Deadly Lies (Deadly #3)(94)

His feet hit the rocky bottom. “Go to my car,” he ordered, aware that the liquid dripping down his body wasn’t all water. “Go…. I’ll be…”

He fell, half in the water, half on the shore.

“Max?” Her hands were on him. “Max, you’ve been shot!”

He struggled to his knees. “Go!”

“Not without you.” She tried to grab him, and he realized she was holding her gun with her left hand because the right hand hung limp. Broken.

And blood oozed from the cuts on her forehead and on her arms.

I’ll kill him. The brother he’d tried so hard to protect. The monster hiding in plain sight.

They staggered together and managed to get up the damn slope. Samantha had her gun. She was ready, sweeping the area for Quinlan, but that little bastard wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

“Need your phone,” Samantha whispered.

“Fucker had me throw it out.” He’d get her to his car, force her inside, then find Quinlan. Get the gun. The gun he’d taken from Samantha was inside the rental car. He’d get it, leave her with the weapon she had, and finish this nightmare.

Max pushed forward. His left leg dragged behind him and his arm lay across Samantha’s shoulder. She shuddered against him. Wet, fragile. He had to bite back the rage that threatened to choke him. Quinlan had gone after her.

In the water. Fuck. Her worst nightmare.

The car waited just steps away. Max’s gaze raked the area, left to right. Where was Quinlan? Where?

Max didn’t speak. He shoved forward through the pain. Then he was at his car. Finally. He yanked open the door, pushed Samantha inside—

A loud, furious shout froze him. Max spun around and saw Quinlan running from behind the black truck. The gun wasn’t in his hand anymore; maybe he’d lost it in the water. Quinlan held a knife. The edge gleamed, reflecting the light as Quinlan charged right at them.

Samantha pushed away from the car and lifted her gun. “Drop it!” Her own scream vibrated with rage. “Don’t make me do it, Quinlan, don’t make me—”

But he kept running toward her.

Samantha squeezed the trigger, but this time the gun just made a snick. Water droplets flew to the ground but the damn gun didn’t fire.

Jammed. Shit. She’d been lucky the gun fired the first shot. The water—

Quinlan raised the knife high up into the air. Max shoved Samantha to the ground, and the knife caught him, slashing across the back of his arm.

“Always thought you were better…” Quinlan rasped at him. “Fucking show you… f*cking show everyone…”

The knife swung again and sliced across Max’s arm as he tried to hold off his brother.

Bile rose in his throat but Max managed to dodge the next blow. He grabbed Quinlan’s wrist, holding tight, keeping the blade up and away from his face. “You need help! Don’t you see that?”

Samantha rose to her feet behind Quinlan. She dove into the car, and Max knew that she was going for the other gun.

“You weren’t always like this,” Max whispered, wishing it had been different, wishing everything had just been different. “You weren’t a killer—”

“But you were.” The knife glinted. “And Frank thought you were perfect.” The blade was inches from Max’s face.

Max shoved up and managed to heave his brother back.

“You won’t be perfect when I’m finished,” Quinlan promised as he launched himself at Max. They slammed onto the earth.

Max tried to hold his brother tight but his hands were slick with blood, and Quinlan was twisting and fighting beneath him. Rolling, Quinlan rose with the blade.

Quinlan’s gaze met Max’s. Then his stepbrother smiled and thrust the knife into Max’s stomach.

“No!” Samantha screamed.

Max slumped back on the ground, and a cold wind touched his skin.

“Max!” Samantha’s desperate voice rose above Quinlan’s laughter.

Max could have sworn that he heard the wail of sirens in the distance.

Quinlan licked his lips. “It’s mine—every bit was mine… and I was sick of waiting for that bastard to die.”

Max shook his head and gathered his strength. The blade would be coming at him again, and he had to be ready.

“Drop it,” came Samantha’s furious, shaking voice. “Drop it, Quinlan, or I swear I’ll put a bullet through your heart.”





CHAPTER Eighteen


Fear shook her body, but Sam held the gun rock steady. Max was barely moving. So much blood. And that prick with the knife wasn’t going to hurt him again. He wasn’t going to hurt anyone.

“It’s over,” Sam said, creeping closer.

“No…” Quinlan’s voice was soft. “It’s just beginning.”

Not for you. Because this gun wouldn’t jam. Sam took another cautious step forward. “You hear those sirens?”

And his head snapped up as he actually seemed to hear their wails for the first time.

“It’s the SSD. They’re coming for you.”

Quinlan rose and faced her head on. That’s right. Step away from Max. The sirens were so close. Hurry.

Max pushed up to his knees. She didn’t let her gaze dart to him because Quinlan still had a knife, and he was edging closer to her. “It’s over,” Sam said again.