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“Get in,”he ordered.
She hesitated at the edge of the opening. “Pierce, wait. I think Izzy?—”
A loud crash echoed from the front of the house, followed by shouting and the unmistakable pop-pop-pop of gunfire. Pierce shoved her toward the ladder. The door burst open, and at leasta dozen armed men poured into the room, their weapons trained on Pierce and Rhiannon. Pierce shoved her behind him, his body a human shield as he raised his gun.
But they were hopelessly outnumbered.
chapter
twenty-five
“Drop it,”the leader ordered. A black tactical mask obscured his face, but his eyes gleamed with cold calculation. The muzzle of his rifle was aimed squarely at Pierce’s chest. “No heroics.”
Pierce’s jaw clenched, his eyes darting around the room, assessing, calculating. Rhiannon could almost see the gears turning in his head as he searched for a way out. But there was none. Not this time.
“I said drop it!” the man repeated, his finger tightening on the trigger.
With agonizing slowness, Pierce lowered his weapon to the floor. As soon as it left his hand, two of the men surged forward. One kicked the gun away while the other grabbed Pierce’s arms, wrenching them behind his back.
Rhiannon cried out as another man seized her, his gloved fingers digging painfully into her biceps. She struggled against his grip, but he was far stronger.
“What do we do with her?” he asked.
“Kill her,” the leader said. “We got what we need.”
The sound Pierce made was inhuman, a guttural roar of rage and desperation that tore from his throat despite his inabilityto speak. He thrashed violently against his captor, his eyes wild with fury as he fought to free his arms.
Time seemed to slow. The man holding her raised his gun, and she felt the cold press of the muzzle against her temple. She closed her eyes, bracing for the end.
But the shot never came.
Instead, a familiar voice rang out. “Stop!”
Izzy burst into the room, her face pale and drawn. “Don’t hurt her. That wasn’t part of the deal.”
The leader turned, his eyes narrowing behind his mask. “The deal was for St. James. We don’t leave witnesses.”
“No,” Izzy said firmly, though Rhiannon could see her hands trembling. “I won’t let you kill her. That’s not what I agreed to.”
“You’re not in a position to negotiate, Deputy Delgado.”
Izzy stared at Rhiannon with a look of stark hopelessness in her eyes, then seemed to deflate. “I’m sorry. I had to. They have my family.”
The leader’s cold laugh cut through the tension. “How touching. But I’m afraid you and your family are no longer needed.” He raised his gun, aiming it at Izzy’s head. “You’ve outlived your usefulness.”
“No!” Rhiannon cried out, struggling against her captor’s iron grip.
In that moment of distraction, Pierce made his move. With a powerful surge, he broke free from the man holding him and lunged for the leader. They collided in a tangle of limbs, wrestling for control of the weapon.
Chaos erupted. Gunshots rang out, deafening in the confined space. Rhiannon was thrown to the ground, and a weight landed on top of her. She twisted, expecting to see her captor, but instead found Izzy shielding her with her body.
“I’m so sorry,” Izzy whispered, her eyes brimming with tears. “I’m so sorry.”
All too soon, the intruders subdued Pierce again.
“We don’t have time for this,” the leader barked. “Bring the woman. We’ll sort it out later. Deputy Delgado, go home.”
Two men yanked Rhiannon to her feet and while another ushered Izzy out the door.
