Page 33 of When He Plays

The hell she was.

“Get the shooter!” Logan bellowed to his guards. He dragged Charlotte behind a car parked to the right. A black Dodge Charger. He kept her locked against him.

She heaved in his hold. “Let go! I’ll go find him!”

If anything, his grip tightened. “Not happening.” He pinned her behind the vehicle. “What in the hell are you even doing out here?”

“Saving you! Obviously! I⁠—”

More gunfire. Rapid. Slamming into the side of the vehicle.

“Logan Sterling!” A bellow. A familiar one. “You hiding? Hiding like the coward you are? Come face me!” More shots. Shots that hit the Dodge Charger.

The glass in the Charger’s windows shattered. Some of that glass rained down on Logan.

“I know that damn voice,” he snapped. “Morris.” He’d tried to give the bastard an out. But had he taken it? Had Morris left town like he should have done?

No.

Instead, he’d come gunning for Logan. A choice that would prove to be a fatal mistake.

“You don’t take my business!” Morris shouted. “You don’t take my life!” Another rain of gunfire.

Logan risked a glance around the vehicle and saw that Morris had just fired at Logan’s two guards. One man had taken a hit to the shoulder. The other had ducked for cover.

“You have so many enemies, Logan!” Morris bellowed in the night.

Oh, was that supposed to be shocking? Logan knew there were plenty of people after him in this world. Why on earth was Morris just out there, shouting the obvious?

“We’re lining up! Taking you out!”

Not happening. Logan crouched, waiting for his moment.

Charlotte grabbed the front of his sweaty t-shirt. “What are you planning?” A whisper.

Nothing too dramatic. Just a little self-defense. “I gave him a chance. But he came after me.” There would be no additional chances given. Logan eased a bit to the side of Charlotte in order to survey the scene again as he planned his attack.

“That pretty little PA is with you, isn’t she?” Loud, grating laughter from Morris. “I saw her running toward you. I was actually shooting at her with that second bullet. I’ll get her, I’ll get you both!”

Gunfire rang out. Only it wasn’t from the gun Morris held. Logan saw that the guard who’d ducked for cover had just fired a shot toward Morris. Enraged, Morris ducked, swung his weapon toward the man, and began to fire back at the guard.

Perfect distraction.

Logan leapt from behind the Charger. He flew toward his target, legs pumping, body moving fast, faster, and he was⁠—

Morris whipped the weapon toward him. A wide smile curved his lips. “Got you!”

“Logan!” Charlotte screamed from behind him.

But Morris was wrong. That prick didn’t have him.

I have you.

Because Logan slammed his body into Morris’s. They went down together. A gunshot blasted just as Logan drove his knife into his prey.

The gun clattered to the pavement.

“Logan! Logan!” Charlotte’s frantic voice. Charlotte ran and grabbed Morris’s gun. She picked it up even as… “Logan! Logan, get away from him!”