Then a gunshot shatters the air, followed by a scream.
My stomach turns as I watch Ash and Eddie collapse to the ground.
I don’t wait for Nash’s signal. I rush inside.
By the time I reach Ash, Nash has yanked Eddie off her. She’s lying on the floor with blood smeared along her neck and a gash on her forehead. But she’s awake, and relief crashes over me.
“Ben,” she whispers, her voice trembling. Her fingers reach for me, and I pull her into my arms.
“It’s okay, baby. It’s over,” I murmur, holding her close. “You’re safe.”
I sink to the floor with her cradled against my chest. She clings to my shirt, her whole body shaking. I tighten my arms around her, trying to make her feel safe and secure.
“Scene’s clear. Get the EMTs in here now,” Nash barks into his radio. Then he gestures toward Eddie. “Watch him.”
He kneels in front of Ash, his expression tight with concern. “Ash, are you okay?”
He reaches for her hand, but the second he touches her wrist, she cries out.
“Ash, what is it?” he asks, his eyes widening.
“I think my wrist is broken,” she chokes out, fresh tears spilling. “He… he pushed me in the bathroom. I fell awkwardly.”
“Bastard,” I mutter, fury burning through me. She must have been so scared. We should have gotten to her sooner.
“Where are the EMTs?” Nash snaps into his radio.
“They’re being escorted inside,” a voice replies.
Ash clutches my shirt with her good hand. “I just want to go home, Ben,” she mumbles.
I press a kiss to the top of her head. “I know, baby. But we need to get you checked out at the hospital first, okay?”
She hesitates. “Will you… come with me?”
Her voice is uncertain, and it guts me to know I’ve made her feel this way.
“Of course I will,” I say. “I’m not leaving your side, Ash. I promise.”
Relief softens her features. “Thank you,” she whispers, then glances toward Eddie. “Is he… is he dead, Nash?”
Nash shakes his head. “No. I only clipped his shoulder. He’ll live.”
When the EMTs arrive, I step back to give them space, but Ash’s eyes stay locked on mine as if she’s afraid I’ll disappear. I get it. After everything I’ve put her through the past two weeks, she has every reason to doubt me.
But she doesn’t have to.
I’m not going anywhere. Not now. Not ever. My head is finally on straight, and I’ll never push her away again.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Ashlyn
It’s nearly midnight by the time I’m discharged from the hospital. With a fractured wrist, a mild concussion, and stitches on my neck, I’m beyond ready for this day to be over.
Hope Creek is a small town, and word of the school lockdown spread fast. The waiting room had been packed with friends and family, a steady stream of people coming to check on me while I waited to be seen. I’m grateful for their support, but right now, all I want is to go home.
“Ready to go, Ash?” Ben asks, slipping an arm around my waist as he guides me through the emergency department toward the waiting room.
