralyzed. Her breath stopped. Her heart stopped.

The world stopped.

The three-story fall had to have killed them both.

Chapter 13

1:00 a.m.

Con! Oh, God, Con!

Bailey didn’t remember running downstairs, but she was standing in front of the ruined Christmas tree. Fake pine boughs, broken decorations and torn garland littered the floor. The grappling men must have collided with the tree and ridden it to the ground. The