Expired Getaway (Last Chance County #7) - Lisa Phillips Page 0,107
guy.
He kicked out at the second man and rendered him unconscious.
Aiden grabbed the phone and took Enrico’s gun, even though it was out of bullets. He could still hit someone with it. He shoved it in the back of his belt and patted down Enrico’s guy, but came up with nothing.
He found the other gun on the floor across the hall, where it had skittered in the commotion.
“Bridget!”
She turned at his call.
“Can you—”
She pushed open the door. Relief nearly sent him to his knees.
The Capeira guys were down. Clarke was down. Aiden wanted a hug, but the phone rang again right at that moment. “Millie?”
He was vaguely aware of the rustle behind him, but they desperately needed help from Millie. That was the top priority.
“What’s happening up there?” Millie said, “I can’t see the hostiles on the cameras.”
“All clear up here. Send in the cavalry.”
Through the phone, Aiden caught Eric’s voice. “You heard the man. It’s go time.”
The line went dead.
“They’re coming to—”
Bridget lifted her gun.
She aimed it at him and pulled the trigger.
Thirty-six
Beyond Aiden’s shoulder, Enrico fell to the ground. Bridget stared into the vacant face of the second Capeira brother she’d killed. She blinked.
Exhaustion weighed on her shoulders, and she lowered her arm. Every breath was a rush of air she could hear in her ears, until the whoosh filled her whole world. Rushing wind. What was..?
Aiden said something. She couldn’t hear it. He frowned and turned to Enrico, then back to her. He said something else. She stared until her thoughts coalesced and the rushing sound stopped. “You thought I was going to shoot you?”
His expression turned sheepish, and she saw a flash of the little boy he’d once been. “Only for a second.” He blew out a breath and glanced once more at Enrico. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Are you going to move?”
Bridget realized she still held the gun. She glanced around. Clarke was unconscious. The man Enrico brought with him was also. Enrico lay on the floor… She didn’t need to look at the blood. Not when she was like this. She was self-aware enough to know that wasn’t going to help her wrap this up and get out of here.
And then there was Aiden. “You’re really here.”
Standing in front of her, tall and strong like he’d always been. She wanted to fall against him. Collapse in a desperate need for comfort. She’d just killed a man. One bent on revenge for the fact she’d killed his brother.
Her entire body shuddered. And then he was close enough she could feel his breath on her face. “Of course I’m here. Where else would I be?”
“You were kidnapped just like I was.” She’d seen it happen.
Aiden’s arms wrapped around her. “As if that would make a difference.”
She almost wanted to laugh. Instead, Bridget pressed her cheek against his chest and squeezed her eyes shut. She pulled in a long breath and let it out slowly. Felt it break a few times intermittently as tears gathered in her eyes.
“Hey. You okay?”
She felt his voice rumble in his chest and she squeezed even harder with her arms before she realized what she was doing. Cracked ribs.
“Whoa. Easy.”
She leaned her head back to look at his face. “I’m good. I’m okay.” Aiden needed to know she could handle herself. That she was strong enough to be a good mother to Sydney.
“You don’t have to be.” He touched her cheek. “It’s okay if you want to freak out. Though, I’d do it quickly before the FBI get up here.”
“I’m fine if you don’t want them to see.” She could hold it together until she was alone. Just as long as there was no stirring from Clarke or the other guy, she figured she’d be all right.
She could hold out until she was alone.
If this really was over.
“Bridge.” He held her tight in a way she loved. “We don’t have long right now, but I feel like this is a needed conversation. So listen up. You’re safe with me, however you want to react. I just figured you might not want to freak out in front of your boss and a bunch of FBI agents. That’s all.”
That was true enough. Bridget nodded.
“But I’m not in that category. I’m me, and you’re you. And I figure it’s always been ‘us.’”
“Because Sydney—”
He shook his head. “Hold up. Sydney does connect us, and that will be true forever. But what we have is a separate thing also. It was just you and me in the beginning, and