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A low, menacing growl rumbled through the room. Raszta appeared at Pierce’s side, his corded fur bristling as he bared his teeth at Alan.
“Call off your dog,” Alan snarled, pressing the knife harder against Rhiannon’s throat.
The blade bit into her skin, drawing a drop of blood that slid hotly down her neck. She swallowed hard, trying to keep her breathing steady as she met Pierce’s eyes. His face was a mask of barely contained fury, his muscles coiled tight.
She gave a tiny shake of her head, silently pleading with him not to do anything rash.
“Alan, please.” Dottie’s voice quavered. “Don’t do this. Let Rhiannon go, and we can work this out.”
“Open the damn safe!” Alan shouted, and his grip tightened painfully. The blade slid an inch, opening up a wider wound, and she choked on a sob.
Pierce growled much like his dog lunged forward, but Gareth caught him in a restraining grip. He grunted when Pierce’s elbow plowed into his stomach, but he didn’t let go.
“Do it, Dottie,” he said through gritted teeth as he strained to keep Pierce under control. “Open the fucking safe.”
“Oh, dear God,” Dottie said and hurried forward, her hands shaking as she approached the safe. “Okay, okay! Just… just don’t hurt her.”
The room fell deathly silent as Dottie inputted the combination. The safe door swung open with a soft click that seemed to echo.
Alan shoved Rhiannon aside, sending her stumbling into Pierce’s arms. In an instant, he was at the safe, rifling through its contents.
“Where is it?” he snarled, whirling back to face them. “Where’s the gun?”
“I-I don’t know,” Dottie stammered, backing away. “It should be there...”
Alan’s face contorted with rage. “You’re lying!” he roared, lunging at Dottie with the knife raised.
Several things happened at once.
Raszta sprang forward, his powerful jaws clamping down on Alan’s arm. Alan screamed in pain and fury, swinging the knife wildly. Pierce shoved Rhiannon behind him and dove for Alan’s legs, tackling him to the ground. The knife clattered across the floor.
In the chaos, no one noticed one of Alan’s twins slip toward the safe until it was too late. He yanked the gun free from where Dottie had concealed it in her waistband. “Dad, it’s here! I found it!”
All eyes snapped toward the sound. The boy stood trembling with the gun gripped in both hands.
“Austin, put that down,” Lori screeched and surged toward her son.
Austin’s eyes darted frantically between her and his father. “I-I can’t,” he choked out. “He needs it. To protect us.”
“Son,” Alan wheezed from beneath Pierce’s iron grip. “Give it to your mom. Now.”
Austin’s finger twitched on the trigger.
“No!” Rhiannon lunged forward just as the gun went off.
An ominous rumble followed the crack of the gunshot. Bits of plaster rained down as a spiderweb of cracks spread across the ceiling.
For a heartbeat, time seemed to stand still.
Then, the ceiling gave way.
Pierce’s body slammed into Rhiannon, shielding her as chunks of plaster and wood crashed down around them. Dust filled the air, choking and blinding. Screams and shouts echoed through the chaos, barely audible over the collapse.
When the rumbling finally stopped, an eerie silence descended. Rhiannon coughed, struggling to breathe through the thick haze. “Pierce?” she gasped.
His weight shifted, and she felt his hands moving over her, checking for injuries. In the dim light filtering through the dust,she could just make out his face, inches from hers. His eyes were wild with concern.
“I’m okay,” she assured him, reaching up to touch his cheek. “Are you hurt?”
