More Than a Mission - Caridad Pineiro [69]
And he was also right about another thing—she was dying. She could tell from the way the warmth was fleeing from her fingers and toes. Trying to pull into the center of her as her body battled to hold onto life.
She risked a glance downward. So much blood. Oozing down the front of her shirt. Too much.
“That’s right, my dear. You’re dying. And of course, I could spare you the pain and end it now, only…” He laughed with malice once again. “You’ve caused me too many problems. Better you should suffer a little before you go.”
“Bastard,” she spat out with a rough breath.
“Payback’s a bitch, isn’t it, Sparrow? And guess what? Little sis is next. Never leave anyone behind who can come in your place.”
She tried to speak, causing a swirl of blackness to cloud her sight before she blessedly passed out.
There was no way Elizabeth was going to help him find her sister. Using more force than before, she broke past one of his arms, rose and braced herself for action. “Even if I did know, there’s no way that I’d—”
He was on her before she knew it, his hands gripping her arms tightly. She reacted out of anger and out of frustration. Freeing one arm, she turned, dropped a little before flexing with her hip and sending him flying over her shoulder.
He landed with a satisfying thud, but not before upending an end table by the sofa and sending a lamp and some knickknacks flying. As he lay there, recapturing the breath driven out of him by the fall, he muttered, “Learn that from big sis?”
“Yes. After…she insisted we take self-defense classes. In case they came back for us.”
“She protected you then. Don’t you think it makes sense to protect her now?” he posed, and in her mind’s eye it was unfortunately too easy to see a full-scale manhunt for her sister. One in which Dani could be injured or killed.
She glared at him, hands on her hips and asked, “Promise you’ll give Dani a chance to explain?”
He leaned up on his elbows, considered her proposition and agreed to her request with a nod. “Promise. Do you know where she is?”
With a hesitant hunch of her shoulders, she admitted, “My grandparents had a seaside cottage about a mile and a half away. Dani always loved going there to think things through.”
He did a little jump/flip she had to admire and was immediately on his feet before her. “Let’s go get a car.”
She shook her head. “It’s faster on foot. The coast road makes too many turns near the bluffs.”
Without waiting for his reply, she whirled and raced out the door, alternately eager to see her sister and worried that Dani would not have an explanation for Aidan’s allegations. She didn’t hesitate, however, for she was sure about one thing: better they find Dani and not someone else.
Her steps were quick, nearly a jog as she hurried through the garden and up the path to the main road. She never paused to look behind her, sensing he was near as a tingle of fear grew swiftly. Gripped her. Urged her to rush.
Something was wrong with her twin. She was certain of it now as surely as she suddenly knew Dani would be at the cottage.
Increasing her pace, she weaved in and out by the pedestrians at the docks. She was at the farthest end of the wharf when she first noticed the car bearing down on them, racing along the coast road. There was something familiar about…
Loud pops, like those from a large firecracker, peppered the air before Aidan tackled her from behind. She hit the ground hard, his weight covering her protectively for just a moment.
Then he was on his feet, more gunfire shattering the stillness of the afternoon air as he returned fire.
She rolled onto her side. The car—it was a big black Hummer—fishtailed as it sped away from them. “That’s the same car from the other day.”
Aidan held his free hand out to her to help her rise. “It sure is.”
In his other hand was a large black gun which he holstered in order to grab his PDA. “Come in, Red Rover.”
“Copy, Blender Boy. We heard the noise. What’s up?” she asked over the walkie-talkie, making the conversation