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26
EMILIA
Everything went to hell in a handbasket. Helena started screaming, both at me and whoever else was out there. She threw an arm around my neck and pressed the barrel of the gun to the back of my head. “Do anything stupid and you won’t live long enough to regret it,” she hissed at me. “Now move!”
She propelled me forward to the doorway, then stopped. “Who’s out there? Identify yourself right now or I’ll blow her head off!”
“No need to do that, Helena.” The man who spoke had a deep voice and a British accent. It took me a few moments to place it, but when I did my heart began to beat faster.
The voice belonged to Julian Westcott, Victoria’s ex-husband. Relief coursed through me. I knew he was a former Marine who now worked for a private security firm. I hadn’t seen him in years, but I recognized his voice.
“Why don’t you ladies step out here so we can talk?” His tone was like butter sliding over hot toast, warm and comforting.
It obviously had the same effect on Helena because she pushed me over the threshold. We turned to the right as she kept her arm around my neck and the gun against my head. Unfortunately, Helena was a few inches taller than me, so she had the perfect grasp on me.
The cold smacked me in the face, and my body instantly reacted, shivers wracking me as goosebumps popped up on my skin. I looked down at Janet’s body and could see something small and red sticking out of the side of her neck.
“What did you do to my mother?” Helena’s tone was menacing. “If she’s dead, say goodbye to Emilia.”
“She’s not dead, I promise.” To my horror, Julian let go of the rifle he was holding. The strap was on his shoulder, allowing it to dangle by his side. He put his hands up in the air. “She’s just sedated. She’ll be fine.”
I let out a relieved breath. As much as I hated what Janet and Helena had done to me, I didn’t want to see either of them dead.
“Who the fuck are you? What are you doing here?” She moved the gun away from my head and pointed it directly at him.
Julian’s expression didn’t waver. “My name is Julian Westcott and I’m here to take Emilia home. I don’t wish to harm you, Helena.”
Tears welled up in my eyes as I gazed at the handsome Englishman standing in front of me. He looked at me and gave me a reassuring smile. “Are you okay, Emilia?”
I tried to nod, but Helena’s grasp on my neck was too tight. I fought to suck in a breath. “Yes,” I croaked.
“Perhaps you could loosen your hold on her, Helena. Emilia isn’t going anywhere.”
“Don’t fucking tell me what to do! I’m calling the shots here, asshole.”
“Understood.” Julian kept his tone level and his hands up. “Shall we talk about what happens next?”
“I’ll tell you what happens next.” The gun came back to my head, and she pressed the muzzle into the back of it so hard I winced. “You’re going to carry my mother and our bags out to our car, and then you’re going to stand by and watch as I drive us out of here. Emilia’s coming with us. Once Jason has given us the money and the plane, I’ll text him the coordinates of where to find Emilia.”
“I’m afraid I can’t let that happen. This ends right now. You’re not going anywhere but prison.”
The muzzle of the gun was pushed so far into the back of my head that I cried out in pain. “Do you want me to shoot her dead in front of you? Do you really want her death on your hands? Are you willing to tell Jason you got his precious Emilia killed?” The venom in her words was clear, and I began to feel light-headed from her grip.
Julian’s expression hardened a little. “It doesn’t have to end like this, Helena. Just put the gun down and we’ll all walk out of here together.”
“That’s never going to happen, asshole. Do what I say or she’s dead.”
He gazed at the two of us and silence ensued. What was he thinking? Was he going to do as she said and let us drive away?
Pain and fear coursed through me, and I let out a small cry. I mouthed his name and silently begged him to do something before Helena pulled the trigger.
“Scorpion.” His voice was low and deadly. “Take the shot.”
All of a sudden, I felt a rush of wind over the top of my head and heard a small noise I couldn’t identify. The grip on my arm was gone and I could no longer feel the gun pushing into the back of my head. I turned around to see Helena lying on the concrete, a small hole in the middle of her forehead and blood oozing from the wound.
My brain couldn’t compute what I was seeing. Her eyes and mouth were still open, but I knew she was dead. I let out a cry and swayed on the spot, and a gentle hand on my arm steadied me. “It’s okay, love. It’s over.” He pulled out a knife and cut the binding on my wrists, freeing me.
I looked up at my savior, his familiar features comforting. “Julian.” He caught me as I collapsed on the spot, swinging me up into his arms effortlessly.
