“There’s nothing you could tell me that would change the way I feel about you…”

Lucy wanted to believe that. Bryce was a good and loyal man. How she wanted to lean into him! She fought her own instincts. She had to.

Bruce took the room key from her. “Let me check the room before you go inside.”

He pulled his gun from his holster and pushed open the door, flicking on the light. He opened the bathroom door and, when he did, a blast of gunfire sent Lucy flying backwards. She hit the wall and had the breath knocked from her.

Bryce was holding his shoulder and blood was pooling between his fingers.

Lucy grabbed up Bryce’s gun from the floor and kicked open the bathroom door, but all she saw was a rifle hanging from a wire attached to the ceiling. There was no shooter, only an elaborate booby trap.

“I’m calling for an ambulance.”

“I’m not leaving you,” he barked. “Someone set a
booby trap in your room. That was meant for you, Lucy.”

Whoever had set this trap had intended to kill her.

Bryce had taken the bullet that was meant for her.