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Reed shouted. “I’ve called the police and they’re on the way.”
“The invitation is legitimate,” the receptionist said, rushing to Reed.
“That’s impossible,” Reed challenged, snatching the invitation out of her hands. “There must have been some kind of mistake.”
A couple of security guards showed up to restrain his father. Hopefully, they could take him away before there was any more attention. He didn’t want Colleen to see this shitshow unfolding.
“There she is,” his father roared, getting free of a guard’s hold. “Colleen Murphy. My self-righteous friend’s daughter. What you see in my spineless son is a mystery to me, but you’re the best thing to fix my image.”
He looked over his shoulder to see Colleen standing nearby, her face ashen. Finn grabbed his father by the lapels, anger pounding through his body. “You son of a bitch.”
Someone wedged between them. A buzz cut and dark eyes.
“Cole?”
Cole didn’t reply. He held a black matte metal object in his shaking hand. It was a gun.
Finn froze, glancing between the gun and his father.
Cole pointed the gun at Finn’s father. “It’s payback time, O’Connor.”
“Who the fuck are you?” his father snarled.
Without thinking, Finn pulled his father close to him. A series of gunshots and a searing, hot pain spread through Finn’s body. He heard Colleen scream as he slumped to the floor.
CHAPTER 45
COLLEEN
“Finn!” Colleen shoved people aside to get to him. His shirt was already soaked with blood. In a panic, she got to her knees and tore open Finn’s shirt. The screaming and shouting in the lobby ceased to exist as she held his head in her lap. “Don’t leave me, Finn,” she sobbed while staring at his lifeless face. A security guard yanked her to her feet and pushed her out of the way.
“Finn!” she screamed, trying to get back to him. After that, it was pure chaos. The police arrived, shoving everyone aside, pulling the shooter down to the ground and handcuffing him.
Colleen caught Patrick O’Connor’s grave expression. For a fleeting moment, his eyes lifted to hers in confusion, but he was guided away before they could speak.
She craned her head over all the people surrounding Finn but was unable to see him. The paramedics rushed inside and moved everyone away.
Colleen shook with fear. Her hands were wet. It was blood; Finn’s blood, and it was all over her hands and dress. She gulped down breaths to keep from screaming, looking around in a daze as people ran through the lobby. She had no idea what to do. There wasn’t a single familiar face.
A woman with dark and gray hair came running to her. “Colleen. My name is Carmen Zapata. I work with Finn.” Carmen put an arm around Colleen. “Let me get you out of here.”
Colleen vaguely remembered being introduced to her earlier. Her eyes were a soft brown and kind. “I-I need to be with Finn.”
“I’ll take you to him, but first you’re coming with me.” She was like a guardian angel, guiding Colleen out of the hotel and into a waiting car.
****
“He’s waking up,” Molly said, shaking Colleen’s shoulder.
Colleen sat up with a jolt, squinting from the morning sun. These had been the longest days of her life. After surgery, Finn had been in ICU before being transferred to a med-surg floor. Molly and Colleen took turns staying with him. It was difficult, but they passed the time by Molly sharing her adventure in Montana and reminiscing about Colleen’s dad. She told Colleen how happy she’d been when Finn told her that he was in love with her.
She climbed out of the chair she’d been sleeping in and gave Molly a hug. “This is good news.”
Colleen rushed to Finn’s bedside, his eyes blinked open and then squeezed shut. He let out a groan as he moved in bed.
“Stay still, honey,” Molly said, rubbing his arm. “The doctor is on the way.”
Finn opened his eyes a crack and looked at Molly and then Colleen. He gave her a weak smile. “I’m not dead.”
