Chapter 259
Kellan couldn't comprehend Allison dying there, not like this. Perhaps the weight of his words, spoken in the face of imminent danger, hung heavy in the air.
For a fleeting moment, Allison was stunned, her gaze fixed on the intensity of his piercing eyes. She had always been the protector, defending others. Never before had a man urged her to protect herself.
Kellan's voice was hoarse and low. "The puppeteer behind this has been pulling strings for too long. There's no way they'd send just two hired guns. If something happens to me, Ms. Clarke—if you can—will you look after Lorna? She loves you."
Allison's mind went blank, surprise washing over her like a cold wave. Kellan was entrusting Lorna to her, bracing for the worst.
"I don't have a taste for this sentimental drivel," she snapped. "And I never signed up for this. Lorna is your responsibility, not mine."
Before she could reach the car door, Kellan locked it, and the windows slid shut. "Ms. Clarke, I already owe you my life," he said, his voice low, his eyes averted. "Someone will come for you soon. You shouldn't have been dragged into this."
To Kellan, the threat was a deadly reality. He knew they might die together. His only goal was Allison's survival.
"Kellan!" Allison shouted, trapped in the car. She saw two helicopters approaching, their engines roaring. Her heart pounded; the wind whipped around them. Kellan stood firm, his shirt billowing, his imposing figure radiating danger.
"I've already checked your backgrounds," he said coldly, fixing the man in the peaked cap with a penetrating gaze. "You're all death-row inmates with nothing to lose. Impressive, Mr. Lloyd."
"Didn't think you'd figure that out," the man retorted, laughing coldly. He tugged at his jacket, a glint in his eyes.
"He's got a bomb!" someone shouted.
The man in the peaked cap erupted in manic laughter. "Kellan Lloyd, I know all about you, the infamous Mr. Lloyd. My brother and I? We were well-paid for this. So don't make any rash moves, or we all go up in smoke!" His bravado terrified Lorna. Bound and shivering, tears streamed down her face. She tried to speak, but her lips trembled.
Kellan's fury ignited as he saw Lorna, her neck ensnared. Every instinct urged him to attack.
"Stop!" he commanded, his voice dangerously low.
Lorna's distress broke Kellan's heart. "If you let Lorna go," he continued, his tone firm, "I won't just spare your lives, I'll double whatever the puppet master offered you. But if Lorna is harmed, I'll make sure you wish you'd never been born."
"Wish we'd never been born?" The man in the peaked cap laughed, dripping with arrogance.
From the shadows, over a dozen assassins materialized, surrounding them.
"Let me share something with you, Mr. Lloyd," the man sneered. "No amount of cash will save you today. This is a death trap!" His arrogance was palpable. "So, Mr. Lloyd, instead of worrying about that little girl, you should be more concerned about yourself. Drop your weapon and end it all. If not, I'll set off this bomb!"
The two sides stood in a deadly standoff, the bomb ticking. If Kellan complied, the kidnappers would escape. It was a no-win situation.
"You may be fugitives with nothing to lose," Kellan replied icily, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "but I doubt you're itching to die today. Wouldn't you prefer to stick around a few more years? The one hiring you must have told you you could flee by boat after witnessing my end. And do you really believe it? Something might 'accidentally' happen to your boat, and you could be lost at sea forever."
The man narrowed his eyes. "Shut up! Stop spouting nonsense!"
Both sides played a deadly game of chicken. Realizing the futility of forcing Kellan's hand, the kidnapper fired a shot. "Well then, Mr. Lloyd, let's see who survives this."