Run To Me (Lazarus Rising #4)(31)

Yes, she fucking is. And you won’t ever hurt her again.

Wyman glanced over his shoulder. “She’s upstairs, isn’t she?”

Jay stalked closer to the bastard. “You aren’t taking her.”

Slowly, Wyman’s gaze swung back to him. “You honestly think you can stop me?” His smile was as ice cold as his eyes. “I could have five super soldiers standing outside your front door. You—well, you don’t have any super soldiers at your beck and call, do you? Because you sent them out to hunt me down.” Now Wyman laughed. “Amateur move. You should have brought them all here, to keep you safe. Instead, you fell for my trap like the fool you really are.” His mocking stare swept over Jay. “You always thought you were so smart. I outwitted you at every turn. Now your soldiers are gone, probably fucking burning, and I will take Willow away.”

The hell he would. “I’m going to put a bullet in your heart.” His words were low and lethal because what Wyman had just said…

Your soldiers are gone, probably fucking burning.

No, no.

“What did you do?” Jay lunged for him and Wyman didn’t even try to retreat. The SOB just stood there with a smirk on his face, so certain of his power, so certain he had the upper hand.

“It’s not what I did,” Wyman murmured. “It’s what you did. You sent your friends straight into danger. It’s a good thing they can come back from death, isn’t it?”

But West couldn’t. His brother couldn’t. His brother wasn’t a super soldier.

Jay put the gun right against Wyman’s heart. “Whatever you did, whatever you think you’re doing, call it off. Right the hell now. Because if my brother has so much as a scratch on him—”

“Ah…the Delta Force operative? I mean, former Delta Force.” Wyman’s expression didn’t change. “Always thought he would make a great addition to my program.”

“You fucking—” Jay’s hand trembled on the gun. This was it. He’d kill the bastard. Right now. He’d taken him out, he’d—

“You think she’d forgive you for killing the only family she has?”

Jay blinked. What?

“Will you forgive her, if I kill the only family you’ve got?”

“What are you talking about? You’re nothing to Willow.” Nothing but her tormentor. The man who’d destroyed her life.

Wyman’s jaw hardened. “I watched from a remote video feed. This time, I made sure the explosion didn’t go off with the chopper too close. I made sure your only family survived. That means you owe me.”

“No, it means you’re a twisted SOB who likes to play God, that’s what it means. It means you think that no one can stop you, but you’re dead wrong.” Fury hardened every word. “You go after my family? Mine? You break into my home and threaten Willow? Threaten me? No, that’s not how this shit works.” Jay smiled, and he knew the smile would show his rage. His reckless fury. “I’m not afraid to pull this trigger. You think you know me? You don’t know a damn thing. I didn’t drag your ass out of the shadows so we could make a new deal. I did it so that I could end you.”

Wyman’s eyelashes flickered.

“You think I don’t have the PD in my pocket? You’ve got men outside, big freaking deal. My second team is coming in fast and coming in hot. So soon it will just be you. All by yourself with no back-up in sight. Then you’ll be a dead man, and my friends at the PD will only be too happy to buy my story about a break-in.” He laughed. “Thanks for changing your appearance. Now no one will connect the dots, Wyman.”

Fear flashed—just for one perfect instant—in Wyman’s gaze. But then the emotion vanished. “You really think you can shoot me in front of her?”

Her? Willow?

Instantly, his gaze whipped away from Wyman’s face, and he saw Willow, standing in the study’s entranceway, her body perfectly still. How long had she been there? How much had she heard?

“If you shoot me right now, Willow will see you for exactly what you truly are. What you’ve always been.”

Jay had to unclench his back teeth. “You hurt Willow. You tortured her. She’ll be glad you’re gone.”

“That’s one version of reality.” Wyman’s reply was smooth. “Not the right version, but one.” He paused, then he raised his voice as he said, “Willow, did I ever hurt you?”

“Don’t talk to her,” Jay snarled at him. In response to his words, Jay saw Willow flinch. Shit. Shit. “Baby, go back upstairs.”

Wyman started in surprise. “What? What did you call her?”

“You don’t need to see this, Willow. The nightmare is over. He won’t hurt you or anyone else ever again.” Jay fought to keep his voice calm. He won’t hurt you. He won’t hurt West. He won’t hurt anyone close to me. “Just go upstairs and forget him. Our plan worked. We lured him out, and I’ll take care of him.”

Wyman was still staring straight at Jay, but when he spoke, Wyman said, “Willow, this was your plan?”

There was an odd edge to his words. Almost…pride? No, impossible. That didn’t make sense.

Willow didn’t speak. She seemed stunned, rooted to the spot. Jay wanted to go to her, to pull her into his arms, but when you had a cobra in front of you, seconds away from striking, you didn’t look away. You didn’t move.