She had a vest on under the winter coat.
Brigg raised her pistol and shot, and Neil’s body jerked back violently and fell.
“No!”
I lunged forward. I had no idea what I was doing. There had been no thought, no split-second decision. I was acting on animalistic instincts to survive.
I grabbed Brigg and threw us both to the ground, rolling on the wet and freezing sidewalk. She pinned me down on my back and awkwardly wrapped a hand around my neck, squeezing tightly. She was strong too, but a rage from deep inside me had boiled over and I was goddamn unstoppable in that moment.
I raised a leg and shoved her off with my knee, sending Brigg sprawling. I stumbled to my feet, ran for her gun, and knocked it from Brigg’s hold, as she had only just recovered it. She pushed me off and kicked me so hard in my side that I fell and was left gasping for air.
Brigg bent down and picked up her pistol once more. She stopped directly over me and aimed point-blank. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Snow.”
One crack and then another rang through the air.
I froze, waiting for the pain—waiting to stop breathing….
Brigg’s legs buckled and she toppled backward onto the ground. Her gun fell free from her hold as she let out a sharp, agonizing cry of pain.
I took a small breath and struggled into a sitting position to look at her.
Someone had shot her in the kneecaps.
I slowly looked behind me.
Calvin lowered his aim and slid his pistol back into his holster before running toward us. He crouched to retrieve Brigg’s weapon first, tucking it in the back of his pants, before bending down and hoisting me to my feet. He wrapped his arms around me and I began to cry in absolute and utter relief.
I was freezing and soaking wet.
But alive in Calvin’s arms.
Sirens and the wail of an ambulance echoed in the immediate vicinity.
Calvin pulled back to hold my face, kissing me over and over. “I love you. I love you so much, Sebastian.”
I nodded. I couldn’t say anything. I just kept crying and trying to smile.
Behind Calvin, Neil was back on his feet, holding his side.
“N-Neil?” I finally croaked.
He held his hand up. “Just a graze. You… okay?”
“Y-Yeah. I—thank you.”
He only nodded.
I smiled before hugging Calvin again.
I was really okay.
BRIGG LIVEDto see another day.
Not that I imagined she’d enjoy how the rest of her life was going to play out.
And it turned out, I owed Neil.
A lot.
