Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Liam’s Arrival

Liam silently reached into his jacket and retrieved one of the guns he had picked up earlier. Without a word, he placed it into Vanessa’s hand. His fingers brushed against hers for the briefest moment, and she felt a strange jolt run through her body. Her heart was still pounding from the earlier tension, but now there was an unfamiliar heat creeping onto her face. She tried to ignore it, but when she glanced at Liam, she saw that he was staring at her with confusion.

At first, he didn’t understand why her face was so red. But then, as his gaze shifted slightly, he realized the real reason behind her flustered state. Their bodies were pressed too close together. His arm was still wrapped around her waist, holding her in place against him. The warmth of her body seeped through his clothes, and for the first time, he noticed the way her chest rose and fell with her unsteady breathing.

Realizing this, Liam immediately removed his hand, but he didn’t step away. He couldn’t. If he moved even an inch from their current hiding spot, the sniper’s bullet would find him in an instant.

His sharp blue eyes flickered toward the wreckage where Dean and his men were standing. He could already tell—they must have figured out where they were hiding by now. They weren’t fools. Any second now, they would be on the move, closing in on them again. Liam clenched his jaw.

Vanessa understood everything he was thinking without him even needing to say a word. She didn’t need an explanation. The years of training and experience as a police officer had honed her instincts to perfection. And right now, her instincts screamed at her— stay sharp. Stay alive.

She adjusted her grip on the gun, her fingers tightening around the handle. Liam had a gun, and so did she. The odds were still stacked against them, but at least they weren’t completely defenseless. The sound of slow, steady footsteps approaching them made her muscles tense. Her grip on the gun grew even tighter. The enemy was coming closer.

Suddenly, Liam reached out and tapped her shoulder. She turned to look at him, and he motioned silently for her to focus upward. Vanessa furrowed her brows. Up?

Her ears strained to catch any noise, but she couldn’t hear anything unusual. Her mind raced. Why was he telling her to look up? Did he sense something she couldn’t?

And then—

She knew she had to.

Her grip on the gun tightened even more. She took a slow breath, steadied her aim, and waited. If Liam was right, the enemy would appear at any moment.

And just as she had that thought—

A figure suddenly leaped onto the car they were hiding behind.

Vanessa’s eyes widened.

Liam was right.

Without hesitation, she pulled the trigger.

BAM!

The gunshot echoed.

A bullet pierced through the man’s skull. His body went stiff for a brief moment before he collapsed backward, tumbling off the car and landing with a dull thud on the pavement below.

At the exact same time, another man appeared on their left.

Liam reacted instantly.

Before the enemy could even raise his weapon, Liam grabbed his wrist, yanking him forward with brutal force. The man gasped as he was dragged behind the wrecked car, where Liam locked his arm around his throat.

Vanessa barely had time to process what was happening before she heard the sickening snap.

The man’s body went limp in Liam’s grip. He dropped lifelessly to the ground.

Vanessa stared, stunned.

She had seen plenty of deaths in her time as a cop. But killing a man with a gun and killing a man with your bare hands were two very different things. And the way Liam did it—

There was no hesitation.

No second thoughts. No remorse.

Just cold, efficient brutality.

Her heart pounded.

Who exactly was this man?

But before she could even ask, before she could even breathe, Liam suddenly grabbed her wrist without warning.

She barely had time to gasp before he yanked her toward him.

And in that exact moment—

BANG!

A bullet tore through the air, piercing through the metal of the car—

Exactly where she had been standing just seconds ago.

Vanessa’s breath caught in her throat.

If Liam hadn’t moved her in time—

She would’ve been dead.

Her heart raced wildly in her chest as she looked up at him, her eyes wide.

Liam’s grip on her wrist was tight. His blue eyes burned with a deadly glint as he exhaled slowly, lowering his head toward hers.

“Stay close.” His voice was low, dangerously calm.

Vanessa swallowed hard and gave a firm nod. She wasn’t about to die here.

Dean’s voice rang out from behind the car Liam was using as cover, sharp and filled with menace.

“If you don’t come out now, I’ll blow her brains out.”

Liam’s eyes darkened instantly, and Vanessa felt the shift in the air. The temperature seemed to drop, a cold, dangerous aura emanating from him. Without hesitation, he leaned in closer to her, his lips nearly brushing against her ear as he whispered his plan. Vanessa’s breath hitched slightly, her heart pounding at the closeness, but she quickly focused on his words. It was risky—extremely so—but if she executed her part perfectly, they had a chance to turn this situation around.

A small nod was all she gave him in response before Liam straightened up, stepping forward.

“I’m coming out,” he called, raising his hands into the air slowly, deliberately. His movements were calm, controlled, every step measured. He could feel their eyes on him, feel their fingers twitching against their weapons, but he showed no fear. That wasn’t his way.

Rick was the first to speak, his voice shaking slightly. “Drop the gun.”

Liam’s gaze flickered to him, and he could see the fear beneath Rick’s mask of bravado. He almost smirked—Rick had good reason to be scared. The last time they crossed paths, Liam had spared him. And this was how Rick repaid him? By coming after Ann? By threatening the one person Liam would burn the world for?

Slowly, he crouched down and placed the gun on the ground. The moment it left his fingertips, his attention locked onto Ann.

She was kneeling on the ground a few feet away, Dean’s gun pressed against the side of her head. Liam’s stomach tightened at the sight, his fingers itching to wrap around Dean’s throat. But he forced himself to focus. Ann’s face was pale, but the moment her eyes met his, he saw her shoulders relax slightly. She had been praying he wouldn’t come—she didn’t want him to risk his life for her. But now that he was here, standing before her, something in her heart settled. Despite the dire situation, despite the gun at her head, she felt safe.

Liam noticed every detail. Her wrists were bound, but no bruises. Her clothes were torn slightly at the edges, but she wasn’t bleeding. She wasn’t hurt. That was all that mattered for now.

Rick took a small step forward, shifting uneasily. He was still unsure. Even with all these guns pointed at Liam, even with a sniper watching from the shadows, something didn’t sit right with him.

Dean, on the other hand, was grinning widely, his grip on the gun unwavering.

“Well, well, well,” he sneered. “Look who decided to be the hero.”

Liam said nothing. His cold, blue eyes remained fixed on Ann, ignoring Dean entirely.

That silence sent a shiver down Dean’s spine, but he quickly shook it off. He had the upper hand. This time, there was no way Liam was getting out of this alive.

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