“You.” Tony indicated Fallon. “Back up into that stall.”
Fallon clutched Savanna’s side. “No!”
Savanna pushed her to Korbin. “I’ll go.” She backed up into the stall, looking down at the drains, seeing the trough underneath through a layer of grime.
Tony walked over to a ledge beside one of the stalls and lifted a rusty knife. Savanna had seen enough documentaries to know what that was for. He’d slice her neck and let her bleed out.
“No.” Korbin started toward her, Fallon clinging to him. But the two men moved forward with their guns, aiming not at him but at Fallon.
Tony strode toward her, the rusty instrument hanging from his hand and a sick smile curving his mouth. The armed man watched, not paying close attention.
Savanna looked at Korbin, trying to assure him she wouldn’t go down without a fight. He saw her and checked the two guns on him.
Tony lifted the knife. Savanna grabbed his wrist and pushed him into the man with the gun. Korbin shoved Fallon so that she sprawled to the ground. Savanna went down and pulled her toward her while Korbin fought two armed men.
She watched in horror as one of them was about to shoot him. But he wrestled a gun from one man and shot that one.
As he was about to shoot the third to the stunned disbelief of Tony, a group of men in black rushed into the barn yelling, “FBI. Drop your weapons!”
And it was over just like that.
Tony and two of the armed men were cuffed and hauled off, and the shot man was taken away on a stretcher. One of the agents talked to Korbin while two more stood guard over Savanna and Fallon.
“I’m Savanna Ivy.” She stuck out her hand to Fallon, who was still scared and pale.
“I know. I heard all about you.”
Of course she had. “I’ve heard a little about you.”
Fallon turned to her. “You have?”
“Yes. Korbin told me. He feels awful about your mother. It’s changed him.”
Fallon looked reluctant to believe it. “Is today any indication?”
“Yes. He’s fighting for his life back, the one he should have had with you and Niya.”
“He told you her name?”
“He told me a lot about her.”
“But...I thought the two of you were...”
Savanna smiled, a fake one, really, because secretly that hurt. “We were, but...” She shook her head. “He isn’t ready for that yet.”
“When I heard, I...” Tears sprang easily to the girl’s eyes, still sensitive from her ordeal. “My mother. Shot. I couldn’t fathom it. And because Korbin...”
“It isn’t Korbin’s fault that Damen got involved in this. He wants to have a life with you in it, and not just because you’re Niya’s daughter. He loves you.”
“You’re awfully understanding for someone who’s romantically involved with him.”