Dead or Alive Read Free Page A

the roof at any second.
    “There aren’t even any cops up here. Why can’t you just let me go and fly out of here on your own?”
    “Shut. Up.”
    Violet jammed her lips together.  Apparently Archibald wasn’t much of a talker. Even so, gun or not, if he told her to shut up again he was going to receive a quick knee to the groin.
    “Don’t tell me to shut up.”
    Remy leaned closer to her so his lips were next to her ear once more.
    That deep voice warmed her skin.
    “I said shut the hell up,” he whispered. “Door.”
    With a sigh, Violet reached for the chopper’s door handle, then hesitated.
    "You know what?" she asked, turning to him and catching his eye.
    It was his eyes.  Something about those soft blue pools had Violet convinced this man wasn’t a monster. "I don't believe you would shoot me."
    Remy immediately raised the gun from her waist to her head. For the first time, she realized his hands were shaking.
    "I really don't think you would..."
    He raised the gun, but he didn’t fire. "Stop,” he demanded. "Don't make me do this, Violet."
    That was the moment.  The second he said her name without a hint of anger in his voice, or his eyes--that's when she knew he'd never shoot her.  Not even if he wanted to.  He couldn't.
    She pushed past him, managing to slither out of his reach as he went to grab her, before racing towards the door of the roof as quickly as her legs would allow.
    "Stop!” he screamed, holding up his gun to her retreating figure.  Her curls flew in the air behind her as she ran, and it took everything in him to cock his gun, arming it for the first time that day.  “Violet stop, stop or I’ll shoot!”
    She hadn’t gotten far, and in her haste she tripped on her heels and fell hard to the ground.  Recovering quickly, she stood on wobbling legs and continued running. She didn’t even think to kick off the sky high heels that were slowing her down. She was so desperate to escape him she couldn't think one logical thought.
    An overwhelming guilt hit Remy and he contemplated just letting her go.  She didn't have any part of this, anyhow, and he could fly that chopper out on his own.  His mind raced.
    No.  He couldn’t let her go, yet.  Nothing would stop the authorities from shooting that plane right out of the sky if he was the only person in it.  He still needed her, even if only for a little while longer.
    He itched to chase her, but he couldn’t move too far from the helicopter.  The cops would be there any second, and he’d have to make a quick getaway, preferably with her next to him. Desperate, Remy did the only thing he could think to do.
    With every sprint Violet took, her nylons tore a little more.  She continued to trip and stumble her way towards the door of the roof as fast as she could go. It was like a dream where her legs were made of lead, and salvation was always just out of reach.  When the door came within reaching distance, her heart soared.  He was going to let her go.
    When a shot rang out, she was sure she'd imagined it.  She hadn't.
    The bullet exploded into the wall not even a foot away from her, sending shards of brick and mortar shattering to the ground like glass.  She froze in mid run, eyes wide.
    The bastard had shot at her.
    She turned, slowly, on her heel, until she was facing the helicopter, and the man she'd just bolted from. The dirt and ash from the wall clung to her sweat soaked face as she took in his determined eyes.
    Remy took one haggard breath, unable to believe his bad luck.  Of course he’d snatched the one woman crazy enough to run from a gun-toting convicted murderer. He’d known her for less than three minutes, and she was already the most hard-headed woman he'd ever met.
    "The next one won’t miss,” he warned.  "Walk to me now."  He commanded, taking the gun off of her only long enough to motion for her to come closer.  His voice rose exponentially when she didn’t instantly move. “Walk to me now