Page 147 of Perfect Liar

Thomas and Ben sprang into action, crashing through tables and people to get to Will. And so did Charles Green’s three brothers.

Others shouted. Someone screamed. Most ran for the door.

I cried out for Will, but he couldn’t hear me.

Thomas couldn’t convince him with words to release the dangling man with the bluing face. Finally, he wrapped his arms around Will’s neck and dragged him backward, forcing him to let go.

My reckless screams drew two of Charles Green’s brothers over to me.

They crept through the chaos and surrounded me. The youngest brother held a gun at his side. His stinking breath drifted on to my face as he spoke.

“You can’t be worth all this. No fucking way.”

He should have known as well as I did that if he pointed that gun at me, if he touched me, he would be a dead man. Fear climbed up my throat, and I swallowed it—no one had to die if I talked this man down.

“Walk away now, please. You know this won’t end well if you don’t walk away from me right now while there’s still time. Please.”

The other one slithered closer. His deep-set eyes moved up and down my body.

“You’re right, it might not end well, but I think you can fix that. He hasn’t been able to stop himself from falling all over you—can’t say I blame him—so you go on and tell him to let us go.”

Charles’s two brothers pushed in closer to me.

“Please,” I begged. “Let me go before he sees you. If he?—”

Too late. My name blasted from Will’s mouth, and he charged in our direction, throwing things out of his way. His eyes locked on to Seth Green, the man stupid enough to come near me with a gun.

Glasses shattered. A chair sailed through the air.

I foolishly stepped in front of Seth, to shield him from his certain death, but the stupid, stupid man wrapped one arm around my waist and pressed the gun between my shoulder blades.

“Back off, Hastings...I’ll kill her...I’ll do it!”

Time slowed to a crawl.

As Will cleared the distance between us, his gaze came to mine. I was powerless in the moment but also comforted by the violence burning in his eyes. Because as long as it burned, I knew I would live.

He leaped forward, his feet leaving the ground as he lunged for me.

“Elle, come to me now,” he shouted.

Ben followed right on his heels, making a dive of his own.

Will’s body took mine to the floor. He twisted to keep from crushing me, but the air still slammed out of my lungs.

Ben’s arms went around Seth, his considerable weight taking them both to the floor beside us. They wrestled for the gun.

A gunshot exploded in my ears.

My entire body jerked.

CHAPTER 41

The strength of Will’s arms increased, holding me tighter as Ben wrangled the gun’s barrel upward and another bullet shot into the air again and struck the wall. Chandelier crystals split into shards and rained down over us.

Ben and Seth Green wrestled for control of the gun. Seth thrashed and fumbled, and the gun skidded over the floor out of their reach. Thomas grabbed it.

Gripping Seth’s head, Ben wrenched it at an angle that snapped his neck.