Don't Say a Word - Barbara Freethy [143]
Julia saw Brady backing toward the door and knew they had only one chance to escape, and it was now. No time to plan, think, or analyze. She drew in a big gulp of air, praying she was making the right decision; then she let her instincts and her anger take over. This man had killed her parents without remorse. She would not let him kill her and Elena, too.
She threw her body at the arm that held the gun, hoping to knock it out of his hand. Instead she heard a gunshot, and they both tumbled to the ground. She waited for a searing pain somewhere in her body, but she could feel nothing but an intense desire to stop him from shooting again.
Adrenaline gave her strength and determination as she wrestled for the gun. Brady was bigger than she was, stronger. He knocked her across the face with the back of his hand. Stars exploded behind her eyes. She'd never taken a punch before, and the pain was shocking. But she couldn't let it stop her. He was scrambling to get to his feet. She jumped on him again, knocking him down on the dusty hardwood floor.
He reared back in fury, throwing her against the bed. Her head bounced off the corner of the bedpost, and another shot of pain screamed through her body. She struggled to get her breath, to move. She had to move!
But Brady was getting away.
He stumbled toward the door.
Julia watched in horror, unable to do anything but wait for her breath to come back and her muscles to follow her command.
Suddenly Elena moved. She picked up the only other piece of furniture in the room-a simple wooden desk chair. Brady was so intent on reaching the door, he didn't see her coming. Elena whacked him over the head. The sound of the wood cracking against his skull was something Julia would never forget, but her relief when he landed on the ground with a dull thud was even better.
For a split second she and Elena simply stared at him, unable to believe he wasn't moving, wasn't getting up, wasn't waving the gun in their faces.
The gun… Julia finally got her feet back under her. She grabbed the gun near his hand and tossed it across the room.
"We've got to get out of here," Elena cried, grabbing the envelopes off the bed. "Hurry. The house is going to explode."
"Not without the stones," Julia replied. She forced herself to open Brady's clenched fist, terrified that at any moment he would wake up and grab her arm.
"We don't have time. Please," Elena begged. "The bomb could go off at any second."
"Go without me. I'll be right there."
"No, I can't leave you behind."
"And we can't leave the jewels behind. They belonged to our great-grandmother." Julia peeled Brady's fingers apart. Even unconscious he seemed determined to hang on to those stones. Finally, she got his hand open enough to take the jewels. She grabbed their purses on the way out of the bedroom, and they dashed toward the front door, hoping against hope they'd get out in time.
As they hit the porch, the cool air struck Julia like a welcoming hug. They were out. They were free.
A car came screaming down the street. Alex.
Her heart sang again as he jumped out and came running toward them. He was alive. He was all right. Thank God!
"Brady?" Alex asked, meeting her halfway up the walk. "Where is he?"
"Inside." She grabbed his arm as he headed toward the house. "There's a bomb," she yelled. "There's no time." She pulled him back toward the car, shocked to see the Russian get out of the vehicle. "What is he doing here?"
"Long story," Alex shouted. "But he's family."
His words were cut off by an enormous explosion. A roaring, thundering sound was followed by blazing heat and a tornado of flames that threw them to the sidewalk. Alex's body came over Julia's as debris and fiery ash rained down on their heads. After the initial blast, Alex got up, and they scrambled toward the other side of the car, collapsing onto the ground. Julia saw Elena and the Russian hiding there, too, their bodies paralyzed with fear and shock as they gazed back at the inferno that had once been a simple house.
"You're all right?" Alex asked,