Lose his—oh.OW.
I’ve done enough research onthatto know it’s not my thing.
“We’re in real trouble now,” he breathes.“The money we put into getting you was supposed to be returned to us by our overseas investors.I hope you’ll understand.I can’t lose that money now.Shit’s been underwater for too long.”
When he lets me go and takes a step back, I’m honestly confused.Is he letting me go?
Oddly, it’s the sad look on his face that gets me before I even realize the gun he’s got his gun pointed right at me.
“Ravi!”
Oh.Thank.God.
That’s Liam’s voice.Taking my eyes off the gun in front of me would be stupid, but I want to.The urge to spin around and see for myself that he’s okay is nearly impossible to override.But then the guy glances over my shoulder, and I see him adjust his aim.
Then it hits me.He won’t shoot me, right?He can’t.He said he needs me.To sell me.
He’ll shoot Liam, though.I know he will.So I take a breath, I put my head down, and I run myself straight into him.
My head and shoulder hit with a painful thud.There’s a boom that makes my ears ring as I make contact, landing on top of him.There’s a flash of numbness and cold, adrenaline pumping through me, and for a moment I’m not sure if I’ve been shot and I can’t feel it.But then I realize the guy I’m on is staring sightlessly at the evening sky.
There’s a hole in his head.Liam did this.Liam shot him.
“I’m okay,” I yell as I push off the body.
My hand slips in the growing pool of blood, making me gag.So, not exactly okay, but I’m not too hurt.He probably bruised me.My hands and arms are scraped from where I fell.But I’ll be fine.
Better than this guy.
It hits me as I look down at the face of the man who wanted to sell me and ship me off to God knows where, as I take in his unseeing eyes and the blood and whatnot coming out of the bullet hole… I’m not dizzy.I’m not panicking.This is a bad guy—a worse guy—who wanted to hurt me.Who’s probably hurt others.He deserved it.
The thought puffs my chest.Honestly, this is kind of empowering.
“Liam, are you okay?”
No answer.I get to my feet and look around, which is when I see a crumpled heap on the dock where Liam is supposed to be.Slumped over.Twisted.Wrong.
I try to shout again but my lungs don’t work.
Liam, he’s just…lying there.Not moving.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Ravi
“I can do this myself.”Liam growls.He’s trying not to act hurt, but he can’t help it.His leg flinches under my hand.
“Stay still.The doctor said to change the bandages regularly.”I press a gauze pad to a spot above his knee.“At least the bleeding’s stopped,” I add.
Sometimes you really need to look for the bright side, am I right?
“Shit.”He’s all manly and stoic when I press the gauze on and start taping, but he’s also kind of pale, and there’s a seemingly permanent crease between his eyebrows.
Not that I care.He’s sitting up.He’s alive.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” I can’t stop myself from saying.Honestly, I want to wrap myself around him right now.
When I saw him on the ground, when I saw the blood, I felt my chest caving in.When it was Liam’s blood, I did get a little lightheaded.
