Page 25 of The Norcross Rescue

“You can’t stop us,” Rabbit yelled.

“Yes, I can. You don’t get to threaten innocent people. You don’t get to steal what isn’t yours.”

Rabbit swung the chair again. Vander kicked it and it fell to the carpet, then he launched himself at the younger man. They grappled, and he was surprisingly strong. Vander took several elbows to the gut and chest. He heard his shirt rip and gritted his teeth. They whirled. The guy wasn’t giving up.

An elbow slammed into Vander’s face and he grunted. Dammit. He’d had enough. He tried to get Rabbit in a headlock.

The man shoved hard and they spun in an unwieldy circle. Vander felt the man fumbling, and realized he had a handgun tucked into his pants.

Shit. Vander turned sideways, just as the gun went off. A sharp sting sliced across his ribs. He rammed into the man, trapping the gun between them. The rabbit mask had fallen around the man’s neck. They spun again, ramming into the conference table, then into a chair, then, they hit the window.

Vander felt the glass give under their combined weight.

Fuck.

He shoved away from Rabbit.

The man staggered at the loss of Vander’s weight. He hit the window…dead center where the cracked glass was.

“No!” Vander lunged forward.

The man’s face twisted. He was still trying to aim the gun at Vander.

Then he crashed through the glass, falling out of the window with a scream.

Chest heaving, Vander watched his falling body disappear into the night.

Goddammit.

His side felt damp. He glanced down. His shirt was no longer pristine white, or wrinkle free. It was creased, stained, missing several buttons, and now had a blood-soaked tear from where the bullet had grazed him. He poked at the wound.

He wasn’t going to die any time soon. He had a feeling his wife would have something to say about it, though.

He glanced at the window again and blew out a breath.

No one else had to get hurt or die.

It was time to fucking end this.

He turned to leave. Oh, hell. Pig, aka Matt, and his burned face were gone.

Vander was cautious as he moved into the hall. There was no sign of the injured man. Maybe he’d rejoined his friends in the main room.

Vander reached the elevators and looked around. He’d taken one step when he heard a whisper of sound. He was already turning when a heavy weight hit him from behind. He crashed to the floor.

“You killed my cousin!” Matt slammed several blows into the back of Vander’s head with something heavy.

Biting back a curse, Vander heaved and they rolled. He shoved the fire extinguisher away, then got a few hits in. But Matt pulled out a hunting knife. He held it up and slammed it down.

With a fast jerk, Vander rolled to the side, the knife sinking into the carpet. He heaved his body again and Matt rolled off. Vander launched to his feet and spun.

Just as Matt rose and lifted a handgun.

His eyes were burned, his face looking like something from a horror movie, but he still aimed the gun right at Vander’s chest.

Vander froze. Time slowed. There wasn’t enough time for him to do anything.

Bang.