FROME RUINS TO ROYALTY
EN
ht it might break through my chest. The gun shoo
d, my voice cracking w
ly. In the eerie red emergency lighting
ar voice. "Put the
d. Relief flooded through me, but Ethan's warni
the gun raised. "What did you tell Ethan
8 hours are crucial for kidney function." He glanced at the gu
ightly. "What happened
loor now." He moved toward Sarah's bed. "I need to ch
again. Two masked figures dressed in black rushed in. The first
und was deafening in the small room. The attacker sta
firing again. This time I missed, the b
lerts. The first attacker had Dr. Winters pinned to the fl
" the wounded one grunted.
ker vaulted over Sarah's bed toward me. I fired again, but the gun
d ran for the bathroom. If I coul
d across my scalp as I was dragged to the floor. I kicked and s
abbing my spinning a
I gasped. "You'll n
t-smelling cloth over my nose and mouth. Chloroform.
loded inward. Ethan stood in the doorway, eyes wild, a gu
wn!" he
hots rained, deafening in the small space. The attacker who'd b
I screamed a warning, but Ethan was faster. Three shots,
me against his chest. His heart hammered beneath my e
Sarah was sobbing in her bed, th
han ordered one of his men. "And fin
e air. Dr. Winters lay motionless on the f
eported. "Dru
r any injuries. "They came for you,"
ispered. "I
oice was hard. "Or you will be
ending to Sarah and Dr. Winters. Po
aid, helping me to my fe
ave Sarah!"
d to his men. "Prepare for t
ortable life support system. Police officers came and went, taking statements. Ethan handled ev
s. Sarah lay unconscious on a stretcher, monitored by a medical tea
whispered, the reali
protected yourself and your sist
m. "Who were they?
grimly. "About me. Abou
anything about
e dark with something I couldn't rea
ding outside the city. Sarah was rushed inside by the m
mine. The kiss was hard, desperate, nothing like the gentle first kiss I'd imagi
. "I thought I'd lost you," he said, vo
ur investment," I said, st
"Is that what you think? That
n't
security team approached. "Sir, we'
ifted instantly back
ently employed by Che
veins. "Chen? As
ened. "It could b
believe tha
yes met min
-clock nurses. I washed the blood from my hands in the adjoining bathroom, watching it s
erged, staring out the window at t
," he said witho
ple just tried to kidnap me. So
able. "No one was trying to kill Sara
possibly know tha
animal who might bolt. "It's not what you k
t under
te. Only blood relatives and spouses can access it.
in the
just me, but several powerful families in this cit
have access becaus
ent hit the news, you became the e
hispered. "I never as
reed. "But
text. Unknown number.
day outside our old apartment. Before
hell. The real reason your parents died. Tell Blackwoo
caught it, reading the message, his face dar
manded. "What is thi
k. How could anyone know? I'd nev
shoulders. "What secret?
ords stuck i
ency generators kicked in moments later, but the damage was al
ed. Ethan's
e went changed at whatever he heard.
need to move. They've b
rah
he panic room." He pulled a gun f
toward the stairs. Gunshots
people?" I ga
said grimly. "This is bigger.
han pushed me behind him as
s," he directed. "
ighting growing louder. At the third
firing at the electronic
flashing red emergency lights. We moved
spered. "The tunnel en
a doorway ahead. Ethan rai
om
rfectly composed despite the chaos. Her sil
calmly. "I've been
" Ethan demanded. "How di
h her eyes. "A mother always k
eel it in the air between them
," Ethan said.
s smile widened. "I'm afraid th
t was a small remote devi
shaking beneath our feet. Dust and debri
?" Ethan's voice was barely
d triumphant. "Getting rid of the p
with guns. Not wearing masks this ti
ounding sorry at all. "But she knows t
. Ethan pushed me behind him
ispered urge
from behind. A cloth covered my mouth and
I saw was Ethan, fighting desperately a
n nothi