Chapter 175

The man slumped atop her, eyes wide open in shock. His friend startled and cursed, reaching inside his coat to pull out his gun. Then another shot exploded, louder than before, followed by a dull thud, and then an eerie silence.

Trembling from shock and fear, Ava wriggled away from beneath the lifeless weight atop her, fresh blood soaking the front of her chemise. Across the room another man sprawled dead on the floor, bullet deep in his brain, a splatter of blood dripping down the wall behind. Had she not too overwrought over Ashton's condition, the horrible sight would have made her faint, but she barely paid attention to the result of her desperate act as she crawled out of bed and toward the man who was now lay motionless by the feet of the bed.

"Oh, God. Please don't let him die. I didn't mean what I said before..." She whispered brokenly as she peered through the dark to see his face. Half of the side of his face covered in blood, drip