Chapter 62

The bullet slammedinto Ash’s shoulder with the force of Drago’s knockout punch.

Using his temporary imbalance as leverage, a small hand shoved him down before he could gather himself enough to return fire.

“Get down,” Kayla yelled, and Jillian Krowne dropped to the ground beside him.

Two succinct, controlled reports splintered the air, and Ash twisted around in time to see the guard who’d shot him fall. Kayla stood in front of him, arm extended, weapon pointing in the direction of the downed guard. A warrior protecting her teammate.

He pushed himself into a sitting position, transferring his pistol to his left hand. The weight didn’t feel foreign in his nondominant hand. He always made a point of shooting with both at the range. His forethought would pay off tonight.

A quick inspection revealed that the bullet had entered and exited his shoulder. Rather than the intense, gut-clenching pain he expected, the gunshot wound burned, deep and radiant.

“How bad is the damage?” Kayla asked, her breathing rapid but steady. Her attention shifted from one corner of the house to the other, constantly scanning the area for more armed men.

He reached behind his shoulder, fingering the coin-sized hole. “It’s a clean exit.”

“Mom, grab a couple kitchen towels to staunch the bleeding.”

Jillian didn’t balk at receiving orders from her daughter. She simply jumped to her slippered feet and ran inside.

“Can you walk?” Kayla asked, glancing at him for the first time.

“We’ll soon find out.” Ash climbed to his knees, then his feet. A surge of lightheadedness hit him at the same time Jillian reemerged.

But she wasn’t alone.

Ash and Kayla swung their weapons toward the new threat. Out from behind Jillian, rose another guard. The guy was massive. His shoulder width nearly twice that of his captive’s. Even with the light behind him, Ash could feel the heat of the man’s gaze.

An older woman shouldered past Jillian and her guard and glided across the stone patio toward Ash and Kayla’s location.

“Stop,” Ash commanded.

The woman took two more steps to establish dominance of the situation, then clasped her hands before her.

He forced himself to keep his eyes forward, to not check Kayla’s reaction to this reality that would no doubt eclipse her worst fears.

“You too, Aunt Elsie?” Kayla asked, horror dripped from every word.

“Too?” Elsie produced a slow, satisfied smile. “Me, my dearest Kayla. Me.”