No Escape From War (Trouble for Hire #1) - Cynthia Eden Page 0,71

you the same release.”

Rose had her hands pressed to War’s chest. Tears streamed down her face as she frantically tried to staunch the flow of blood.

Why the hell wasn’t she leaving? War’s breath sawed in and out. “Go.”

Rose shook her head. “I am staying with you—”

“I’ll just end this,” Gary told her as he stalked closer. “Put him out of his misery. Then you won’t have to worry about whether you leave him behind or not.”

Rose was on her knees beside War. His chest was burning. Warm blood had soaked his shirt.

Over her shoulder, War saw Gary and the bastard’s sick smirk. He was raising his gun, and War knew the prick was going to shoot him again. So much for hating guns, huh, Gary? Or do you just like to use them when you know your prey is strong enough to kick your ass and you have to shoot him to take him down?

War’s fingers flexed. He had his knife in his boot. If he could just get it—

Gary inched closer.

No time. War wouldn’t be able to get the knife out. “Rose…” he growled.

Her hands flew back and she grabbed Gary’s legs. She shoved her whole body against him, and he slammed into the floor. The gun flew from his fingers and slid under the couch.

“G-get…away,” War forced the words out. The room was getting dark. Weakness slid through him. Rose had to get out of there. She had to escape.

But she was diving toward the couch. Stretching her hands under it as she tried to find the gun—

And War saw Gary grab her.

***

She could see the butt of the gun. Rose stretched her hand to reach it. Just a little bit more—

A hard hand clamped around her ankle and wrenched her back. Screaming, Rose flipped over. Gary—with a triumphant expression on his face and his puffy lips twisted in an evil grin—had a death grip on her right ankle. Her left was still free, so she slammed her left foot into his face. As hard as she could. Twice. Three times. She kept kicking him in the face until he let her go. Then Rose sprang to her feet and ran for the kitchen. “You want me?” she screamed at him. “Come get me!”

Because she didn’t want him in there with War. She didn’t want the bastard anywhere near War.

War is fine. It looked worse than it was. He is fine. Multiple gunshot wounds—he was totally fine. He had to be fine. There was no other option.

War was fine, and maybe she was hysterical and in shock, but who the hell cared?

She grabbed a butcher knife from the knife block and whirled. Gary was steps behind her. “Don’t even think about it,” she warned him.

He smiled. Held up his hands. “Think about what? Killing you? I assure you, it’s all I’ve been thinking about since I was first hired to watch you.”

“You were hired to watch all of your victims!”

He didn’t deny the charge. Instead, he said, “Maybe if they’d been faithful, they wouldn’t have needed to be punished.”

“Don’t give me your bullshit! This isn’t about them—those women did nothing wrong.” Her hold on the knife tightened. “You’re the freak who stalked them and killed them. I saw the photoshopped pictures you had of me. How many times did you lie to your clients? How many times did you invent cheating that never happened?”

His grin stretched. “Those were good pics of you, weren’t they? Thought for sure they’d send your jackass of a lover over the edge.”

Her gaze darted to War. Because the kitchen opened straight to the den, she could see him.

When she looked back at Gary, he’d taken a step closer to her. “Don’t you do it,” she ordered. “I will stab you.”

“But what will one stab do? Because it’s unlikely that you’ll kill me with one blow.”

Don’t count on it.

“Then I’ll have you. I’ll take that knife from you. I don’t like knives. Not a big fan of blood. Messes up the moment, if you will. Though, your boyfriend is currently covered in blood, isn’t he?”

He was trying to get her to look at War again. Her gaze stayed on Gary. “If you didn’t like blood, then maybe you shouldn’t have shot him.”

His smile slipped. “He wasn’t supposed to be here. He left you behind last time. Came to my office alone. He was so worried about you being at risk that I was sure he would make you stay here. I know his blond