Too Young (The Jewel Project #1)

Chapter 27.2 - Through the storm

He reached out and took her hand. "Then you have your answer. You'll have to work for it, but eventually, yes."

Kay's blue eyes widened in surprise and her chin quivered. "You're serious?"

He nodded and looked at their joined hands. "Don't let go till we die."

"Till we die," Kay confirmed. She looked at him for a few seconds then wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "I love you so much."

"I lo—" He stopped when Kay put her finger on his lips.

"You don't have to say it. You've showed it big time."

Kyle lowered her finger and pressed his lips against hers. She sunk her hands in his hair and kissed him deeply.

Thunder roared loudly and the wind blew violently, but Kyle couldn't even feel it anymore. He couldn't even feel his throbbing face and the sharp pain in his leg. Another thunder rolled and the wind picked up, sending Kay's hair flying around both their faces. Huge rain drops fell from the sky in rapid succession until it was pouring.

The sound of slow clapping broke the silence. An intense light hit them. Kyle and Kay jerked apart immediately, turning towards the light. Snitch Gravel stood in the light of a helicopter, clapping.

"How touching. But so stupid." He shook his head. "What have we learned from this?"

"That your plan to break us up didn't work?" Kyle asked. "That's why you didn't just kidnap Kay and instead put on this entire show, isn't it?"

Snitch Gravel stared at him for a few seconds as if he'd been slapped, then cleared his throat. "Yeah, well... What I meant is that you should escape when you can." He snapped his fingers and a group of men appeared from the darkness, led by a sneering Von Crooken.

Kyle pushed Kay behind him, scrambled to his feet and assumed combat position. The men snickered behind their bosses. A wave of Snitch Gravel's hand sent them in a circle around Kyle and Kay. Kyle mentally cursed. They should've run while they still could. Except his leg could barely hold him and the little rest he'd gotten was the only reason he could still stand.

"Let's just shoot them, boss," Von Crooken said, pulling his pistol out of its holster.

Kyle raised his eyebrows. "That's it?"

Von Crooken grinned. "I didn't say where."

Kyle threw him a disgusted look and turned his attention to Snitch Gravel.

He considered them for a moment, then nodded. "Go ahead, Nicholas. Just don't shoot him in the head."

Von Crooken took a few steps inside the circle. Kyle's eyes widened and he instinctively reached out his hands to block Kay from view.

"No!" Kay yelled.

Von Crooken pulled the trigger and the sound of the shot echoed in the night. Kyle fell to his knees, his arms wrapped around his stomach and crashed to the ground. His abs throbbed and the pulse drummed in his ears, but he tried his best to loosen his muscles and fall limp.

"No! What have you done?" Kay's desperate voice cut through him worse than the bullet had. She squeezed his hand and he had to put all his willpower into not squeezing back.

"Oh, he's not dead yet." Von Crooken stepped closer. "Give me that rifle! Or should I kill her first, boss?"

"No, leave her out of this." Snitch Gravel sounded bored. "We don't need her anymore."

More footsteps indicated Von Crooken coming closer. Kyle tightened his grip on Kay to stop her from moving. She froze next to him. Silence surrounded them until the clicking noise of the cocking of a rifle broke it.