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“I told the truth, Alexandra,” I say. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“My plan was to humiliate you,” Alexandra snarls.
“You failed,” Kayla says. “Gavin was amazing. The morning show host looked as if she’d fallen in love with him. Charlene leaned closer and closer as he described how powerless he felt as a kid. Didn’t you notice, Alexandra?”
“Kayla,” I say, filling my tone with warning. I’m doing my best to make damn sure Ms. Crazy pants with the gun focuses on me. It doesn’t work when she talks.
“I thought Charlene was going to climb into his lap and kiss him when he started talking about how he wants to make sure other kids in foster homes know they have a voice, that no child should ever feel weak and worthless, didn’t you Alexandra?” Kayla continues.
I hear movement behind me and realize she’s stood up.
“That weak, worthless child destroyed my mother,” Alexandra snarls, her voice rising. “She took her own life because of you.”
“I’m not responsible for your mother’s actions.” I’m practically shouting to be heard over Ava’s barking. The tension is palpable. Ava senses it and wants to intervene. It’s a miracle the Shepard hasn’t tried to bite Alexandra. She would probably get shot in the process.
“You are responsible,” Alexandra insists. “She lost everything because of you.”
“Your mother made choices too,” Kayla says. “She kept Gavin in that home.”
“She did what she thought was best!” Alexandra shouts. Then she turns to Kayla who—oh fucking hell—is standing right beside me. “I’m going to shoot your damn mutt.”
Alexandra lowers the gun to Ava. I move without thinking, shoving Kayla away. I hear her hit the floor. She’s screaming, begging, pleading, but then the bang drowns out everything else. I’m already in motion, hurling forward, racing the
bullet … I’m willing my body to get in front of the dog, to block the shot.
Fuck.
Maybe I say it out loud too. I don’t know. There’s so much damn pain. I feel like my arm is on fire. And my hip—Kayla’s wood floors make for a hard landing. But it’s my right shoulder that explodes with pain. The fireworks keep coming one pop after another, and each one feels like a new burst of misery.
I roll onto my back as the kitchen door crashes open. Ava launches into a fresh round of barking and the other dogs are backing her up. I don’t hear any whimpering, so that’s a good sign, right? The dogs didn’t get shot.
Just me.
“Drop your weapon.”
I hear Lucie issue the command and close my eyes. She sounds a little nervous, but she’s in a far better position to keep Kayla from getting shot than I am right now.
“Come any further and I’ll shoot,” Alexandra says.
There’s another loud bang and I open my eyes, fucking hoping my crazy ex didn’t make good on her threat.
“No, you’ll get shot,” Lucie says, all traces of nerves gone from her voice.
I lower my head back to the floor as the deputy calls for medical help. There’s a hand on my shoulder and a wet nose in my ear. I hope that’s one of the dogs, not a pain-induced hallucination.
I open my eyes. Kayla’s beautiful, tear-streaked face fills my vision. Her long, dark hair falls loose over her shoulders. I want to kiss her, but I can’t seem to lift my head right now.
But I keep my eyes open. I thought I would never get the image of Kayla’s breast covered in Luna’s blood out of my mind. Seeing her held at gunpoint, knowing she spent hours on the floor—I might never let her out of my sight again.
“Oh, God, Gavin.”
Yeah, I’ve heard those words before, but never like this. Most of the time when a woman gasps my name like that, she’s naked and I have the use of my hands. That way is definitely better. I make a mental note to tell Kayla later. Not now. It all hurts too damn much.
“You’re bleeding,” she adds. I feel her hands on my upper bicep. That must be where I was shot. When she presses down on the wound, I let out a curse and break my don’t-look-away-from-Kayla rule.
“The paramedics are coming,” she promises.
I force my eyes open again and make my mouth move. “Is she dead?”
