Page 60 of Girl Long Gone

“He won’t get you in time.” Gabriel growled and lunged.

He grabbed a handful of her shirt, but she slipped away. She ran for the other side of the room to put distance between Gabriel and her, and also wanting to be away from any bullets coming through the door.

Bang!

She crouched and covered her ringing ears. A hard yank on her ponytail pulled her backward, and she stumbled against the hard muscles of Gabriel’s chest. The door crashed open and knocked against the wall.

Gabriel wrapped one arm around her neck and fisted the base of her ponytail in his hand. He twisted her around so they faced Connor and another man, both with guns trained on Gabriel. He pressed his lips to her ear, and his moist breath vibrated her eardrum. “I’ll never let him take you from me.”

“Let her go, Gabriel. You don’t stand a chance,” Connor said through clenched teeth.

Blood dripped onto her face, and she struggled to catch her breath. Gabriel pulled his arm tighter around her windpipe, and she dug her short nails into his skin. She locked her gaze on Connor, but his focus stayed fixed on Gabriel.

“You’re too late to save her. Now you get to watch her die.”

The hard lines of Connor’s face tightened. He flicked his gaze to hers.

She raised her brows and widened her eyes. She might not be able to get completely away from Gabriel with his tight grasp on her hair and his arm around her neck, but she could get out of the way enough to give Connor a clean shot.

Connor dipped his chin.

The time was now. She breathed in deep and took one more look at Connor’s face before she turned her neck to the side, grabbed hold of Gabriel’s wrist, and dropped all her weight toward the floor.

Gabriel’s grip on her hair tightened, and her scalp screamed as her hair pulled in the opposite direction.

Bang!

She closed her eyes, and the pressure on her hair released. Wet and sticky liquid sprayed the exposed skin of her neck as she fell to her hands and knees.

The sob trapped in her throat broke free and tears fell down her face. Strong arms wrapped around her—Connor’s arms. She opened her eyes and stared into his face. He was here, he’d saved her. She buried her head in his chest. His heartbeat thundered under her ear, and she pressed her palm to his cheek. Warm tears coursed over her hand. She was safe.

“He’s dead,” the man behind them said.

Connor ran his hands over her hair, her face, her arms... his gaze following the path of his frantic fingers. “Did he hurt you? Are you okay?” His voice trembled, and she stopped the motion of his shaking hands by covering them with hers.

“I’m okay.”

His gaze never stopped sweeping her body, as if her words didn’t ring true in his brain.

“Connor,” she whispered. “Look at me.”

He locked his eyes on hers, and the tears running down his face burst her heart.

“I’m fine. Just get me out of here.”

He hooked an arm around her waist, helping her to her feet. The earlier wave of adrenaline crashed, and her limbs shook. His lips brushed against her temple. “Do you want me to carry you?”

Dizziness rained over her. She swallowed hard, pushing down the nausea still swimming in her stomach. “No. I can walk.”

Connor slowed his steps to match hers as they walked out the door and stepped into the night. The eerie sound of an owl hooted from above, and the cool air whipped over her, increasing her shivers.

“It’s a bit of a hike to get back to the house. Are you sure you can make it?”

Evelyn glanced behind her at the tiny shack hidden among the trees. “I don’t know where in the world I am, but I just want you to take me home.”

Connor hiked up one eyebrow. “Home? As in your apartment?”

Warmth flooded her body, and she smiled up at the man she’d once thought so damn intimidating. “Anywhere I’m with you is home, Connor.”