The other tech, Scott? He wasn’t moving. Blood dripped slowly onto the stone patio. Maybe Lyle shooting Scott had been the noise Gavin had heard. If Lyle had already killed someone, then Gavin could fire at will—if he could just get Hannah out of his direct line of fire. As it was, if Gavin shot at Lyle and missed, Hannah would suffer.
With a brief nod, he caught Hannah’s gaze. Her bright green eyes widened. He willed her to do whatever she had to.
I love you, Hannah. He mouthed the words.
With a gaze that told him she understood his reassurance, Hannah dropped the robe, fully displaying her beautiful body. Then she jumped out of his line of fire.
It had the intended effect. Lyle cursed savagely and charged her, intent on attack. That left Gavin free to act.
Sucking in a calming breath, he stepped out from behind the house, aimed, and fired.
After a quick pull of the trigger, Lyle’s body jerked. Then blood began soaking his shirt at the right shoulder. Hannah screamed and ran toward Gavin. But Lyle wouldn’t let her go that easily. He lunged for her, catching her ankle in a death grip.
“You’re staying with me, whore,” he snarled.
Gavin’s heart lodged in his throat.
“Let her go and you might live,” he growled at Lyle, circling in front of the ass**le and closing in.
“She’s mine. If I go down, I’ll take her with me.” Lyle raised his gun with his free hand. A ghastly smile contorted on his face. “She’s mine.”
“No, she’s not, motherfucker.” Gavin didn’t hesitate. He raised the shotgun and fired again.
And again.
Finally, Lyle’s grip loosened. Hannah broke free and ran for him. Gavin caught her in his arms just as he heard his brothers shouting from the driveway.
Hannah’s arms twisted around him. “I’m so sorry. I should have told you sooner, Gavin. I love you.”
His heart swelled as he kept the gun trained on Lyle, just in case. “Baby, I love you, too. So much.”
His brothers raced onto the patio. Dex kicked Lyle’s gun away, then bent down, fingers on the tech’s carotid. “Dead.”
Gavin thought that perhaps he should feel bad that he’d taken a life, but all he felt now was profound relief. Peace and rightness followed when his brothers surrounded them. Their arms encircled Hannah.
Their woman was safe, and his family was finally complete.
* * * *
Hours later, Hannah walked into the house, her hands still trembling. She could still see Lyle’s desperate face, feel the bite of his grip as he clutched her ankle, trying to drag her down with him. So much pain and anger had flared in his eyes just before Gavin had delivered the fatal blow. She’d never forget the rage bubbling in his expression just before he’d fallen back, dead.
Hours later, she was still shaking.
“Hannah?” Slade inquired softly as he entered the room. “I thought you’d like to know, Scott made it to Anchorage. He’s in surgery now, but the doctors said he’s going to be fine. The bullet missed his lungs. If Lyle had shot him again…”
Lyle would have killed him, like he would have killed her in the end. Like he could have killed them all.
Slade’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her into the comfort of his chest. “Baby, you can cry. Let it all out.”
She allowed Slade to wrap her in his protective embrace. “I was so scared.”
“I know. We all were. But you were magnificent, Hannah. You didn’t panic. You held your ground and bought Gavin time to bring Lyle down .”
“I swear my life flashed before me when I saw you on that security monitor.” Gavin stood in the doorway.
She sobbed, and it felt good to cry. She’d forced herself to be strong while they’d taken care of Scott and waited for an ambulance. She’d held it together at the sheriff’s office as she had given her statement. Now, she wanted the comfort of their arms around her, but only Slade seemed willing to come near her. She didn’t understand.
“Did you think I was doing something I shouldn’t?” Hannah asked. When she’d stood in front of the camera, she’d known that Gavin would only be able to see her. What had he thought she was doing?