Juliet grabbed the biggest guy in the corridor, pretty sure he had to be part of the security team, and started dragging him toward the galley.
The fifteen minutes was almost up and she was afraid the other Ukrainian might already be torturing Evan with his knife, even if he hadn’t killed him.
“The Ukrainians are trying to kill us. One has my husband in the galley.” Juliet tried to make the words as clear as possible, but her mouth felt like mush from the punches she’d taken. The security guy had drawn his weapon, so evidently he understood the gist of what she was saying. Another security person was attempting crowd control, trying to get everyone to return to their assigned cabins.
Juliet left them behind, running down the hall toward the elevator. The ride down the three levels seemed to go on forever. She didn’t waste time talking to the guard. The moment the door slipped open just enough for her to fit, she was through. The guard was right on her heels.
Juliet barreled through the galley door, instantly taking stock of the situation. Evan was alive, but the Ukrainian stood in front of him, knife raised. Juliet didn’t hesitate, didn’t take even a moment to consider her own safety, just threw herself at the thug before he could figure out what was going on and harm Evan.
She took him to the ground, where they landed side by side, legs entangled. Juliet steeled herself against the pain of the collision, but found it difficult to see straight. The big man was quick to shake off the effects of the fall, and before she knew it, his knife was raised and coming toward her.
Evan yelled her name and she prepared to block the knife.
Until a shot was fired and the Ukrainian fell backward, a bullet hole in his forehead.
Juliet pulled her legs out from under the dead man’s and looked over at the galley door. She expected to see the guard with a raised weapon, but instead it was Christopher Cady who had shot the Ukrainian. The gun was still in his hand, his arm still raised.
Juliet didn’t care who had killed the other man. She was just glad to be alive and that Evan was, too.
She got up and stumbled over to him.
“Damn it, woman, are you all right? What the hell were you doing, tackling him like that?” Evan looked like hell. Half his shirt was bright red with blood from his shoulder.
“Are you okay?” She wasn’t sure if she should apply pressure to the wounds, or if that would just cause him more pain without really helping him. “Somebody cut him loose.”
One of the guards immediately sliced the plastic ties that bound him to the chair. Evan wrapped his arms around Juliet, pulling her into his lap. “Where’s the other psycho?” he whispered in her ear.
“Dead. In our room. Long story.”
“And the codes?”
“Safe in the place they need to be. In good hands. Even longer story.”
Evan raised his eyebrow at that, but said nothing. Juliet was sure that, like her, he was just glad something had gone right in this whole brouhaha.
Vince Cady made his way over, followed by his son. The older man looked aghast. “Lisa, Bob, I cannot believe this has happened while you were under my protection. My men are already investigating. It looks like the Ukrainians went to great lengths to circumvent our security measures.”
Juliet noticed Cady didn’t mention having the rooms bugged, only “security measures.”
“Yeah, well, the other member of that merry little gang is dead in our cabin. Thanks to the storm, he tripped and fell on his own knife.”
“Yes, he has already been found. And I am quite proud of Christopher, that he did not hesitate to do what needed to be done.”
Juliet looked over at the dead Ukrainian. She was glad Christopher hadn’t hesitated, either, or it might’ve been her lying there. “Thank you,” she offered. Christopher still gave her the creeps, but in this case she owed him her thanks. She smiled and held out her hand.
He took it, but instead of shaking it, brought it to his lips. Juliet barely contained her shudder. She withdrew her hand as politely as possible.
Evan’s arms tightened around her.
“Bob needs medical attention. Those psychos stabbed him in the shoulder,” Juliet stated.
Vince nodded. “We have a medical professional on staff. I will have someone escort you both. You have injuries, too, Lisa.” The older man grimaced as he glanced at her face. She must look pretty bad.
Vince and Christopher both left to confer with the security team, anger clear in both men’s stance and tone. Vince Cady might be a criminal, but his sense of honor had been contravened, his own sanctuary violated.
Heads would roll that something like this could happen without the security team’s awareness.
Juliet looked over to the doorway and found Heath Morel standing there, staring at her, malice evident in his expression. He turned and left before she could respond. Not that she’d know what to say or do.
“Are you okay?” Evan whispered, now that they were relatively alone. He obviously hadn’t seen Morel, and Juliet didn’t mention him. “How did you take down that Ukrainian? What the hell happened?”
“Dylan happened,” Juliet murmured back.
“Dylan? Here on the ship? Now?”
“Well, hopefully not anymore. I gave him the drive. Omega sent him, since they didn’t know what shape I’d be in. Didn’t want to send a stranger.”
“Then that poor Ukrainian bastard didn’t have a chance.”
Juliet sighed and shook her head. “My thoughts exactly.”
“Are you sure you’re okay, baby?” Evan stroked her bruised face, grimacing.
“Surprisingly, yes.” Juliet shrugged. “Battered face notwithstanding. You were right. I can handle more than I give myself credit for.”
“See? You should listen to me more often.”
Juliet brushed Evan’s hair away from his forehead with gentle fingers. “You’re
