Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 149641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 748(@200wpm)___ 599(@250wpm)___ 499(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 748(@200wpm)___ 599(@250wpm)___ 499(@300wpm)
She heard something smash against the door. Likely her father’s fists.
“Don’t. Don’t you fucking dare,” he screamed, though the heavy doors muffled the sound.
Someone took a couple of shots at the door, but it was definitely bulletproof.
Her father wouldn’t make it in time.
“I wish you had been a better friend, Benjamin. I blame you. If I had never met you perhaps my life would have been easier,” Huisman was saying.
“Stay still, Kenz,” Ben whispered. “It’ll be over soon. I love you so much.”
It would be over soon. For all of them.
She would miss her brothers, miss Seth’s concerts and lazy Sundays with Travis and Colton. She would miss Colton growing up, but they would be okay. They would know how much she loved them.
“Good-bye, Benjamin. Remember you brought this on yourself,” Huisman intoned.
Ben tensed over her, and the world seemed to explode around them. She heard the sickening sound of squishy things hitting the floor.
And then the door opened again.
How? What?
“Ben, you got some asshole on your back there,” her dad was saying.
“And I’m pretty sure he’s in your hair, too.” Zach sounded close. “Lou might have gone overboard with the C-4.”
She was confused. Ben moved off her.
“I’m so sorry, baby. I knew what Lou did. Tristan told me, but I didn’t have any way to tell you.” He held a hand out to help her up.
At least his front wasn’t covered in evil doctor.
“Lou wired the detonator to blow,” her dad explained. “Tris watched her on the security cams and figured out what she was doing. She modified the C-4 she was given through the process she developed. She wasn’t building Shannon’s bombs. She was building her own.”
“My mom’s going to be so proud of her,” Zach said with a grin. “Lucky for you Ben’s a big bastard or you would have… Kenzie, are you alright?”
“Hey, you went pale,” her father said.
Her chest was too tight. Far too tight, and they were surrounded by blood and a fine pink mist that was probably Huisman.
She couldn’t breathe.
Her father touched his earpiece. “I need Cooper down here now, and Lucy I’m going to need you to undo whatever you did to that helo because we’re going to need it. Kenzie’s having a heart attack.”
Was she? It was odd because she’d thought it was just emotion.
Pain shot down her arm.
Nope. Probably a heart attack. Asshole might still get her.
Her vision dimmed and Ben caught her, hauling her against his chest.
They started moving, but her last sight was of his gorgeous face.
He would survive, and so would her family.
It was enough.
* * * *
“Dude, you got to get covered in the blood of your enemy. Do you know how often I dream of that? You’re welcome.”
Ben looked up from his spot at Kenzie’s bedside. She was being monitored, but her heart seemed to have come through.
Her heart was such a mighty thing.
Kala stood at the end of the bed, dressed in her usual uniform of black on black on black, while Tristan was unusually casual in sweats and a T-shirt, his hair rumpled like he’d recently rolled out of bed.
“Shouldn’t it be Lou I’m thanking? I don’t think you rewired that detonator to explode,” Ben pointed out.
Tris shook his head. “Yeah, Kala’s good at a lot of things, but hiding a tiny, powerful bomb inside a detonator that then detonates itself is pure Lou.”
Kenzie’s hand squeezed his as her eyes opened. “She’s jealous you got to see it. How is Lou?”
Oh, every time she woke up, he breathed a sigh of relief. They had their chance now, and he wasn’t about to waste it.
Kala seemed to sober. “She’s in the room next door, and she’s going to be fine. Thanks to Milena. She heard what happened and snuck in while we were trying desperately to figure out what to do. They trained that kid well. She told me the doctor always had a counter drug in case he needed it. Lou broke her leg when she was in the throes of it, though.”
“How is TJ?” Kenzie asked.
TJ hadn’t left either. He and Ben had taken turns getting coffee and snacks so one of them was around. Watching over their women. Their hearts.
He had one again, and it was full.
“He slept on the floor by her bed because he didn’t want to risk touching her leg, but he wouldn’t let go of her hand,” Kala said with a hint of a smile. “Slept like that all night and can’t figure out why he’s got cramps in his hand now. Dumbass. Also, he’s hangry. Like super hangry. I can’t help it that we’re in the ass end of nowhere Eastern Europe and there’s no street vendors to dole out hot dogs. Lou is up now and asking about her nanite project. Do you know where they put the suit? I’m sending Lucifer in to get it.”