Henry’s figure swam in her vision, a pistol in his hands. Noah slumped into her. Blood pooled onto the earth below him, his face twisted in agony.
Henry, scowling with fury, pulled the hammer back on the pistol once again. She sprang to her feet and threw herself between them. “Henry. No! What are you doing?”
“Stand aside, Ginny,” he seethed.
Ginger shook her head. “You’ll have to shoot me too.”
Noah tried to sit. He held his right shoulder with his left hand, blood seeping between his fingers.
“My sister is too good for you, you bastard.” Henry’s voice showed a familiarity between them that still seemed like camaraderie. “How dare you turn her against me? Against my family? You used her!”
Noah swore. He let out another painful grunt as he shifted his weight, straightening.
Henry frowned. “It’s too bad Stephen failed to kill you in Aleppo. You deserved it.” He glowered at Ginger. “And you. What a heartless little bitch you’ve turned out to be.”
Heartless bitch? The comment stung like a slap. “Stephen killed Father! And destroyed us, Henry. And you all just went along with his treason. You and Father betrayed our family and our country.”
Henry’s face grew purple as he seemed to lose his ability to be rational. “Father’s death is your fault.”
She sprang up, standing between her brother and Noah. “Henry, what are you doing? We can return to Cairo. Jack and the others will catch Stephen, and then this will be over.”
Henry squinted at her. “Over? I’ll go to prison, Ginny. You know I will.” He glanced at Beatrice’s prone body. Ginger was desperate to check her injuries, but she couldn’t leave Noah now.
She fought to keep her voice steady, aware of how Noah sagged behind her. “Stop being such a coward! You brought this upon yourself. You’ll never be able to live with yourself if you do this. Please. I love him. I’m begging you, please.” Her voice cracked.
Henry pointed the gun at Noah. “Step aside.”
She shook her head, spreading her arms out. “I won’t let you kill him. I love him.”
“Like I love Angelica? And yet, I can never marry the woman I love. Because of him. Because of you. Get out of my way.” Henry pushed her with his shoulder and aimed. Ginger gasped as he fired and barreled into him. Noah cried out again as he slumped onto the dirt.
She wrestled Henry for the gun, fighting with her nails and fists, fury driving her. Henry kept her at bay. “I’m sorry but you don’t understand.” He threw her to the ground, and she landed close to Beatrice.
The sunlight glinted from the Luger beside Beatrice’s fingertips.
The Luger.
Her hands shook as she reached for it. Her heart pounded with such force it blocked all other noise from her ears. In mere seconds, either she or Henry would do something she’d never be able to forgive.
The pistol weighed like an anvil in her hands. Time stopped. She still felt Noah’s kiss on her lips, the taste of blood from her father’s wounds. Blood. The same that ran through Henry’s veins.
Tears blocked her view as Henry extended his hands to shoot again.
She fired, a scream ripping from her throat. The pistol kicked back in her hands. It dropped to the sand at her feet as Henry fell to the ground, shot through the head.
The gunshot echoed into the void then faded into the blistering air. Then, silence.