“Stand back now, sir,” the closest officer said. “We’ve got this.”
But Aleck didn’t retreat; instead, he took a step closer to the water. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, fighting with the anger and frustration, urging him to act. To rush toward the woman he loved and snatch her away from danger. But he couldn’t do anything, not without possibly hurting or killing her.
He wasn’t in a position to help Kenna.
He’d never felt more helpless in his life.
Sheets of rain were still coming down from the sky with a vengeance, as if Mother Nature herself was pissed off on his behalf.
Shawn looked behind him at the ocean again, and Aleck realized he was searching for a boat. That was his escape plan. Either his partner was late or he’d capsized in the storm. Aleck couldn’t help but hope it was the latter. It was a bloodthirsty thought, but anyone who was in cahoots with Shawn, who’d planned to help him kidnap an innocent woman, deserved to die.
Pain and regret filled Aleck as he watched Kenna struggle in Shawn’s grasp. What use was all his SEAL training if he couldn’t employ those skills when he desperately needed them most—to save the woman who meant more to him than anyone else on the planet?
Kenna wasn’t as calm as she seemed on the outside. In her head, she was screaming bloody murder. But letting Shawn see how petrified she was wouldn’t help her or the situation.
She kept her eyes on Marshall, mourning everything they’d never have a chance to do…
Shaking her head, Kenna banished any defeatist thoughts. She wasn’t dead yet. Neither was Marshall. If anyone could get her out of this, it was him.
But even from a distance, through pounding rain, she could see the fear and frustration on his face.
Marshall and his teammates couldn’t risk charging them. The bomb would definitely go off, killing them all in the process.
Shawn backed them right into the surf, and Kenna frowned in confusion. “What are you doing?”
“Shut up,” Shawn said.
But she ignored him. “Are you going to swim away? That’s insane! You’d be killed. This storm is unlike anything I’ve ever seen and—”
“I said, shut the fuck up!” he snarled. “I’ve got a plan. We’re getting out of here, gonna have some fun together. When Carly’s delivered to me, you’re dead. And I’ll make sure that bitch knows she’s the reason. My word is law. She’ll regret even trying to break up with me…”
He continued to mumble under his breath—and Kenna realized the man had completely lost it. She’d had a feeling he wasn’t exactly stable to begin with, but now, unable to get his hands on Carly and with his plans falling apart…he’d gone over the edge.
And a crazy man, a bomb, and a gun was never a good combination.
Marshall yelled, “Let her go!” and Kenna jerked in fright when Shawn fired the pistol.
“Stop it!” she screamed, anger overtaking her fear. “You’re gonna kill him!”
“That’s the idea.” Shawn laughed. “Asshole thinks he’s a badass. Who’s in charge now?”
The waves were crashing against their calves, and every time one of them hit, Shawn staggered a bit. Not enough to be obvious…but enough that it gave her an idea.
The sand was already sucking her feet down, and the farther into the ocean they went, the harder it was to stay upright. It was only a matter of time before Shawn lost his balance and fell, taking her down with him, and setting off the damn explosives strapped to his chest.
Eying the distance between the restaurant, Marshall, and where she was standing in the surf, she knew this was the best chance she had to mitigate damage to property and other people, while also getting away. Any farther, and she wouldn’t be able to run through the churning water fast enough to get any distance between her and the bomb.
And just like that, all the noise around her disappeared.
Kenna had no idea if her plan would work. He might shoot her in the back the second she moved. But she refused to just stand there docilely and let Shawn kill her—or haul her into the boat he was obviously waiting for.
The arrival of a swarm of police forced Shawn’s attention away from Marshall.
The hand on her arm loosened a fraction.
Kenna met Marshall’s gaze one last time. She could practically see the tension vibrating off his body. He was about to do something. She could feel it.
But Shawn still had his gun. He’d kill the man she loved before he could even get close. She knew that as well as she knew her own name.
Mouthing I love you to Marshall, she took a deep breath.
He shook his head, fear swamping his features—
And at that moment, a wave crashed against their legs.
Shawn shifted to keep his balance.
And Kenna moved.
Jerking her wet arm out of his grasp, she took off, lurching through the waves doing their best to knock her off her feet, their momentum actually helping to push her toward the shore.
Another wave crashed against her as she stepped out of the water. Kenna stumbled forward, gaining her balance and running as fast as she could in the sand, away from the gun. Away from the bomb. Hoping and praying the police would deal with Shawn.
For an excruciating moment, she heard nothing.
Then several shots rang out.
Kenna ran faster.
A heartbeat later, a massive explosion erupted and a shockwave hit her so hard, Kenna was thrown forward. She landed hard, her chin bouncing off the sand.
A wave of heat seared her back. She heard the sound of windows shattering even over the howling wind and crashing waves.
Kenna lay still, not daring to even breathe. She was in pain—but she was alive.
“Kenna!”
She’d never heard a sound so beautiful in her entire life.
Swallowing a moan, she rolled onto her back and looked up at the man she loved with all her heart.
“Kenna, talk to me! Are you all right? Shit, your chin is bleeding!”
She smiled. Rain was falling into her eyes, making her blink rapidly. Her arm hurt. Her head hurt where Shawn had hit her. Her chin throbbed. But she was still breathing. As was Marshall.
So she felt fucking fantastic.
Reaching up, she wrapped her hand around the back of Marshall’s neck and pulled him toward her. “Told you I didn’t need a man,” she said weakly, her voice a little wobbly. Then she kissed him as if her life depended on it.
Chapter Twenty-One
Aleck growled at the nurse as she finished stitching his leg. All he wanted was to take Kenna home. He’d insisted on waiting to have his leg looked at until she’d been taken care of. The sand had helped cushion her fall somewhat, and somehow she’d escaped any wounds on her back from the bomb, but she’d managed to break open the skin on her chin. The wound had to be cleaned, since there had been sand packed inside it, then stitched. He’d held her hand throughout the procedure, refusing to let go.
He’d almost lost her.
He’d seen the moment she’d made the decision to do something, and he’d never been so scared in his life.
But she’d timed her escape perfectly. Shawn had stumbled when a wave crashed into them. He’d struggled to maintain his balance for a few precious seconds—long enough for Kenna to reach the beach.