Page 101 of What Doesn't Kill You…

"The safety's off. Just point and shoot," she told him. "But not at Benson Security."

Max acted like she'd handed him a snake. "I've never fired a gun. Shouldn't we give it to…uh…your guardian angel? He looks like he knows how to use one."

She stared at him. Yes, they would give the crazed stalker a gun. Never.

"No, Max, you keep the gun. Alan likes to use his fists, isn't that right?"

Alan studied Max for a moment. "You need it more than I do," he said at last.

Violet breathed a little easier. She faced Alan. "I need you to watch him. I have to go back in there."

He shook his head. "You're the warrior. I'm the protector. I watch you. Not your husband."

"I know that," Violet said evenly, losing patience. "But this is important to me." She pointed to Max. "That idiot is important to me and I'm trusting you to watch him for me."

"No." Alan folded his arms. "I watch you."

"I don't have time for this." She tried to wipe the rain from her face but more replaced it. "Listen?—"

Max interrupted. "I'm okay here and I have the gun. I'd rather the big scary guy was with you."

"I protect you," Alan repeated.

There was no point in arguing. "Fine. You come with me. Max, you stay here and if anybody comes near you who you don't recognize, shoot them."

"Got it," Max said, holding the gun like it was a bomb that might accidentally go off in his hands.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea," Violet said.

"No," Max implored her. "This is our only chance. I need proof that Damien has a partner, and I need to know who it is."

"Whatever," she said. "I'm giving it five minutes and if I don't find the information you need, I'm leaving and we're giving up. Okay?"

"Yeah. Wait." He tugged at his sock and came out with her phone. He handed it to her. "For taking photos. I was using it to record Damien during my…interview." He grinned then moaned because it hurt.

Honestly, there was no dealing with him. He'd been born without any common sense or even the most basic survival instincts. She would have to spend the rest of her life trying to keep him alive.

She tucked the phone into her cargo pants pocket. It reminded her she was already carrying the two phones she took from the guards. She handed them to Max to free up some weight.

"Keep those," she said. "We might get something off them later.”

She fiddled around with the two-way radios for a second or two. "Looks like the guards are using the second channel. They probably keep the first free for Damien's use. We'll use channel seven." She adjusted both radios before handing one to Max. "I'm putting mine on silent, but if I need to get you, I'll do it on channel seven. Understood?"

"Yes," he took the radio. "Don't die, Violet," he said.

"Weird, I was going to say the same to you," she replied.

She hated leaving him there, injured and exposed to the elements, but there was no other option. She couldn't take him with her, not in his current state. Actually, not at all. He wouldn't know how to behave and it would endanger all of them.

"Keep an eye out for the team," she said to Max. "They probably know we're missing by now and will be out looking for us."

He started at that. "You mean they don't already know? I sent Rodrigo a text telling him to set you free."

Violet stared at him. "He obviously didn't get it."

"Then how…" Max trailed off when he saw her expression.

"We'll talk about it later," she promised. "At length."