Page 118 of The Gift
“A ravine runs along this side of the property. You were headed straight for it. Lauren!” his deep voice boomed.
“She’s here, Coop,” someone called from up ahead.
“Thank goodness,” Erica breathed.
A steady rain had started to fall. Through the trees, they saw headlights flooding the front yard. Rangers’ vehicles filled the property, a dozen men behind them, weapons drawn.
O’Reilly’s voice rang out, hard and unyielding. “It’s over, Kedrov! Send your men out unarmed, or we come in and take them.”
Gunfire erupted from the house. Rangers answered from the yard.
Vince dragged her behind a tree, his body covering hers.
After what seemed like forever, silence fell.
A heavily accented voice that sounded a lot like the brute shouted, “Don’t shoot! I’m coming out!”
“Pathetic coward.” This voice came from somewhere else.
A branch creaked behind them. When they turned, a tall figure emerged from the trees.
Alexander Kedrov, a gun in his hand.
“So, the Ranger survived.” He leveled the weapon at Vince, but his eyes were fixed on her. “Pity. You’ll have to watch him die again.”
Vince shifted in front of her. “Drop it.”
Kedrov’s mouth curved. “You are in no position to give orders.”
“Killing me won’t save you,” Vince said. “Rangers are crawling everywhere. It’s over.”
“Over except for the rest of my life in a cage.” His gaze tracked to her. “She should have to pay for what she’s done. If you hurt, she does.”
The woods came to life with snapping twigs and rustling brush as Rangers closed in from the sides.
O’Reilly was among them. “Don’t do it, Kedrov. I’ll drop you before you get a shot off.”
For a heartbeat, it looked like he might fire anyway.
Vince didn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. Even the woods seemed to hold still.
Then, slowly, he turned the gun on himself.
“No!” Erica screamed.
The fatal shot cut her off.
Rangers rushed forward as Vince curled his arm, bringing her into his chest. She buried her face in his shirt, having seen enough blood and gore and death in the last month to last a thousand lifetimes.
“Through the brainstem,” one of the Rangers muttered. “He was dead before he hit the ground.”
She didn’t need to hear that. Still, it was confirmation that Kedrov was gone. Her legs shook as the adrenaline faded.
Footsteps retreated less stealthily than they came. Soon, there was only the occasional call of a bird.
Erica slid her hands up his chest, feeling it rise and fall. “You’re really here.”
“I told you I would be.”
