Page 109 of The Rebel Billionaire

What the fuck wasgoingon?

I could make out the voice from the other side of the door, but if that was just one of her brothers and they were in the middle of an argument, she would've checked the proximityalert.

Through the door, I heard, "What the fuckisthat?"

"It's nothing," Charlie said, her voice thin andstrained.

Fuck. I stepped back far enough to clear the sensors, then forward again, triggering them. Another beep from inside the house. I wanted them both distracted while I figured out what wasgoingon.

Pulling out my own phone, I pulled up the cameras at Charlie's house. What I saw sent a bolt of pure terror down myspine.

Bruce Hayward loomed over Charlie, who lay prone on the floor as if he'd thrown her there, a gun in his hand. He was reaching for her. It looked like he was demanding she hand over herphone.

Charlie fumbled with it, and a second later, my own phone lit up. She'd managed to hit the panic button in the alarmsystemapp.

Smartgirl.

Now I just had to get in there and save her ass before that fucking maniacshother.

There was no time for subtlety. I could tell by the way he was waving that gun around that Hayward was not in control of thesituation.

I didn't need to give him time to do something crazy. From the look in his eyes, he was already overflowing withcrazy.

I still had the key to Charlie's locks. As quietly as I could, I turned the deadbolt on the front door and swungitopen.

Charlie's eyes went wide when she saw me. Hayward swung around, bringing his gun up tomyhead.

"Move," I shouted atCharlie.

After a second's hesitation, she rolled to the side and didn't stop until she was clear of the front hall. It would've been better if she'd taken off for the kitchen and the back door, but for a civilian, she'd doneherbest.

I dove low as Hayward swung the gun around, going for his knees. He fired just as I hit him. The bullet buried itself in the plaster above my head, showering specs of white over the hardwoodfloor.

He fired again when he landed on his back, burying another bullet in theceiling.

Charlie was going to bepissed.

Hayward was not a fighter. Once I had him down, he went limp and started whining about assault and hislawyer.

I grabbed his gun and pulled it from his hand, flicking the safety on. I slid it across the floor into the empty dining room, well out ofreach.

"You okay, Charlie?" I called out. "Did hehurtyou?"

"I'm all right," she said, her voice shaky. I looked up to see her getting to her feet. "I tried to hit the panic button, but I couldn'tgetit—"

The adrenaline was starting to get to her. With Hayward unsecured, I needed her focused. I could hold him down all day, but I couldn't help Charlie if I had my attention onHayward.

"Can you do me a favor,Princess?"

In a cautious tone, she asked, "Whatisit?"

I slid my key ring across the floor in her direction. "Go next door to my place. The alarm is off. In the top drawer of my dresser, you'll find zip tie restraints. Bring me back three sets so we can get this assholelockeddown."

"Berightback."

I may have fucked everything up, but I knew my girl. All she needed was something to focus her energy on and she was ready to go. She still had a crash coming, but she'd push it off long enough to do what needed tobedone.

Straddling Hayward's back, his hands held by one of mine, I had him under control. With Charlie occupied, I pulled out my phone and dialedBrennan.