Rescuing Jenna - Anna Blakely Page 0,85

lock ourselves away. I’m going to make love to you over and over again, and then we’ll—”

“That sounds like a wonderful plan,” a voice behind him spoke up. “Too bad it will never happen.”

A mental string of curse words rang through his head. He never should’ve kept his back to the door. A fucking rookie mistake that a man with his experience never should’ve made.

Jenna’s entire body jolted beneath his touch, and he could feel the utter terror vibrating through her. Her fear became his motivation to act, because he was more than ready to put an end to all of this.

Once and for all.

“Stay behind me, baby.” Adrian turned to face his enemy. “Matais, I presume?”

“The son of the man you slaughtered.” Matais Ortiz stepped forward. He held a gun in his hand, and it was pointed straight at Adrian’s heart. “Do be so kind as to drop the knife.”

Speaking of knives, Adrian couldn’t help but notice the blood on the man’s right arm. He thought about asking what happened…then remembered he didn’t care.

“I’m here, just like I promised.”

Adrian set the knife down slowly. He used that time to quickly do the math in his head and determined the others should be joining them any time.

“Let Jenna go, and you can do with me what you want.”

“No!” Jenna tried stepping forward.

He stopped her with an outstretched arm and a shake of his head. Tried to, anyway.

“No!” The stubborn woman moved out of his reach and around his arm. “I won’t let you sacrifice yourself for me.”

“Not your choice, sweetheart.”

“The hell it’s not!”

After everything she’d been through, that fire he loved so much was still there.

“You’re willing to die for this man?” Matais looked puzzled as he moved the gun toward Jenna. “It is because of him that you are here.”

Adrian ground his teeth together but kept his cool. He knew Matais was trying to get a rise out of him. Goad him into losing control so he could win this sick game.

Not gonna happen, asshole.

“I don’t care.” Jenna tilted her chin a bit higher. “I won’t let you kill him.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, Miss Shaw. But I’m afraid you won’t have a choice.”

Ortiz smiled wide as he pulled the trigger, shooting Jenna in the abdomen at point blank range.

Chapter 17

“No!”

The animalistic roar tore from the deepest depths of Adrian’s soul as he watched the woman he loved fall to the ground.

Without any thought of his own safety or well-being, he rushed to her side and fell onto his knees.

“A-Adrian?” Fear and pain consumed her emerald eyes.

He covered her wound with both hands. Her blood poured out over his fingers.

Oh, God!

“Jenna?” His voice cracked. “You’re okay. Y-you’re going to be okay.”

“Do you really want the last thing she hears from you to be a lie?” Matais mocked him.

“Shut up!”

“I have a very good aim, Adrian. I did not want her death to be quick, therefore I did not shoot at a major organ. However, given your situation and our location, she will be dead within the hour. Two if she’s lucky.”

“Shut the fuck up!”

“H-he’s…right.” Jenna’s throat worked as she swallowed. “S-sorry…”

“No!” He shook his head and pressed harder. “You are not dying. Not today.”

His heart hurt from his fear of losing her.

“On your feet, Adrian,” Ortiz spoke again.

“Jenna? Baby, open your eyes,” he ignored Ortiz and focused on Jenna.

She was starting to let her eyes fall shut, but at the sound of his voice, she lifted her lids and looked up at him. The spark of fire he loved so much was fading. Even the greens seemed somehow muted in color.

“That’s it, sweetheart. Keep those eyes open for me, okay? Please, baby. You’ve got to stay with me.”

“Now!” Ortiz pushed the barrel of his gun against the back of Adrian’s head. “The time has come for this to end.”

Yeah, asshole. It sure as fuck has.

Leaning down, Adrian made a show of hugging Jenna as if to say goodbye. God, he prayed this was not goodbye.

He whispered words filled with encouragement and promises. Words he meant to the very depths of his soul.

While he spoke what he prayed were not the last words she’d ever hear him say, Adrian used the moment to his advantage, removing the smaller knife he’d returned to his left ankle earlier.

Expertly concealing the move, Adrian slid the weapon into his sleeve as he leaned down and pressed his lips to Jenna’s.

“L-love…y-you.” The feathered words barely reached his ears.

Tears burned the corners of his eyes, his