Page 118 of Till Death Do Us Part

But I couldn’t shake this awful feeling creeping in the back of my mind.

Vera pressed herself up against the archive door, her eyes narrowed, and I saw the reaction in the split second before it was too late.

An explosion blew the door open from the other side, throwing Vera off her feet as smoke billowed out through the hall, heavy in my lungs and choking me as Vera picked herself up off the floor, up to one knee, but not before a gunshot rang from the smoke and ripped the sleeve of her jacket, a plume of blood from her arm as she let out an angry cry, clutching the wound.

A figure emerged from the smoke, and a cold sensation dropped in my stomach as it cleared enough for me to make it out.

Quayle, his gun in hand, eyes fixed on Vera. And behind him, at the entrance to the archive, was Glenn, his arms folded, a sick smile on his face.

“I appreciate the delivery service,” Glenn said. “Bringing Elaine directly to me… maybe you’re more considerate than I thought, Farkas. As thanks, I’ll have you killed quickly and mercifully. Quayle.”

He held up his gun. I moved without thinking, lunging in front of Vera with my arms out to shield her.

A gun barrel gleamed as I stared down it, just like that first night, when Whitecliff assassins cornered me in that lot and held me at gunpoint.

But this time, I wasn’t afraid.

Chapter 60

elaine

“Elaine!” Vera cried out, her hand on me trying to push me aside, but my gamble worked. Quayle moved his finger to the trigger, and Glenn shouted.

“Stop! Not one scratch on Elaine.”

Quayle didn’t move—didn’t lower his gun, didn’t pull the trigger. I could feel Vera’s tension—her gritting her teeth, desperately wanting to move me out of the way, out to safety, knowing that doing that would only get us both killed.

But she couldn’t be the only one to protect me.

She was my wife.

“Glenn,” I said. “I told you I’d consider working with you. And I will. But only on one condition.”

Glenn narrowed his eyes, but slowly, a smile spread over his features. “I do love a woman with a bit of… nerve. All right. Let’s negotiate. What do you want?”

“I want a promise you won’t do anything to Vera,” I said. “Your word that you and all the other Blackbirds won’t hurt her.”

“Elaine…” Vera gripped my shoulder tighter.

Glenn’s eyes darkened. “Vera betrayed the Blackbirds. There’s only one way that can end.”

“And there’s only one South Yard. I’m asking you to make an exception.”

Glenn smiled wider. “I hear your request. Then I have an additional request,” he said. “You leave Vera and come stay with me, instead. As long as you do that, we won’t lay so much as a finger on her.”

Vera clutched my shoulder tighter. “Don’t…”

I let out a sigh. “I understand,” I said, and I held out my hand, beckoning him closer, for a handshake. “We have a deal.”

His smile grew sick, twisted, cruel, and he started towards me. “Well, then it’s a pleasure doing business,” he said.

Quayle stepped aside, out of Glenn’s way, but he spoke in a low voice. “Sir.”

“You don’t understand, Quayle,” Glenn said. “You never would have. There’s a difference between leaders… and killers. This is a long-term investment. And now, at last… what rightfully belongs to me… will be—”

A gunshot rang. Blood arced through the air, painting across the wall, and it felt like the oxygen disappeared from the room.

Glenn stopped, his eyes wide, his lips parted, almost like for one impossible second, he was alive and cognizant of what had just happened.