From Sanctum with Love (Masters and Mercenaries #10)(117)

And that was when she heard the wailing of a siren. It was distant but becoming more and more distinct every second. Was it nothing more than a cop chasing down an errant driver? Would that sound rush past them and be gone again?

Or had someone known she needed help?

She caught the sight of something moving past Squirrel, just a glimpse of sandy hair darting across the kitchen window. Kai. Kai had figured it out and he’d come for her.

Soon she wouldn’t be alone. Of course, it also put Squirrel in the position of fight or flight.

She was worried about the choice he would make. He didn’t seem ready to go down alone.

“I can’t stop,” Squirrel said, his eyes going dark.

“Then take me instead,” a deep voice said. Jared walked in from the living room, his palms out, showing he had nothing in his hands. He was wearing a T-shirt and jeans, sneakers on his feet, and he looked positively haunted. His eyes took in the scene, going to that place on Sarah’s throat where the knife dug in. “Let her go and we’ll talk about this.”

She seriously doubted that. Kai was out there. He wasn’t in here and that meant something nasty was likely to happen. Kai wouldn’t wait on the police. Not if he could help it. He stepped up to the back door, apparently realizing there was no way Squirrel could see him from where he was standing. The only trouble was the door was locked.

Kai stared inside, his gaze finding hers. He put a finger to his lips, asking for her silence, but offering her hope. He wouldn’t allow this to happen. He wouldn’t let her die.

Squirrel faced off with his best friend, his arms tightening as though Sarah was a shield. His eyes had gone wild and Kori prayed the gun didn’t go off, that the knife at Sarah’s throat didn’t cut deeper. “I never meant for you to get hurt.”

Jared stepped in front of Kori, blocking her out and proving that even though he wasn’t a member of McKay-Taggart, he was definitely in the brotherhood. “How did you think killing women I liked didn’t hurt me?”

“They weren’t right for you,” Squirrel argued. “They wanted your money, your fame.”

“The girl I had a crush on in high school wanted my fame? You killed her, didn’t you? Her body is still missing, but you’re the one who took her away.”

“She was my first and I didn’t mean to kill her,” he admitted. “I only meant to scare her, but it felt so good. It was like a drug. I’d put animals down before, but it was nothing like taking her life. For once, I was the powerful one. For once in my f*cking, useless, pitiful life, I was the one she looked at like a god. I didn’t do it for a long time after that. I didn’t have to because I could remember her. But it got real bad after the TV show took off. It was like no one ever saw me. No one sees me except them and only when I’m forcing them to.”

“You’re sick, Squirrel.” Jared had paled.

“I’m not sick,” Squirrel shouted. “They’re the sick ones. They want to take and take from you and give nothing back. Can’t you see I’m your soul mate? Why does it have to be about sex? Why can’t it just be the two of us?”

Jared nodded. “It can. Let Sarah go and you can take me instead.”

“I’m going to kill myself. I’m not going to jail. I can’t stop now Jared. I need it more and more. It’s a f*cking drug. I can’t go to jail.”

“I know.” Jared’s voice was so calm. “So let Sarah go and we can discuss it. You remember what you’ve always said? You said it to me that night I realized I had to leave the house because I couldn’t f*ck for money anymore. I was scared and I felt so f*cking alone and you said something to me.”

The knife eased off a little. “I said you’re not alone because where you go, I go.”

Jared nodded, his eyes red. “Yeah. You were the only one who stood by me, the only one who gave a shit after Mom died. Where you go, I go.”

Oh, god, he couldn’t mean that. It had to be a ruse. He couldn’t mean that he would go with him, allow Squirrel to take him out.

“Really?” Squirrel asked, his hand moving away from Sarah’s throat.

“What would I do without you?” Jared’s voice was a hushed plea.

Kori reached out, grabbing Sarah’s hand as Squirrel’s arm released her. Time seemed to speed up, the world flashing around her in rapid fire. She pulled Sarah out of the way and covered Sarah’s body as best she could. There was a crack as the door came open and Kori watched as Kai kicked his way in. The gun went off, skimming by Kori’s head, but Kai was already in motion. He tackled Squirrel and the gun went flying.

Kori sat up, tears streaming down her eyes as she started to move the both of them back. The sirens were right outside now.

“Kai!” she cried out as Squirrel got the knife in his hand again.

Kai kicked out, but that knife descended toward him.

The whole house seemed rocked by the sound of a gun going off. Jared stood over his former best friend, the man he’d spent half his life with, and stared down at the hole in the back of his skull.

Kai rolled Squirrel’s body off him and looked up at his brother. “Are you all right?”

Before he could answer, the cops swarmed in. Jared dropped the gun and got to his knees, hands in the air. Kai did the same. Kori held on to Sarah as the world seemed flooded with pain.