Page 97 of Queen of Misfortune (Shadows of Redemption)

“One kill shot.” This time, Donovan hugs me as if he’s wanting to comfort me. Or maybe in acknowledgement that the horror in my life is over. “Do you wish it were you who took the shot?” he asks Niko.

Niko shakes his head. “He killed my mother and brother. I’m just glad he’s dead. In fact, I take some satisfaction in knowing that his own daughter did it.”

“I’ll arrange for cleanup,” Donovan says as we move to exit the warehouse. A few minutes later, we’re in Donovan’s SUV. Donovan's hands grip the steering wheel as we peel away from the curb to rush back to Manhattan.

Niko is beside him, phone pressed to his ear as he calls the hospital.

“They let you keep your phones?” I ask from the back.

“Nah, we took them off their corpses.” Donovan glances at me through the rearview mirror. In that one look, I see something that brings me hope. It makes me want to stop the car and talk to him, but Elena’s health is on the line. My future can wait.

"Keep her safe," Niko murmurs into the device, the strain evident even in his tone.

Donovan uses his phone making calls to clean up the warehouse and building behind it, and he follows that with a call to deal with Lou’s body. I feel a sense of triumph that Lou will soon be erased as if he never existed. I watch Donovan, knowing the betrayal from his friend must cut deep.

Exhaustion finally hits me, and I fall asleep. I wake when I hear the familiar sound of the tires on the bridge from New Jersey into Manhattan. The sun is rising, and I have a sense of today being the first day of my new life. What I don’t know is whether it will include Donovan.

"Almost there," he says, glancing again through the rearview mirror.

Niko ends another call, his thumb rubbing circles on his temple, a telltale sign of his unease.

“Is it Elena?” I ask, my own unease growing.

“I won’t feel right until I see her.”

"Stay alert," Donovan says as we enter the city. He’s right. Our ordeal may not be over.

We arrive at the hospital, and Niko is out of the vehicle and rushing in before Donovan puts it in park. Donovan takes my hand, and we hurry in after him.

"Where is she?" Niko demands.

A nurse with tired eyes and a gentle smile points us down the corridor. "Room 204. She’s?—”

We don’t wait for more. We hurry down the corridor to Elena’s room. The door swings open, and there she lies, looking peaceful. Like an angel.

Niko steps forward, his hand trembling as he brushes a stray lock of hair from Elena's face. The vulnerability in his gesture tells me just how much he loves Elena.

Her eyes flutter open. “Niko!” She grabs for him and tears well in her eyes.

“I’m sorry, baby,” he murmurs against her cheek.

Elena’s eyes dart around until they land on me. “You’re okay? You saved them.”

I laugh, pretty sure that Donovan and Niko wouldn’t want anyone to think a woman saved them.

“She sure did.” Donovan loops his arm around me.

“I didn’t. They’d saved themselves when I found them.” I step to the other side of the bed from Niko and take her hand. “Dad was there, I?—”

“He’s out of our lives now.” She looks at me with knowing eyes. She’s okay with what I’ve done.

I nod.

She gives me a wan smile. “I’m glad.”

“Enough about us, what did the doctor say?” I ask.

She shrugs. “He says it’s ligaments or something.”