Fated Bliss (Bliss #2) (42 page)

My heart cracked a little more as I typed a message back.

Me: Sorry, bud. I’ll let you know once I hear something.

I was close to unraveling.

Suddenly, the police station came alive with activity and the tension in the air went haywire. Everyone started talking fast and readying themselves.

I jumped from my chair and jogged to Wes’s office. Wes had his hand over the receiver, calling out orders. He pulled his hand away, saying, “Thank you, Mr. Blackwood. My officers are mobilizing now. We should be at the location in ten minutes.”

Something’s happening.

By Wes and the other officer’s stances, I’d say it was something big.

Wes continued, “We’ll try to get to him in time and intervene before he can go in.”

“What’s goin’ on?” Brad asked from behind me.

“I don’t know. I think they’ve found something, maybe even Samantha,” I replied, feeling the first flickers of hope.

Maybe this was it.

Maybe it would finally be over.

Pissed, Wes slammed the phone down in its cradle, his breathing heavy. He looked at two officers, ordering, “We need to move. Have all available units on standby. Now.”

“Detective Wilde,” I interjected as he opened his drawer and pulled out a Kevlar vest. My heart rate picked up. “What’s going on? Have you found Samantha?”

Carrying his vest, he walked towards Brad and I. “Your father heard from Mr. Balinski. He’s taken it upon himself to go in without backup to try and talk him down.”

“What?” I questioned, stunned.

My father did what?

Was he trying to get himself killed?

He pushed past us. “I’m sorry, Dr. Rhodes, but I don’t have time. We need to move.”

“But-”

“I’ll call you as soon as we have the situation under control,” he continued, striding into the hall, his steps wide and rushed.

Brad and I hurried behind him. “What should we do? Can we come?”

Adam dashed to my side. “What’s goin’ on?” he asked, glancing between us.

Wes stopped and speared me with a glare. “We do not need any more civilians getting in our way. Stay here until you’ve heard from me. I will call you as soon as I have Samantha.” His face softened as he promised, “I’ll bring her back to you.”

He turned around and continued to walk, and all I could do was watch him.

“I can’t just sit here,” I whispered, desolate.

“Give me a minute,” Brad stated, glancing around. “I can find out the address. We can wait down the street.”

Thank God.

It was small, but at least it was something.

“Fine,” I replied roughly. “Hurry.”

∞

Samantha

Someone knocked on the door, startling me.

“Here we go,” Uri murmured, thrilled.

I quivered.

If this was Joel, it meant Uri was going to kill us soon.

Please, God, don’t let this be the end.

Uri stood, slipping his gun behind his back, and strolled to the door. He threw it open and leaned against the doorframe. “Hey, Joel,” he said, sounding as if he’d just seen an old friend. “Thanks for stopping by.”

“Damn it, Uri,” I heard. “What in the hell is a matter with you?!”

Uri stepped back, waving Joel inside. “Welcome to my humble abode.” Uri shot me a wink. “You’re just in time.”

A violent shudder shook me.

An older gentleman walked in, his eyes searching. I could see the resemblance to Ben – they had some of the same bone structure and those blue-violet eyes. However, Joel was older and looked close to withering away, sickly almost. Sweat dotted his forehead, and he was pale.
Really
pale.

When Joel noticed me, he blanched. “Jesus Christ!” He swung his head towards Uri. “What is wrong with you?!”

That wasn’t the response I expected.

Was he worried about me?

Uri shrugged. “It’s her own fault. She fought me.”

Enraged, Joel replied, “You walked into my son’s house and started shooting at my grandson! You’ve beaten her, Uri! We don’t do stuff like this!”

He doesn’t?

Uri’s face contorted with fury. “Of course we do, Joel. Did you forget?” He took a step closer. “What about Gwen? Huh? You wanted her taken care of, and I made sure her car was sabotaged.” He took another step. “That man, McNaughton, huh? You said to take care of him. I took care of him. What about-”

“What in the hell are you talking about?!” Joel snapped, surprised and distraught at the same time. He backed away, nearing the bed.

Uri laughed hysterically. “Don’t give me that bullshit. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Joel shook his head in denial. “I… No, I don’t.”

“When you needed someone out of the way, I made sure they were
out of the way
.”

“Yeah, by bribes and blackmail. I never said to do anything to them,” Joel whispered, horrified. “You…Michael McNaughton. That was you?”

Amused, Uri raised his brow, not answering.

“You messed with Gwen’s car? I thought Ben was being irrational because he was mad. But he wasn’t…” Joel stumbled backward, clutching his chest. “I never wanted that, Uri. I didn’t want to
hurt
people!
”

Holy shit!

Ben had it wrong the entire time.

“You’ve never cared about anyone or anything but lining your pockets. Ever since your heart attack, you’ve grown a conscience. You’re weak…soft.” Uri curled his lip in revulsion. “I used to admire your tenacity; now, I just pity you.”

No wonder Joel looked like that – he was sick.

Does Ben know?

Joel wiped his brow, then pulled something out of his pocket, his head shaking the entire time. Uri closed the distance between him and snatched whatever it was out of his hand. He held up a prescription bottle and shook it, taunting Joel with it.

“Not yet, old man,” Uri warned and walked to the table. He picked up the laptop case he’d pointed at earlier and placed it on the table. “Sit,” Uri ordered and gestured at the chair. “If you want your pills and Samantha, log into your accounts and send me every penny.” He slipped a piece of paper out of his pocket and slid it across the table with two fingers. “Here’s everything you need.”

“What are you talking about?” Joel rasped, staring at the paper.

“Ransom, Joel. You’re going to pay it to me, and afterward, I’ll let you and Miss Raiden walk out of here.” He shook the pill bottle. “You can have your pills back, too. Everybody wins.”

Ignoring the pain, I jumped to my feet, shaking my head. I couldn’t allow that. If Joel paid Uri, we were as good as dead.

Uri pulled the gun from behind his back, aiming it at me again. “I told you to sit down, Samantha.”

I didn’t listen.

Trembling, I shook my head, yelling, “No!” behind my gag.

“Uri! Put the gun down!” Joel shouted.

“Sit down, Samantha!”

“Don’t do it!” I continued to yell, the words garbled and incoherent. “Don’t give him the money!”

Joel glanced between us. “Put the gun down, Uri!”

“Samantha, sit!”

I shook my head again. “No!”

“Uri! Put down the-”

Bang!

∞

Ben

Bang!

I froze.

“Was that a gunshot?” Adam whispered, paling.

“That sounded like it,” Brad replied, staring in the direction of the house.

We’d arrived a half-mile down the road only a minute before, which meant Wes and the other officers had been here for five. I couldn’t see them going in just yet. These things took time and strategy.

Blood chilled, I ground out, “I have a really bad feeling about this.”

“I’ve had a bad feelin’ all day,” Brad agreed.

Fuck it.

“I’m getting closer,” I told them. “I can’t stay back here.”

“Let’s go,” Adam stated, already running.

∞

Samantha

Whimpering, I fell to my stomach on the bed, squeezing my eyes closed. Drywall and dust rained down on me from the bullet hole in the ceiling.

“Fine!” Joel hollered. “Fine!” His voice quieted. “I’ll do it. Just drop the gun, Uri. Please don’t hurt her.”

“I won’t repeat myself,” Uri growled.

I peeked up, checking to see if I was in his sights, but Uri was motioning at the table with his gun.

“Move, now,” he ordered.

Sweat poured down Joel’s face, a look of agony written all over him. “Fine,” he whispered, his voice taut.

Tears leaked from my eyes. It was over. We were never getting out of here alive.

I’m sorry, Ben. I’m so sorry.

I cried for my parents and Grey.

I cried for Clara, Bella, and Linc.

I cried for myself, too.

But knowing how much my death would obliterate Ben destroyed me. If Joel and I died tonight, he’d blame himself. I knew he would.

Joel started walking, but a sound wrenched from him and he stumbled, colliding with the table. The laptop case fell to the floor as the table turned on its side. Joel crumbled to the ground next to it, his face drawn in a silent scream, his hand clutching his chest.

No!

I rolled off the bed, rushing to him. Cursing, Uri grabbed me around my middle, hauling me backward. I screamed again at the strength of his hold, my ribs on fire. Uri dropped me on the bed and then bent down by Joel. It was a struggle to get up without hands, but I finally got to my feet again, panicked.

Uri shook a pill from the bottle and fed it to Joel. “Stupid motherfucker…” Uri grumbled to himself. “How am I supposed to get the money now?”

“Who cares?! He needs a hospital,” I tried to say, but it came out as a string of gibberish.

All of a sudden, something crashed through the window and rolled onto the floor.

I screamed, scurrying back as Uri cursed again, exploding into action. He hauled me with him as he ran for the back door.

But it was too late.

All hell broke loose.

The object detonated with an ear shattering explosion and a flash so bright I was blinded.

Uri and I tumbled to the floor. A ringing noise took up residence in my ears, and my vision was completely impaired. I couldn’t see or hear anything. There was no way to tell what was up or down or right or left.

Someone was moving me, though. I had no idea who because I couldn’t see, but a band was around my middle, my back was pressed to a chest, my ass was flat on the ground, and my hands were right between a very male set of legs.

What in the…?

Cold steel pressed against my temple, and I froze.

I felt that before, earlier today.

A gun.

My hearing slowly came back to me. It started off as a quiet murmur through the ringing, growing until there were several shouts.

“Put the gun down!” they shouted, many of them.

I shook harder.

Uri yelled wildly, “Back off! Back off!”

“Put the gun down!”

My vision came back next, and as it did, I realized I was staring at a group of men dressed in black, all of them with rifles, rifles pointing at me…and Uri.

Uri was behind me with his gun pressed to my head.

Oh, God!

Oh, God!

Oh, God!

This was bad.

It couldn’t end well for me.

“Uri Balinski, put the gun down! You are under arrest,” another voice shouted, this one from the door.

I scanned the crowd, but I didn’t recognize any of the men. Finally, by the door stood a man I knew and respected.

Wes Wilde.

Thank you, God!

Okay, so this was the cavalry.

But I was in a very precarious position.

I was Uri’s human shield.

“Put the gun down, Uri,” Wes yelled.

“Get back!” Uri screamed, shoving the gun against my head harder. “Get back!”

I squeezed my eyes shut, whimpering.

“You’re surrounded,” another voice said. “Give up before anyone gets hurt!”

Uri cackled insanely and, stupidly, pointed the gun at the men.

This was my only shot.

Please, God, don’t let anyone shoot me.

Screaming, I took the biggest fistful of Uri’s manhood and wrenched it as I bent forward and to the right, away from Uri’s gun and upper body.

Uri screeched.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

∞

Ben