Page 55 of Rogue Survivor
“She’s my whole world, Connor. Almost everything good in my life is tied to her.”
My hand shakes, but I hook my pinky around Veronica’s and squeeze lightly. “Get ready to run.”
Before I can grab the bars and pull myself up, Veronica throws her arms around me and whispers in my ear. “If you don’t kick their asses, I’ll hate you forever, Connor. And since you’re in love with my mom, that’s gonna make the rest of your lifereallydifficult.”
I’m so shocked, I can’t respond until she and Mitzi are standing at the vault door waiting for me to get my shit together. “Lil’ bit,” I manage, my voice rough. “If I don’t make it…need you to know somethin’.”
Her lower lip wobbles until she sucks it between her teeth and nods.
“You are brave as fuck. Never thought…” A flash of light blinds me, and I sway, only my grip on the bars keeping me upright.Focus. You’re running out of time.“Never thought I’d want a kid in my life. Till I met you.”
Tears shimmer in her eyes. “Never wanted a step-dad. Till I metyou.Don’t die.”
I can’t fail her. Can’t fail Isabel. My body wants to give up. To escape the constant agony thrumming through my head and just…let go. But I’ve never quit a damn thing since the day I learned to walk—or so my mama used to say—and I ain’t gonna start now. Not with this young woman looking at me like we’re family.
Giving Veronica’s shoulder a quick squeeze, I angle a glance around the vault door. The girls will only be visible for a second. Maybe two if they move fast enough. “As soon as I’m up…you go.”
For the first time in my life, I’m grateful for the Bureau’s physical fitness requirements. Weeks of pull-ups pay off, and I stretch out along the top of the three-foot-thick door, the long kitchen fork clamped between my teeth.
At my nod, the girls rush across the hall. So far so good. Around the teller windows. To the doors.
Mitzi pushes on the handle, hard, but it doesn’t budge.
Goddammit!
She tries again, harder this time. The rattling carries, and Reggie snaps, “What the fuck is that? Find out!”
Veronica glances back at me. Even from fifty feet away, I know she’s terrified. After a beat, she sweeps her gaze around the room, then points to one of the desks. The next second, she and Mitzi drop down, hidden from view by the long counter.
Turning my head so my voiceshouldecho off the back wall of the vault, I shout, “Hey, asshole!” as soon as I hear the smug bastard’s footsteps. “Get the fuck in here! I got things to say.”
Luke stops, pokes his head back into the office, and whines, “Can I kill him now?”
“No. But you can shoot him in the kneecaps. That’ll shut him up.”
Fucker. I’m gonna wipe that shit-eating grin right off your ugly mug.
He’s so happy Reggie told him to shoot me, he actuallyspins his gunaround his finger like some cocky Wild West cowboy. Until he’s faced with an empty vault.
Launching myself from the top of the door, I tackle him, clamping a hand over his mouth and taking him to the ground before he can alert Reggie. The gun slips from his hand, but the impact jars me enough, the fork hits the tiles with a loud clatter.
No longer caring about silence, I roll to my left and snag the sharp utensil as Luke shouts, “Reggie!”
The idiot lunges for the gun, completely ignoring me. Big mistake. Fisting the collar of his shirt, I yank him backward. He flails, tries to slam his head into mine, but he doesn’t have my training.
The gurgle as the tines rip through his throat? Like angels singing. He’ll bleed out in seconds. The room starts to spin, so I drop him. Shit. I can’t pass out. Not now. I need that gun.
I manage to shove the fork into my boot, but can’t find the damn pistol. Shit. A fresh halo bursts in my field of view. After a hard blink, it fades, and I see the butt of the gun poking out fromunderLuke’s body.
Before I can snag it, a shot reverberates off the metal walls, and bits of marble fly up from the floor inches away, at least a few of them slicing my palm.
“I changed my mind,” Reggie says as he aims higher—right at my head. “You’re more trouble than you’re worth.”
I’m dead. There’s no chance of him missing me at this range.
I was too broken, Isabel. Too slow. I tried to save her. I wish I’d said the words. I wish you knew how much I loved you.
“Do it.” I close my eyes and take one last, deep breath. Don’t want to see it coming. My life ain’t worth shit without Isabel and Veronica. But it’s better this way. Isn’t it? They won’t have to watch me die.
