Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 75450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
But Rune was up there. Unaware. Unarmed.
I couldn’t let anything happen to him.
Sucking in a deep breath, I reached for the knob and turned it, pushing the door open only enough to peek out into the hall.
Seeing no one, I pushed it open far enough for me to creep out, pressing my back against the wall.
I lifted my braced hand, pressing it over my mouth to quiet my frantic breaths as I inched down the wall.
And thank God I was muffling myself.
Or I would have given myself away before I even moved into the doorway. Because there was a loud bang in the common room. Then another.
I cried out against my hand, my heart crumbling, not knowing who was shot, who might be bleeding out, who might be dead.
But it was then I heard a familiar voice.
“Where is the bitch?” Jack snarled.
“Eat shit,” Rune said between harsh breaths.
Was he shot?
Why else would he sound like that?
I didn’t stop to think, didn’t try to get one of the club guys to help me.
I flew into the doorway, arm already raised.
Was it shaking? Yes.
But something inside strengthened, stiffened, when I saw Rune on the ground, red blooming through his shirt.
He wasn’t the only one on the ground.
Two bangs.
Two men down.
Rune must have had access to a gun. Because my other cousin was on the ground. And unlike Rune, he didn’t seem to be moving. Or breathing.
“Looking for me?” I asked, making Jack straighten and partially turn.
A snort escaped Jack as he glanced from me to the gun in my hand. “Well, that makes it easier.”
“Run, baby,” Rune demanded between sharp breaths.
I let my gaze slip from my cousin to Rune, my stomach twisting at how pale and sweaty he looked. How long before he would pass out? Before he bled out?
The problem was… Jack was still pointing his gun at Rune. And if I was right, he was aiming right at Rune’s head.
“You’re too much of a pussy to shoot—”
“I’m not,” a voice said behind me as he yanked the gun from my sweaty hand, aimed, and emptied the magazine into Jack, his body jolting like men did in action movies.
I didn’t stop to think.
I flew forward toward Rune, dropping down at his side, and pressing my hand into his stomach, feeling his hot, sticky blood slipping between my fingers.
“You’re okay. You’re gonna be okay.”
I didn’t realize I was crying until Rune’s hand moved up to wipe the wetness from my cheek.
“You should have stayed in the glass room.”
“I had to warn everyone. I saw them and… and I had to do something. Is someone calling an ambulance?” I cried as I heard voices. “Why isn’t anyone saying they called the police?”
“We’re getting him help,” Spike said, nudging me out of the way so he could yank Rune’s shirt up to inspect the wound.
“He needs to go to the hospital.”
“Love, we’re gonna take care of him.”
“Lettie?” Croft asked, dropping down next to me.
“Hailstorm,” Spike corrected.
The men shared a look that had my belly flipping.
“Why do I feel like that is something bad?”
“It’s not something bad,” Spike assured me. “They just have a fully functioning hospital wing.”
“So does the hospital.”
“Baby, listen, it’s okay.”
“It’s not okay.”
“We gotta move him,” Spike said, nodding at Croft.
“This is gonna suck,” Croft warned as both men reached for Rune and dragged him to his feet.
The string of curses he let out and the way he went gray had my heart sinking.
“You’re making it worse!” I cried out.
“Vas,” Croft barked.
Then hands reached for me, pulling me back as the men took Rune away from me.
“No, let me go. I need… he needs…”
But he was already in the garage. The door was lifting. The engine was starting.
And they peeled out of the lot.
“No,” I cried, sinking down to my knees as soon as Vas released me.
“He’s going to be in good hands,” Vas assured me. “They just need to get him there first.”
Before the SUV could possibly get to the corner of the street, I heard bikes rumbling closer.
“Why couldn’t I go?” I whimpered, mostly talking to myself as I rocked on the floor. “I needed to talk to him,” I said as the front door flew open. “He doesn’t know that I love him. I need to tell him…”
“Heya, honey,” a calm, soothing voice said, making me glance over as he crouched down in front of me.
And there he was.
The man Rune would be in twenty-five or so years.
“You need to be with Rune,” I said, sniffling hard.
“His mom is on her way. And I’m gonna go there too. But there’s nothing I can do if he’s going into surgery. And I know he’d want me to check in on you.”
“I want to see him.”
“Okay. I will take you to Hailstorm. But we need you here for a few minutes.”