Reid dropped the gun to the floorboard as he fought the airbag to get out of the car.
Victoria reached JJ before he could dart down an alley and before Reid could reach her. She grabbed his arm, yanking him to a stop, and spun to face Reid, her back to the alley.
“We’re going to disappear, and you’re not going to follow us.” She jerked JJ again.
Something in the alley drew his attention away from Victoria. Quinn hobbled toward them, crutch raised as a weapon.
Reid held his hands up. “Don’t hurt him. I’m sure we can figure something out. I bet Quinn would agree to splitting the money.”
“He doesn’t deserve a dime,” she spat.
Quinn reared back and swung the crutch like a baseball player. It connected with Victoria’s head, causing a sickening crack, and she fell to the ground, letting go of JJ. He ran into Reid’s arms. Quinn dropped the crutch and reached for them. Reid hugged JJ tight and then put him down. “Go to your momma.”
JJ raced to his mother, almost knocking her over. “JJ.” She picked him up and hugged him tightly, kissing him again and again.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Quinn pulled back and looked herbaby in the eyes. “Are you okay?”
He nodded and then hugged her around the neck. Relief washed over her. JJ was safe and with her.
Victoria lay moaning on the ground.
“Stay down,” Reid growled.
Quinn pulled her phone from her pocket and handed it to him. Nausea roared in her stomach, and her body flamed. Her legs grew weak. “Reid,” she managed to say. He caught her by the arm before she fell and dropped JJ. He eased them to the ground.
“Your leg.”
She looked at her leg. There were two large red spots on her pants. She must have ripped her stitches.
“Lay back. Help is on the way.”
Dizziness swirled. She closed her eyes and fought the waves of nausea that pounded her stomach. Her leg throbbed in rhythm with her heart.
“Stay with me.” Reid’s voice trembled.
She grabbed his hand, squeezing in reassurance.
There was a deafening pop, and Reid’s eyes widened before he spun and faced the direction the noise had come from.
JJ screamed and threw himself next to Quinn, burrowing close. Blood poured from a wound in Reid’s back.
“You can’t have my money!” Victoria aimed her gun at them.
Reid lunged at her just as another gunshot split the air. Quinn sat up, and waves of dizziness caused her head to spiral out of control. She had to get JJ away from here. When the world stopped spinning, her vision came into focus. Victoria lay on the ground, Reid kneeling on her back.
“Quinn,” Reid mumbled before slumping over.
The gun lay several feet away. As soon as Reid hit the ground, Victoria scrambled for it. With renewed strength and ignoring the pain in her leg, Quinn raced her for the gun. Faint sirens reached her ears. She just needed to hold Victoria off until the police arrived. She was within feet of the gun. Quinn would never beat her to it. She did the next best thing—she tackled Victoria, jumping on her back, snaking an arm around her throat.
Victoria stopped her forward momentum and tried to buck Quinn off. Only, she held on tighter. The sirens grew louder as the seconds ticked by. Quinn let out a groan as Victoria’s elbow connected with her stomach. She wasn’t going to give up that easily. Her son’s life was at stake. She squeezed tighter, causing Victoria to claw at her arms.
When that wouldn’t work, Victoria started punching Quinn’s side. Her fist slammed into Quinn’s injured leg. Stars filled her vision as pain exploded. She relaxed her grip, allowing Victoria to break free.
Lord, protect JJ. Don’t let her win.Quinn fought through her pain and blurry vision to stand. As an answer to prayer, a police cruiser pulled to a stop. An officer jumped out and aimed his gun. “Stop,” he commanded over the blaring siren.
Quinn raised her arms. Victoria stopped mid crawl, mere inches from the gun.
