Page 84 of Disavowed

“You’re dying,” he said, knowing it was true. And it explained why Marsden didn’t care if he made it out of the hotel alive.

“You’re very perceptive, Detective.” Marsden nodded. “I have terminal cancer, and my end of days is fast approaching anyway, so I’ve decided to go out with a bang.” Again, he smiled.

Dom risked a glance at Daisy and saw she was listening intently. He needed to keep Marsden talking. “The ADA killed in a drive-by shooting seven months ago was the same one who dropped the charges against Shane. He was your first personal target. I’m guessing he took a bribe for conveniently making evidence disappear.”

“Goldsucker was a corrupt, bottom-feeding attorney. The lowest form of life.” Marsden crushed the empty water bottle in his fist and threw it across the room. “The man had children himself. Letting Shane get away with killing my son was unconscionable.”

He now realized why the Pyramid had kidnapped Alex when she was employed at One PP. This wasn’t the typical Pyramid pay-for-hire assassination. Knowing his death was imminent, Marsden had orchestrated his own personal vendetta and used the Pyramid to do it. “You initially thought the police were involved in dropping the charges against Shane. You were going to storm police headquarters and take out as many officers as you could. Until you discovered the department was just as pissed as you were when Goldsucker dropped the charges.”

“A-plus, Detective.” Marsden again nodded his compliment. “My last act will indeed be to kill the man who murdered my son, but not before killing his baby.”

“Shane doesn’t have children.” To his surprise, Marsden smiled broadly.

“Not quite true.” Marsden paused to outstretch his arms and look around the room. “This is his baby. He’s bragged about this hotel being his greatest achievement—his crowning glory. He’s thrown so much of his money around this city he can do no wrong. But what all the senators, congressmen, and the mayor don’t know is who Shane really is—and what he’s done. I intend to enlighten them.”

A fit of coughing overcame Marsden, and when he continued his voice was even worse. “Shane has no soul. He killed my son and didn’t utter a single word of remorse. His heart is as cold and unfeeling as the pristine marble floor downstairs in that lobby. And very soon I will disgrace him in front of the same city that adores him. Then his blood will run across that expensive floor while he watches the walls of his precious hotel crumble down around him. Literally.”

“You’re going to blow up the hotel.” Dom stared at Marsden in disbelief. “There could be hundreds of innocent casualties.”

“A small price for justice.” Marsden dug into his uniform pocket and pulled out what looked like a short TV remote with a two-inch antenna. “I’ll give people as much time as possible to evacuate, although you are correct. There will undoubtedly be casualties.”

“Colonel.” Dom tipped his head toward Daisy. “Let her go. She has nothing to do with this. Like everyone else in this hotel, she’s someone’s child. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

Dom realized Marsden was crazed with grief and, given his medical condition, had nothing to lose. But he had to try. For Daisy’s sake. For the sake of all the innocents in the hotel. “What you’re about to do is far worse than anything Shane ever did. Shane killed your boy, I get that. But murdering hundreds of others to get back at him is far worse.”

For several seconds, Marsden stared at Dom, saying nothing. His pained expression seemed to soften, and for a moment Dom thought maybe he’d actually gotten through to him.

“As I don’t intend to live for more than another hour or so, I have no desire for Ms. Fowler to die. Unfortunately,” he said, looking first to Jack, then Smith, “I don’t think my operatives would agree. She’s a witness to their crimes.” He turned to address Daisy directly. “Please accept my apologies.” He rose. “It’s nearly time. Mr. Smith, you’re with me.”

Smith lifted his shirt and tucked the gun into his waistband. He followed Marsden to the door, turning at the last second before leaving the room. To Jack, he said, “Your stupidity brought them into this. You can get rid of them.”

“Colonel!” Dom shouted, pulling futilely at his bonds. “For God’s sake, let her go.”

Ignoring him, Marsden and Smith left the suite, leaving them alone with Jack, who still had a gun on him. Dom locked gazes with Daisy and tried to give her a reassuring look. Her eyes were wide with fear.

With only Jack remaining, the odds were with him. He strained against the thin rope binding his wrists tightly together and felt it give slightly…but not enough to slip free.

When her eyes glistened with unshed tears, his gut tightened. He alternately clenched his hands into fists, trying to stretch the rope. “I’m sorry, Daisy.” Fuck. Somehow he’d get her out of this.

Jack slapped the silenced muzzle of the gun against his thigh. “She was mine,” he snarled. “Until the minute you walked in the door. I should have seen it. I should have fucking seen it.”

“You expect me to apologize?” Dom glared up at him, resisting the urge to laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation. “You never stood a chance. You’re a goddamn killer.”

“She didn’t need to know that. This was going to be my last job. I told you I wanted to settle down. We were in love and going to get married, you sonofabitch.”

When Jack looked at Daisy, his face softened. In Jack’s twisted, homicidal mind, he may really have loved her. Not that it would help her now. Her life hung by a thread. Just as his did.

“But you’re right,” Jack went on. “I never stood a chance. The entire time she only wanted you. Any guy can see when another guy’s got it bad for a woman. You’re in love with her.”

Dom met Jack’s cold stare before locking gazes with Daisy. In the event that he couldn’t free himself before Jack shot them both, he wanted her to hear the truth, spoken from his heart. It was a chance he might never have again. “I’ve been in love with her since the moment I laid eyes on her.”

Tears she’d been holding back spilled out freely. “I love you, too,” she said in a shaky voice.

His heart was ready to burst. Goddammit. He’d never felt so fucking helpless in his entire life. “Daisy, I will get you out of this.” As the rope binding his wrists loosened more, he realized he’d only said he’d get her out of this. Because what he planned next gave him less than a fifty-fifty shot he’d live.

Jack’s face contorted, his nostrils flaring. “Shut up, shut up, shut up.”

Dom’s muscles strained as he pulled again at the ropes. Something wet and sticky dripped onto his fingers. Blood. His.