Kathleen Brooks - Secrets Collide

His boss stood up, blood dripping from where he bit his lip. “Kill her.”

Gemma watched in horror as Sergei pulled out a long knife from behind his back and smiled. She didn’t think she was actually going to die until this moment. Anger had fueled her, but now it seemed death had caught up with her. She closed her eyes and pictured her sister. But it was Cy who was in her heart. A gun fired and Gemma looked to see where she was hit as the knife arced down to finish the job that the gun hadn't.

Cy and Ahmed landed quietly on the roof. They unhooked their parachutes and slid to the attic window. Ahmed jimmied it loose and pushed it up. Then it was just a matter of finding Gemma. Ahmed took the second floor while Cy headed for the first.

The diversion out front worked; he was able to make his way down the stairs, only having to disable two guards. He heard voices as he rounded his way down the steps. Gemma’s voice sounded strong and he was able to breathe for the first time since she had been taken. But then he heard the order to kill and that relief fled.

Cy rushed down the stairs and into the large foyer. Gemma was sitting in a chair as Sergei had a knife raised above her. Cy didn’t take the time to aim and fired off a shot that barely missed Sergei, but it threw off Sergei's attempt at Gemma’s chest. He had cut her arm instead.

“No. Kill them, kill them!” Liam O’Flannigan screamed to the guards as gunfire erupted outside. It seemed the others had arrived right on time. The guards were forced to divide their numbers.

“You first,” was Ahmed’s cold response from behind them. Sergei turned slowly, forgetting Cy was there, to confront his oldest enemy.

“Ahmed. I’ve been waiting to see you again.”

“Likewise.” Ahmed pulled a large knife from his leg strap and the two started to circle each other. Cy took the opportunity and rushed to Gemma.

“Are you okay? You’re bleeding.” He sliced her restraints free but that was all he could do before two other guards rushed into the room. Cy turned and shot one before the other grabbed him from behind, sending Cy's gun sliding across the floor.

Gemma shrieked as the man pushed her aside and grabbed Cy from behind. She was about to leap on him when Liam ran from the room. Torn between helping Cy and chasing after the man who ordered her sister's death caused her to freeze in place. But then Cy flipped the man over his back and sent her a wink.

As she ran from the room, she passed a large fireplace and grabbed the poker, then gave chase to a back room. The chaos from the foyer was left behind as she stopped at the door to the study.

“I’m glad you followed. I’ll kill you myself now,” Liam said from behind his desk.

“Who are you that you needed to kill my sister because she found out about you?” Gemma asked as she walked slowly toward the massive desk.

“I am God. I rule the world. I overthrow governments, wage war, surround myself with the wonders of the world—Rembrandt, Klimt, Renoir, Picasso, and jewels bigger than your hand. That’s who I am. Who are you?”

“I’m a woman who loved her sister.” Gemma stalked forward raising the poker. She knew, even with her rage, she couldn’t kill him but she sure could take out a knee or two.

“And did I mention I’m the man with all the guns?” Liam opened the top drawer and pulled out a gun. Gemma stopped in her tracks and swallowed hard.

“Move,” Cy yelled.

Gemma didn’t bother to ask why; she fell to the ground as two shots were fired and prayed that Cy was safe.

“Gemma, you scared me so much.”

Cy’s arms pulled her to him as she was lifted off the ground. She threw her arms around him and sobbed into his neck. She had almost died and he had come to her rescue. He had saved her.

“You came for me,” she whispered.

“Of course I did. I could never leave you. Now let’s get out of here.” Cy scooped her up and held her close to him. Then he put his arm around her and hurried her to the foyer. As they approached, the only sound was the clinking of metal against metal.

Ahmed didn’t notice the sounds of the gunfight quieting down outside. He only saw Sergei and his knife as they thrust and stabbed, trying to disable each other. Both had been militarily trained in the same techniques and therefore were matching move for move.

Ahmed tossed his elbow out as a distraction. When Sergei glanced, Ahmed sliced through the air and connected with the killer's side. The cut wasn’t fatal, but it dropped Sergei’s guard some. Ahmed could finish him off; he knew it. But then he heard the sound of people coming at him. In his peripheral vision, he saw Cy with his arm wrapped around a bruised and bleeding Gemma.

Cy stopped and bent to help Gemma sit down in the chair. He knew without a doubt Cy was coming to help, but then a figure emerged slumped against the wall. He was bleeding from the shoulder and had a trickle of blood streaming down his rounded head. Ahmed blocked a weak attack from Sergei and landed a solid punch to his face. Sergei staggered back. He had the kill shot to finish off his nemesis, but then the man behind Cy raised a gun and aimed it right at the couple.

Ahmed raised his arm and went for the kill. His knife flew through the air, tip over end, and sank into the chest of Liam O’Flannigan. Liam was knocked back and collapsed to the ground as Gemma and Cy spun around in surprise. When Ahmed looked back, Sergei was gone.

Cy looked down at the woman he loved and felt whole. She slept quietly on the pillow next to him, her white-bandaged arm lying on the quilt as her hair fanned out over the pillow. He pushed back a lock of hair and she turned her face into his hand, seeking him in her sleep. He cupped her cheek and lowered his lips to hers. He had almost lost her and he was determined that would never happen again.

The Keeneston Sheriff’s Department and their citizens had been credited in this morning’s paper as heroes for bringing down the world’s largest black market dealer, arms trader, and terrorist. Dani didn’t even get mad that Ahmed had loaned them her old car.

Shots had been fired, but those had come mostly from Annie. She had fired at the feet of the guards who were trying to rush back into the gate after they had confronted the group in the car crash out front. When they turned around to run back down the driveway, Paige fired off a couple of shots and they were met with the barrel of a large Magnum held by the surprisingly steady hands of Edna.

Cy had kept a tight hold on Gemma since he found her in the office with Liam. Ahmed had disappeared in search of Sergei as soon as Liam hit the ground with Ahmed’s knife lodged in his heart. Ambulances and the rest of the FBI had been called. The Rose sisters clucked around Gemma even though Cy made sure to keep her in his arms. Ahmed had returned a short time later and, with a slight shake of his head, Cy knew that Sergei hadn't been found.

Still beautiful in her wedding dress, Dr. Francis had arrived before the ambulance and stitched up Gemma’s arm as she gushed about how this was a wedding to remember. Noodle had stood beside his new wife beaming with pride as she gushed about her hero of a husband.

Cy answered the questions for Marshall’s report and then for Cole’s. When completed, he took Gemma back to her room. She looked so delicate with her face slightly swollen and her dress splattered with blood. He’d carried her upstairs against her protest and helped her undress. He made a warm bath for her and helped clean away the nastiness of the night. As soon as he had her tucked in bed, she had fallen asleep.

He had been awake all night watching her. She had rested with surprising peace. The night had given him the time and the perspective he needed to think. The conclusion he reached was that he didn’t want to go another day without Gemma by his side. He loved her, his family, and his town. He realized he was genuinely happy. Now all he needed was Gemma to be his wife, if she would have him.