Hell Breaks Loose (Devil's Rock #2)(66)

“Do it,” Sullivan commanded, stabbing a finger at Zane, then scurrying toward the back door of his building.

Sullivan’s henchmen looked back at Zane. “You heard him. Do it!”

Still gripping her arm, Zane reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. He flipped it open, brandishing the blade. The door to the building thudded shut after Sullivan and his men.

“Zane,” she whispered, eyeing the glinting steel. “Please, no. Don’t.”

“Zane!”

Grace looked up. Reid was standing, his boot on Rowdy’s neck, pinning him to the ground. He clutched Rowdy’s knife in his hand, his gaze locked on his brother. “Please, don’t. You’re not like the rest of them. You’re my brother, man.”

“You left me!” Zane exploded, his fingers digging into her arm like talons. “I was just seventeen. I had no one. They were the only ones there for me.”

“I know. I didn’t want to go . . . I shouldn’t have f*cked up. I should have never let you get mixed in with Sullivan. I should have been there for you.”

Zane still held her arm, the knife pointed at her neck. The wail of sirens grew, getting closer.

“Please, Zane. Don’t kill her. She’s . . .” His eyes lifted and locked on Grace. “I love her. Don’t take her from me.”

Grace swallowed back a sob, her heart clenching. A thousand things raced through her mind and she wanted to say all of them. Especially if she was about to die. She wanted Reid to know she felt the same way about him.

Zane expelled a shuddering breath. “Shit, man.” He let her go with a slight shove toward Reid.

She staggered away and started to close the last bit of distance between her and Reid, but everything felt like slow motion. Like she was moving underwater. He loved her. She didn’t make it two steps before police and emergency vehicles roared into the back parking lot and exploded all around them.

She caught a glimpse of Reid being slammed to the ground, a gun pointed at his head.

She opened her mouth and screamed his name. Hands grabbed her, people surrounding her on every side, forming a wall and blocking her from seeing anything—from seeing him.

Grace continued to scream and fight, trying to reach him. She thought she heard him shout her name and then her knees gave out. The ground came up to meet her and her head went thick and fuzzy.

Everything went black.





Twenty-Three




Grace woke to a dark shape standing over her, sunlight streaming around him. She held her hand over her eyes, wondering if she had died. Was this it?

“Where am I?” She closed her eyes again and then reopened them. This time things were a little less hazy, the shape in front of her outlined against a wash of whiteness.

She blinked a few more times, processing the blue suit. Her gaze drifted up to a familiar face. “Daddy?”

“Glad to see you’re with us again.”

“Where am I?” she repeated.

“In the hospital.”

She flattened her palms beside her on a bed and attempted to push herself up. She managed to eventually say, “What happened to me?”

“Don’t strain yourself. You’ve been through an ordeal.”

She frowned and lifted fingers to her pounding head. “Was I hurt?”

“You’ve been through a great trauma,” he said, and she released a small snort. So like her father, the consummate politician, never answering a direct question with anything truly enlightening or helpful.

“How long have I been here?”

“Two days. How do you feel?”

Two days? She’d been unconscious that long? Her heart started racing. Ignoring his question, she demanded in a panicky voice, “What happened to Reid? Is he okay?”

“If you’re referring to your abductor, then he’s back in prison where he belongs.”

“No!” She shook her head, ignoring the stabbing sensation in her temples. “You don’t understand. He didn’t kidnap me. Sullivan—”

“Sullivan has been arrested as well. We have several members of his crime network in custody. All have agreed to testify against him for reduced sentences.”

“Oh.” She relaxed somewhat. At least they got that part of it right. She just needed to straighten everything else out about Reid. She took a deep breath. “Reid Allister is innocent. Of all crimes. He was sent to prison in the first place for a crime Sullivan—”

“Grace, you’re upsetting yourself. Lay back down. Your mother is at the hotel. I’ll call her. She’s anxious to see you. This hasn’t been good for her nerves.”

“Damn it! For once listen to me!”

Her father’s expression cracked for the barest moment, the handsome facade showing his astonishment that she would talk to him in such a way. “What’s gotten into you, Grace? Clearly you’re still suffering from shock. Let me ring the nurse to give you another sedative.”

“Another? Is that what you’ve been doing? Drugging me? Is that why I’ve been in this bed for two days? Daddy, I’m twenty-six years old. I know you’re the leader of the free world, but you don’t own me.” She let the irony of that statement hang there for a moment. “I’m a person with rights, and I’m done living my life for you.”