I squeezed the trigger.
My gun fired.
Jay stumbled back, dropping his weapon. He blinked, shocked, not believing what had just happened. I watched as the red hole in his skull dripped blood and he slowly sank down to the floor. He flopped over, half of his head missing. His eyes were lifeless pits.
I dropped my gun and ran to her. I ripped off the gag and she took a deep breath.
“Reid!” she said.
“I’m here. It’s okay.” I ripped the duct tape from her hands and unwound the chain from around her neck. “Did they hurt you?”
She didn’t answer, just pressed herself against my chest, sobbing. I wrapped my arms around her as she rocked, holding her tightly.
“It’s okay,” I whispered. “It’s okay. It’s all over now. It’s all over.”
After a heartbreaking and agonizing and joyous moment, my brain filled with her smell and her body, so happy she was alive and safe but terrified of what happened to her, she pulled away.
“How did you find me?”
“Rigley. The deal with the Canadians worked.”
“I guess that’s why I heard all those guns.”
“Are you okay?”
She nodded. “They didn’t touch me.”
“You’re not hurt at all?”
“Tired. Scared. But they never touched me.”
I let out a long breath. I felt something inside me unclench and I pulled her against me, crushing my mouth against hers. She returned my kiss with a seriousness I hadn’t felt before. Hunger flooded my body, and the feel of her skin against mine sent shivers up my spine.
My cock began to get hard. I had to pull away before I fucked her right there, next to the corpse of the piece of shit who kidnapped her.
“Here,” I said, pulling off my flak jacket and shirt. “Put this on.”
She took my shirt and pulled it over her head. I dropped the vest down on the ground. The shooting upstairs had stopped, and there were only voices of men talking left.
“Think we won?” she asked.
I nodded. “We definitely won.”
“Is it really over?”
“It’s really over. I promise.”
Before she could say anything, the door to the basement opened. “Hello down there?” Rigley called out.
“It’s me,” I called back. “We’re coming up.”
“There’s my thief!” he laughed.
Becca gave me a look and I just shrugged. We walked back around the junk and the dirty work out equipment and made our way upstairs.
“So this is your stepsister,” Rigley said. “Nice to meet you.”
“Rebecca,” she replied. “You too.”
“Are we done here?” I asked him.
“Yes. The fucks are all dead, and we are victorious.”
“And you and me?”
“Square, Mister Thief. You did good.”
“Jay is downstairs,” I said softly.
“Ah. We have his girl. We thought he might have gotten away.”
“He didn’t.”
“You have Lindsey?” Becca cut in.
“Yes. “ Rigley paused and then grinned. “What should we do with her?”
Becca blinked. “I don’t know.”
“Should she die?”
“No!” she said quickly. “No, don’t kill her.”
“Are you sure?”
“She’s been through enough,” Becca said softly.
I looked at her for a second and then back at Rigley. “We’re going.”
He was already turning away. “Take a car. We lost a whole team today, so we don’t need it.”
“Thanks. I’ll leave it at Thom’s.”
“Keep the fucking thing. We have plenty to replace it now.”
I took Becca by the hand and we walked out of the house. I carefully steered her away from the worst of the violence but couldn’t help but walk past at least two bodies. She looked away until we were out in the sunlight.
I felt nothing but joy as we climbed into a car. The keys were already in the ignition.
“How did you do it?” she asked me softly.
“I don’t know.”
“Thank you.”
“Becca—”
“No, listen to me. Thank you.”
“It’s my fault you were there.”
“No, it isn’t. I didn’t have to take that key. Lindsey ratted on me. But you came and you saved me.”
I grabbed her face and pulled her toward me. “I’ll always keep you safe. I fucking promise.”
“I know you will.”
I kissed her softly on the lips.
“I don’t care about the stepsister thing,” I said.
“I love you.”
“I know,” I said, grinning. “I’m completely and totally yours.”