huge structure that supported the town
with power. She scanned the area. It appeared to be deserted. It wouldn't take
long now, and she could forget the day she ever met the bastard.
"Walk
to the fence. I'm warning you, Jared, if you turn around or put your hands
down, I have no problem shooting you in the back." Charlise trailed behind
Jared.
The
gravel path leading to the fence scuffed her shoes, and jerked the pistol off
Jared's back. She reached up with her other hand to steady the weapon.
The
pistol became heavy, awkward, and the barrel dropped. She braced her elbows and
struggled to keep the gun level, but the chill of the night, plus her nerves caught
up with her and she struggled to keep the tip of the pistol steady.
Jared
halted at the fence. Charlise widened her feet. Sweet Jesus, can I really
take another life?
"Why
don't we get back in the car and talk this over, Charlene?"
Jared's
voice sounded cajoling, but she knew better. He turned around and kept his
hands above his shoulders.
She
shook her head violently. She knew better than to trust him. "Stay right
there. Let me think."
Jared
stepped closer. "You don't want to do this."
The
spasms in the muscles of her arm set off a chain reaction. Her breath came
short and fast, and her stomach cramped up. "Stop! I swear I'll shoot you,
Jared."
"You
don't want to shoot me. You're not that kind of person. You're warm, sweet, and
loving." Jared spread his arms wide.
"Shut
up!" Charlise stepped back. She lowered her elbows to relieve the ache in
her arms.
Jared
advanced in her direction. Despite her bravado, her body crumbled from all the
years she suffered his abuse, and she sank to the ground in fear. She'd failed.
She
wasn't a murderer. She was stupid Charlene.
"Give
me the gun." Jared wrapped his hand around her wrist, forced the pistol
toward the ground, and away from him.
Charlise
struggled in his tight grip. "No—"
"Damn
bitch." Jared brought his knee up. At the same time, he jerked her arm
down over his knee.
Charlise's
piercing wail cut off Jared's curses and she dropped the pistol. The instant he
let go of her, she keeled over onto her knees, and cradled her arm to her
chest. Pain shot up into her elbow and past her shoulder.
"You
fucked up, Charlene." Jared laid the cold steel of the barrel on the back
of her head. "You'll pay for that, you stupid bitch."
Stars
danced in her vision, and even with the help of the security lights blazing
around the power station, her surroundings faded. She needed to tell Tom she
loved him, and that she was sorry. She'd failed at everything she set out to
do. Her stupidity that Jared drilled into her head mocked her defeat. She
closed her eyes and hung her head.
Her
arm dangled from her side, useless. She expected to regret how the night ended,
but a wave of peace floated over her.
Bang.
Bang.
Bang.
A
burning pain ripped across the back of her head and a heavy force knocked her
to the ground. The world tilted behind her eyelids, and blackness took over.
Chapter Thirteen
Tom
ran the distance to Charlise in record time. His heart pounded and only the
sight of her lying on the ground entered his vision.
Finding
Jared with a gun to the back of her head, he feared he'd gotten there too late.
Thank God, the bug in her necklace worked.
Training
and determination made it possible to take a shot at Jared with the woman he
loved so close to the intended target. Now that Jared was dead and Charlise was
safe, leftover adrenaline made his hands tremble. He could have lost her.
"Local
law enforcement is on their way." Pete threw a blanket over the body of
Jared Blatwell.
Tom
sat on the ground holding an unconscious Charlise until Joe came over to help
him get up. Once inside the car, he pulled a blanket around them both. Unable
to let her go, he planned to hold her all the way to the hospital.
He
swiped a finger down a dirt-smeared cheek and murmured, "You're okay, sweetheart.
I've got you and you're
with power. She scanned the area. It appeared to be deserted. It wouldn't take
long now, and she could forget the day she ever met the bastard.
"Walk
to the fence. I'm warning you, Jared, if you turn around or put your hands
down, I have no problem shooting you in the back." Charlise trailed behind
Jared.
The
gravel path leading to the fence scuffed her shoes, and jerked the pistol off
Jared's back. She reached up with her other hand to steady the weapon.
The
pistol became heavy, awkward, and the barrel dropped. She braced her elbows and
struggled to keep the gun level, but the chill of the night, plus her nerves caught
up with her and she struggled to keep the tip of the pistol steady.
Jared
halted at the fence. Charlise widened her feet. Sweet Jesus, can I really
take another life?
"Why
don't we get back in the car and talk this over, Charlene?"
Jared's
voice sounded cajoling, but she knew better. He turned around and kept his
hands above his shoulders.
She
shook her head violently. She knew better than to trust him. "Stay right
there. Let me think."
Jared
stepped closer. "You don't want to do this."
The
spasms in the muscles of her arm set off a chain reaction. Her breath came
short and fast, and her stomach cramped up. "Stop! I swear I'll shoot you,
Jared."
"You
don't want to shoot me. You're not that kind of person. You're warm, sweet, and
loving." Jared spread his arms wide.
"Shut
up!" Charlise stepped back. She lowered her elbows to relieve the ache in
her arms.
Jared
advanced in her direction. Despite her bravado, her body crumbled from all the
years she suffered his abuse, and she sank to the ground in fear. She'd failed.
She
wasn't a murderer. She was stupid Charlene.
"Give
me the gun." Jared wrapped his hand around her wrist, forced the pistol
toward the ground, and away from him.
Charlise
struggled in his tight grip. "No—"
"Damn
bitch." Jared brought his knee up. At the same time, he jerked her arm
down over his knee.
Charlise's
piercing wail cut off Jared's curses and she dropped the pistol. The instant he
let go of her, she keeled over onto her knees, and cradled her arm to her
chest. Pain shot up into her elbow and past her shoulder.
"You
fucked up, Charlene." Jared laid the cold steel of the barrel on the back
of her head. "You'll pay for that, you stupid bitch."
Stars
danced in her vision, and even with the help of the security lights blazing
around the power station, her surroundings faded. She needed to tell Tom she
loved him, and that she was sorry. She'd failed at everything she set out to
do. Her stupidity that Jared drilled into her head mocked her defeat. She
closed her eyes and hung her head.
Her
arm dangled from her side, useless. She expected to regret how the night ended,
but a wave of peace floated over her.
Bang.
Bang.
Bang.
A
burning pain ripped across the back of her head and a heavy force knocked her
to the ground. The world tilted behind her eyelids, and blackness took over.
Chapter Thirteen
Tom
ran the distance to Charlise in record time. His heart pounded and only the
sight of her lying on the ground entered his vision.
Finding
Jared with a gun to the back of her head, he feared he'd gotten there too late.
Thank God, the bug in her necklace worked.
Training
and determination made it possible to take a shot at Jared with the woman he
loved so close to the intended target. Now that Jared was dead and Charlise was
safe, leftover adrenaline made his hands tremble. He could have lost her.
"Local
law enforcement is on their way." Pete threw a blanket over the body of
Jared Blatwell.
Tom
sat on the ground holding an unconscious Charlise until Joe came over to help
him get up. Once inside the car, he pulled a blanket around them both. Unable
to let her go, he planned to hold her all the way to the hospital.
He
swiped a finger down a dirt-smeared cheek and murmured, "You're okay, sweetheart.
I've got you and you're
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