Targeted Risk (R.I.S.C. #7) - Anna Blakely Page 0,40

of gunfire and the sound of shattering glass. Everything began moving in slow motion. What took mere seconds seemed to last an eternity.

Lydia flew from her arms and made a beeline for the back bedroom. Juliet turned toward the room’s blown-out windows, a result of her mind’s reflexive response to find the source of the deadly shots. Derek shouted out her name, yelling for her to get down as he leapt toward her like some sort of superhero.

He slammed into her, knocking them both to hardwood floor. Shards of glass and pieces of drywall and wood rained down on them. Juliet heard herself scream—or, at least she thought she did—as Derek covered her body with his own.

The gunfire ceased all at once, and just like that, it was over as quickly as it had begun. The house seemed eerily quiet then, the beating of her terror-stricken heart and Derek’s ragged breaths the only sounds she could hear.

“You okay?” A set of panicked blue eyes found hers. “Were you hit?”

Juliet shook her head. “I-I’m okay. You?”

“I’m good.” Derek lifted himself just enough to keep from crushing her completely and pulled a pistol from his back waistband.

“Is it over?”

With his eyes remaining laser-focused on the front of the house, he nodded. “I think so, but I’m not takin’ any chances.” His southern accent grew deeper, his swallow audible. “Here’s what’s gonna happen. I want you to make your way back to Mike’s...uh...Jay’s bedroom. But stay low and don’t go near any windows."

Mike? Poor guy must be more shaken than he was letting on.

“Trust me.” Juliet blew out a breath. “You don’t have to worry about that.”

“Good girl. Now, go.” He rose into a low crouch. “Lock yourself in the room and don’t answer the door for anyone who isn’t me.”

Derek started to turn, but she grabbed his arm. “Wait! Where are you going?”

“Outside. I need to make sure whoever was shooting at us is gone.”

“You can’t go out there.” She shook her head. “What if it’s a trap?”

“Don’t worry, darlin’.” He winked. “This is what I do.”

Wearing a grin, the crazy man reminded her of a stagehand trying not to be seen as he made his way to the front door. Giving her one final glance over his shoulder, Derek motioned toward the back of the house.

“Go on, Jules. I’ll be fine.”

Praying he was right, Juliet stared back at the kind man. “Please be careful.” Then, doing as she was told, she began crawling on her hands and knees. She didn’t stop until she was inside Jay’s bedroom with the door shut behind her.

Reaching up, her fingers trembled as she fumbled with the lock until it was engaged. Leaning her back against the cool wood, Juliet closed her eyes and gave herself a few seconds to regroup.

“Lydia?” She made some kissing noises. “It’s okay, baby. You can come out, now.”

In an Army-crawl move, Juliet slid on her belly to check under Jay’s bed. Sure enough, a set of tiny, terrified eyes stared back into hers.

“Come here, girl.” She reached in and pulled the shaking ball of fur toward her. “Let’s put you in your kennel so you don’t run off someplace I can’t find you.”

Keeping low, Juliet carried her pet over to the corner where she’d placed Lydia’s carrier the first night they’d stayed here. It took a bit of coaxing, but she finally managed to secure the cat inside.

With that taken care of, Juliet listened closely for any signs that Derek could be in trouble. She heard none. It was all so crazy...one minute, the place was being destroyed by flying bullets, and the next, it was too quiet.

Juliet’s phone dinged with an incoming text, the sound damn near making her jump out of her skin. She lifted her hips and dug it out, her heart thumping hard when she saw it was Jay.

He was letting her know Jake had been able to fly a bit faster than planned, and he’d be home in just a little over an hour. Rather than text him back, Juliet called him.

“Hey, baby,” he answered almost immediately. “How’s everything going?”

God, just hearing his voice was enough to ease her fear.

Juliet had always considered herself a strong person. Hell, just a few nights before, she’d gone toe-to-toe with a man trying to kill her.

But nearly being killed twice in less than a week’s time was enough to make even the strongest of women a little shaky.

“Someone just shot up your house.” Damn it. She hadn’t meant