Theirs To Take(68)

Arthur. Now that I remembered what he’d done to me, to so many others, what would I do when I saw him again? At that thought, fear began to turn into something else — anger. He’d fooled me, tricked my father, made me believe he loved me — then callously sent me to my death.

His words from that night chilled me now:

Just make sure there’s only twelve left on that truck at the drop-off point. You know what to do. No fuck-ups, nothing linking back to me. Otherwise, make it look good…

I was the thirteenth — the one who wasn’t supposed to make it. Who wasn’t supposed to be alive right here, right now. Except that I was.

“Here we are,” Alvarez said as we neared the tall fence that surrounded the airport. I watched the airplane land as our car drove through the open gates. I watched as the doors of the plane opened and Arthur came down the stairs, his dark hair slicked back in its usual style, his suit stylish, expensive, dark glasses shielding him from the sun. He was flanked by two men, one of whom I recognized. Jamison, who was always by his side, and someone else I didn’t know. Our car came to a stop some distance from the airplane and Alvarez opened the door and climbed out, holding out his hand for me to follow. I went, but didn’t take his hand, and I walked around the SUV to face my fiancé. I hesitated for a moment but forced myself to walk on, my head held high.#p#分页标题#e#

“Javier,” Arthur said, taking off his glasses, his gaze sweeping me before he addressed Alvarez. “What a pleasant surprise your call was.”

Alvarez’s expression didn’t change. “I’m here to finish with our business, Arthur.”

“I imagine you are,” Arthur said, his gaze settling on me, sending a shudder through me. I looked into his eyes then, realizing I felt nothing but loathing for the man. “Evangeline,” he said, without even a suggestion of emotion on his face.

“Didn’t think you’d see me again, did you Arthur? You fucking bastard.”

He raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. “Where’s my sweet little fiancée?” he asked, coming closer.

I took a step back only to be grabbed by Alvarez’s men.

“Don’t touch me,” I said to Arthur. “How could you do this to me? To my father? He treated you like his own son!”

His gaze was flat and he had no response. I wasn’t surprised. Someone as inhuman as him surely couldn’t feel.

“One day, you’ll get what you deserve, Arthur.”

“One day,” he said, chuckling. “But today’s not that day.” He retrieved a pistol from his pocket and held it casually at his side.

My heart raced. He was right, today wasn’t that day and as strong as I might think myself, I stood here helpless between seven armed men who only meant me harm.

The sound of helicopters overhead had us all looking up. That was when the first gunshot rang out. One of the men holding me stumbled with a groan, nearly bringing me down with him as he pitched forward, hitting the tarmac face first. I screamed and the men scrambled to shield themselves from the gunfire raining down upon us as two more helicopters flew into view.

“Evangeline!”

I spun around to find Gabriel and Syn running toward me, guns blazing as more of Alvarez’s men poured out from the hangar where they’d been lying in wait.

But I turned away from the brothers. There was one thing I had to do.

Taking the gun from the hand of one of the fallen men, I raised it to where Arthur stood shielding himself beneath the wing of the plane, firing his weapon.

“Evangeline, no!” Gabriel called out from behind me.

With trembling hands, I aimed my weapon, readying it.

“Arthur!” I called out. I wanted him to see me. I wanted to look him in the eye when I did it. I wanted him to know it was me.

At first, when he turned to me, he looked surprised — then pissed off. I fired just as he aimed for me, the shot throwing him backward. He recovered quickly though, turning toward me again with hate in his eyes.

More shots rang out, the sound deafening. Arthur raised his revolver, an evil grin on his face, but before I could get another shot off, he fell backward.

“No!” He was mine. I wanted to be the one to make him pay!

“Eva!” Syn called out.

I turned to them to find Gabriel lowering his weapon. I wasn’t finished though. I ran toward Arthur who was lying on the ground. He wasn’t dead yet, but before I could get another shot to finish the job, something hit me, hard, and searing pain exploded in my chest, sending me to the ground in agony.

“Eva!”

I lay unmoving, stunned, knowing the blood that pooled on the tarmac beneath me was my own.