Read Online Fight for Power by Eric Walters - Free Book Online

want to hurt you.”
    â€œI appreciate that.”
    â€œYou have to leave,” she said.
    Again she gave me the chance to walk away.
    â€œHe took everything. My husband and my children. And now I’m going to take all that he has left, his life.”
    â€œI was there at Olde Burnham,” I said. “If it was my family, I’d want to do the same thing. I understand.” I paused. “But I can’t just leave. I can’t let you do it.”
    â€œYou think he deserves to live?” Suddenly her voice wasn’t so calm, and for an instant she turned my way and the pistol was aimed at me. I felt a rush of panic and I had to fight to keep that fear from overwhelming me. She turned the gun back on Quinn.
    â€œIt’s not for me to decide if he should live,” I said. “Or for you either.”
    I stepped back into her line of fire. Behind me I heard the prisoner breathe in sharply. What was I doing?
    â€œYou’d risk your life to protect him?” Paula demanded.
    I shook my head. “I’d risk my life for you, Paula. If you kill him, how would you live with yourself?”
    â€œI wasn’t planning on living. Do you think there’s only one bullet in this gun?”
    That should have been obvious to me. She wasn’t leaving this room alive either. That was all part of the plan.
    â€œLook, like I said, if I were you, I’d be feeling the same thing. Maybe it would be me standing there with a gun,” I said. “I’d just hope that somebody was here to talk me out of it. If I’d lost everybody in my family like that I’d want to die, but I know that’s not what they’d want. It’s not what your family would want. You’re all that’s left. What do you think they’d want you to do?”
    Her lower lip started to quiver.
    â€œYou need to honor them by living,” I said.
    â€œI don’t want to live,” she said, her voice practically a whisper. She started to cry.
    â€œYou have to keep going … for them. Besides, if you did kill this man you’d be no better than him, no better than his kind. We’re better … you’re better.”
    She lowered the pistol and started sobbing. As she dissolved, I rushed forward, taking the gun and holding her, stopping her from falling to the floor. At that same instant, Herb and Stewart rushed into the room, along with another guard. Stewart and the guard took Paula and led her from the room. Herb took the gun, and I felt my legs get rubbery and weak. I practically collapsed into the chair.
    â€œThat should never have happened,” Herb said. “Adam, I’m so sorry.”
    â€œIt’s okay,” I mumbled.
    Quinn gasped. “That kid saved my life!” He turned directly to me, staring me in the eyes. “Why did you do that?”
    I shook my head. “I couldn’t let her kill you.”
    â€œIf it was me, I would have walked away,” he said.
    â€œI doubt that, Quinn.”
    â€œI still don’t believe it,” he said. “You risked your life to save mine.”
    â€œIt’s not a big deal,” I mumbled. The blood was still pulsing through me so strongly that I could hear my heart beating in my ears.
    â€œYou probably should have left,” Herb said. “You shouldn’t have risked your life for him.”
    â€œIt’s good that he did,” Quinn said. “Give me those plans. I’m going to tell you what you need to know.”
    â€œReally?” I asked.
    â€œI owe you that much.”
    Herb took the plans from the table and handed him a pen. “Just mark them in, label them. I want the doctor to look at Adam.”
    â€œI’m fine.”
    â€œNo you’re not. You’re as white as a ghost. Come on.”
    He offered me a hand and I gladly took it. As he helped me to my feet, my legs were still shaking. All of me was shaking. We started to walk