REAPER'S KISS(34)

Glen walked to the door and twisted the lock shut. “We’re going to tie up Ava and finally do what was meant to be done a long time ago.”

Glen walked down one of the aisles. He crouched and disappeared for a few seconds.

I looked at Sid. I shook my head.

I didn’t like this. At all.

My instincts were going crazy. And I couldn’t fight against what I believed was right from wrong. I quickly grabbed for Sid and threw him back. He smashed into a gum ball machine that was probably thirty years old. He tumbled over and down to the ground just as Glen stood back up.

A gun in his hand.

He f*cking fired right where Sid had been standing.

I jumped to my left to get to Ava next. I couldn’t knock her over because she was still tied up, so I stood there, blocking her.

The gun went off again and I felt a hot pain blast to my right shoulder. It jolted me forward into Ava. I wrapped my arms around her and pushed her onto the counter. I had to put all my weight on her as I rolled over her and pulled her to the floor. Above us, glass shattered as Glen kept unloading his clip.

“Jace,” Ava said. “Jace… save me…”

“I’ve got you sweetie,” I said to her.

I got to my knees, straddling Ava. I hurried to untie her. I slid back and grabbed her hand, sitting her up. I couldn’t help myself as I touched her face. I brought my mouth to hers and kissed her, just once.

Then I grabbed my gun and slowly inched up.

Sid was already back out the door. Glen lifted a can in the air and threw it. Glass shattered and liquid poured from the can. The smell hit me a few seconds later.

Gas.

Glen wanted to burn the store down. He wanted to burn the store down with Ava inside. That had been his plan.

I had a clear shot at Glen’s back but I couldn’t take it.

I had a good f*cking reason for it.

I looked down at Ava and reached for her.

I pulled her to her feet. My shoulder was on fire. Blood dripped down my back and down my arm. I was losing blood fast but I needed to get Ava to safety.

Trust me, Sid hadn’t bailed on us. Sid knew what was coming next.

I pulled Ava from behind the counter.

Glen turned and saw us.

“Fuckers!” he yelled.

He pulled his gun and shot.

I ducked and brought Ava with me.

We hurried along the wall toward the back room door.

The bullets kept flying but Glen had no visible target to shoot at.

I busted through the door and pulled Ava to a storage shelf.

We stood there and waited.

It took all of a minute before we smelled smoke.

Ava looked at me. Her childhood… everything she knew… it was going up in smoke.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered to her. “We have to get out of this alive. Trust me.”

“Why aren’t we running?” she asked. “Why didn’t you shoot him?”

I gritted my teeth.

I looked at the back door of the store and waited.

“Trust me,” I said.

Glen made an appearance rushing into the back room of the store. When the doors opened and shut, smoke came through.

“It’s all gone!” he shouted. “Now come out and f*cking face me!”

He had the bag of money tucked like a football. He spun around, holding the gun.

I looked down at Ava. I kissed her lips then put my lips to her ear. “You stay right here, sweetie. I have to go out there.”

“Why?” she asked.

I told her the truth. “I have to let Glen shoot me again.”





chapter twenty-eight


(ava)



NOW



I tried to hold tight to Jace as his words rang in my head. But he started to move. He was gone. He jumped out from our hiding spot and called for Glen.

Glen spun and had the gun pointed right at Jace.

“You tried to kill me once,” Jace said. “Here’s your second chance.”

“Where’s Ava?” Glen asked. “She took my life. She lived the life I should have had.”

“That’s not how it works, Glen,” Jace said. “Do what you need to do to me. You’re not getting Ava. She’s protected. It’s too late. You lost.”

Glen laughed. “You *. I never f*cking lose. Ever.”

Smoke billowed into the back room, curling like crippled fingers, pushing its way to wherever it wanted to be. I couldn’t believe the store was on fire. I couldn’t believe Jace was face to face with a brother I never knew I had. But that brother was the man who killed my mother.

“I’ll just kill you,” Glen said. “Like I should have done a long time ago. And then I’m going to kill Ava. And your entire club. Nothing can stop me.”

For a split second, I had hawk eyes. I saw Glen’s finger start to squeeze the trigger.

I couldn’t let Jace die.

I couldn't imagine not having him in my life.

Holy shit… I was in love with Jace.

I ran forward and screamed, waving my hands.

“Ava! No!” Jace bellowed as I came into view.

Glen turned his head and the gun followed a second later. A sick smile crept across his face. Behind Glen I saw the back door to the store open. A man stood there with a gun.