Free Copy That by Helenkay Dimon

shirt. Untuck. Let me see your skin.”
    “I’m not into that.”
    “You would be just the type to tape a weapon to your bare chest. I’m not taking any chances.”
    Jeremy braced his legs apart. He unbuttoned his shirt and let it hang loose at his sides. On anyone else the obedience and bare chest might signal weakness. Not Jeremy. His chest puffed, growing more formidable and impressive the longer he stood.
    “Who are you?” he asked.
    “Someone with a message for you. But first you have to do something for me.” The man motioned for Jeremy to raise his hands. “Good. Now pick.”
    Jeremy frowned. “What?”
    But Meredith understood. She’d been on the wrong end of a man determined to take down a woman before. Had seen the swirling sickness grow and pulse as he invented new ways to show his power.
    All the helplessness came rushing back to her until dizziness shook her brain. The man planned to kill one of them. Either her or Sara.
    “We have two women. You’re one man, but you can’t be greedy.” The attacker pointed his gun at Meredith then at Sara. “Choose.”
    The muscles in Jeremy’s face clenched. “You want me. Take me and let the women go.”
    “Thanks but I’ll keep my leverage.” The man pulled Sara in tighter against his side.
    Jeremy’s jaw tightened to the point of snapping. “Won’t mean much when I kill you.”
    No empty boast here. Meredith heard the vow in the soft darkness of his voice. It should have shaken her, knocked her back and sent her into an emotional spasm that stopped her brain. Should have, but it didn’t.
    Security wrapped around her, filling her with a wellspring of strength. The kind that made her believe she could survive anything.
    The attacker shook his head. “With what? I’ve left you defenseless.”
    “I’ll only need my hands. Probably only one.”
    For the first time, the attacker’s smug assurance fell. The smile disappeared. “Maybe I’ll kill both women, then take you out.”
    The gun tucked into Meredith’s belt rubbed against her back. The heat burned into her skin and the weight almost doubled her over.
    She itched to stop this madness but had to get Sara out of striking range first. “Let Sara go and take me.”
    Sara whimpered.
    Jeremy sent a heart-stopping look of pure fury over his shoulder. “Do not move from that spot.”
    Doubt crashed through Meredith’s adrenaline rush. “I have to.”
    The attacker wiped his mouth over Sara’s cheek. “What a brave lady you are, Meredith. I’m sure Sara would agree if she could talk without crying.”
    “I think I’ll have a better chance of survival than she will,” Meredith said, not wanting to give any part of her plan away.
    The attacker barked out a harsh laugh. “Against a bullet?”
    “I’m bigger, so likely stronger.” Except for her knees, which turned to mush and refused to move.
    “You’ll bleed the same. Everyone does.” The attacker stared at Jeremy. Whatever he saw there had him nodding in agreement. “Fine. I accept your terms, pretty Meredith. You get to die, though it would have been entertaining to see Garrett sweat and squirm as he weighed the value of one woman over the other.”
    The attacker loosened his vise grip around Sara’s neck. Red marks marred her skin and her body shook as she struggled out of his grasp. He wasn’t ready to let go. He held her elbow, shifting her body in front of his like a shield.
    The weasel.
    Meredith inhaled, forcing every last drop of energy in her body to her feet to get them to move. One sliding step, then another.
    “No!” Jeremy blocked her body with his.
    Always protecting. Always sacrificing.
    She put her hand on his forearm and shifted until she stood beside him. If she could get in front of him, he’d see the gun. She’d duck and he could shoot over her head. Playing musical positions would give them a chance to save Sara and possibly get out of there alive.
    Rather than read her mind, Jeremy went with plan B. As soon