Gail Barrett - A Kiss to Die for

But she had to give the girls credit. No one complained. No one panicked or lagged behind. They padded along in silence, the faint crunch of dried leaves under their feet the only sound. Now if she could just get them to that van in time....

She stole a quick glance back at their protector looming behind the girls. He walked with a decided limp, his steps amazingly stealthy despite his size. An ex-soldier, without a doubt. Possibly suffering from post-traumatic stress, given his reaction to the attack—sweating, shaking, his entire body bristling with the need to bolt.

She turned around with a sigh. She hated involving him in her problems. He’d already risked his life enough—and he’d clearly wanted to leave. But frankly, she needed his help. She had the lives of six pregnant teenagers on her hands, not to mention their unborn babes.

And she had to admit that he intrigued her. That naked longing she’d glimpsed in his eyes—that hint of vulnerability he’d quickly masked—had aroused every nurturing instinct she possessed. He was an enigma, a strong, taciturn man wrapped in a body that vibrated with sexual hunger—nearly impossible to resist.

But she definitely had to resist him. She had no business thinking about Sully Turner that way. She had nothing to offer a man like him long-term. Short-term, either, if her nightmares had come true and her past had caught up to her at last.

She stopped at the end of the alley and waited for the girls to catch up. Her apprehension growing, she glanced around, wondering if she’d made a mistake. She thought they’d have time to escape before the gang returned. But what if they didn’t? What if the gang came back sooner than she’d anticipated and caught them out here alone? Even with Sully providing cover, they wouldn’t stand a chance.

The girls formed a circle around her, waiting for instructions. The wind blew hard, and she shivered inside her wool coat. “Okay, listen up.” She didn’t want to scare them, but she had to make sure they understood. “There’ll be a white panel van waiting on the corner of Massachusetts Avenue. I don’t think anything will happen, but if it does, if you hear gunshots or we get separated for any reason, just run to the van. Don’t look back. Don’t wait for me. As soon as you’re all there, just go. I’ll catch up later. All right?”

The girls murmured their agreement, but she could sense their dismay. “Don’t worry.” Giving them each a hug, she did her best to keep them calm. “We’re all going to be fine.” She hoped. She’d never forgive herself if they came to harm.

Letting the girls precede her, she fell in beside Sully at the rear. They crossed the road at the corner market and continued up a quiet side street, past an empty lot. A car drove by, quickening her pulse, but it didn’t stop. A city bus lumbered past, heading the opposite way. But still no sign of the gang.

They made it to another cross street and started up the following block. The street was residential, the faint light from the row houses casting a gleam across their path. She slid Sully a glance, taking in the jut of his rugged jaw, the leashed power in his muscled frame, the intensity in his eyes as he scanned the street. Thank goodness he’d come along. Even with the odds against them, he made her feel less exposed.

The road curved. She spotted the white panel van, just one more block ahead. Almost there. She opened her mouth to say so, but gunfire suddenly broke out, the sharp reports shattering the calm. Sully whipped out his gun and spun around. “Run!”

The teenagers scattered at once. Frantic to protect them, Haley raced after them up the street. More shots rang out and she put on a burst of speed, praying they’d make it to the van in time. Up ahead, the fastest girls leaped inside.

Just three more kids to go.

But then, Lindsey stumbled and fell, landing on the pavement with an anguished cry. Haley darted over and pulled her up.

“I’m fine,” the girl gasped, staggering upright. Another shot erupted, and she let out a panicked shriek.

“Go!” Haley urged, and the teenager sprinted away. But where was Sully? Had he been hit? She whirled on her heels to see.

Then he charged toward her out of the darkness and seized her arm. “Over here! Come on!”

Still gripping her biceps, he dragged her toward an alley behind a house. Haley caught a glimpse of Lindsey at the corner, climbing into the van. The passenger door slid shut, and the van roared off into the night. The girls were safe, thank God. But she and Sully were exposed now, the gang in full pursuit.

She raced with him down the alley, their footsteps hammering the ground. Her lungs heaved. Her thigh muscles burned, but she forced herself to go on. Then Sully jerked her to a halt, dragging her behind a Dumpster along the fence. “Stay here.”

“What? No way. You’re not fighting them alone.” Not after she’d caused this mess.

“You’re not armed. Just stay put, and I’ll be right back.” Not waiting for an answer, he crept away.

Clinging to the Dumpster, she gasped for breath. She wasn’t about to let him face that gang without her, no matter what he thought.

But he was right about the weapon. She wouldn’t do any good unarmed. Standing on her tiptoes, she lifted the lid on the Dumpster and peered inside, but all she could make out in the darkness were mounds of plastic bags.

The rapid thud of approaching footsteps reached her ears. Not Sully. The steps were too even. They lacked his distinctive limp.

Her desperation surging, she searched the shadows around the Dumpster for a way to defend herself. She spotted a two-by-four and picked it up, then flattened herself against the metal container to wait.

Her palms began to sweat. Her heartbeat ran completely amok. She listened intently, every sense focused on the person coming her way.

The footsteps slowed. She held her breath, keeping her body completely still. Then a man stepped into view, holding a gun. Knowing she’d only have one chance, one split second to surprise him and knock him out, she raised the board, then slammed it against his skull. A sickening crack rent the night. Pain radiated up her arms, and she bit down hard on a moan. The man sank to the pavement, his body limp. His pistol skidded away.

But more footsteps pounded nearby, the sudden flurry of activity jump-starting her pulse. She lifted the board again, preparing to strike.

“It’s me,” Sully called out. A second later, he emerged from the darkness and limped to her side.

Her breath rushed out. She staggered to the Dumpster and slumped against it, dizzy with relief. “What happened?”

“They’re gone. There were only a couple of them this time, and I chased them off.”

“Not all of them.” She gestured to the man on the ground.

“Hell.” His eyes shot to hers. “Are you all right?”

Pressing a hand to her chest, she gave him a nod. “Just winded.” And her arm ached. “He dropped his gun. I’m not sure where it went.”

He held her gaze for a heartbeat, his expression impossible to read in the dusky night. Then he turned away and searched the ground. “Here it is.” He retrieved the gun, then dropped to one knee beside her attacker and rolled him onto his back.

“He’s not dead, is he?” Even though he’d intended to harm her, she hated to think that she’d killed the man.

“No, just unconscious. You recognize him?”

She tossed aside the board and stepped closer, trying to make out his features in the dark. He looked young, not much older than the girls in her shelter, with light-colored hair and skin. Blood trickled down his jaw toward a dark form writhing across his neck. “Is that a snake tattoo?”

“Looks like it.”