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“I’m fine. Just a little banged up.” She shows me her palm, where a shallow cut has mostly clotted over. “Broken glass. But I stabbed him with a screwdriver I found in the basement.”
The corner of my mouth lifts. “That’s my girl. Resourceful even in a crisis.”
Her lower lip wobbles as she pauses, really taking me in. “I love you so much.”
A band constricts around my heart. I almost lost her.
“I love you, too.” With a rough sound, I gather her in my arms, kissing the top of her head. “Won’t ever stop. My heart beats for you, sunshine.”
“How touching.”
We spring apart as Coleman climbs to his feet, the gun in hand. I step in front of Thea, shielding her as he takes aim.
“Come here, princess,” he commands.
A small sound catches in her throat. She buries her finger in the back of my hoodie.
“You willing to die for her?” Coleman’s voice is creepy as fuck, completely psychotic. “I’ve shot you once, now I’ll finish you.”
“I’m not letting you near her.”
Narrowing his eyes, he stalks toward us. I back up, keeping her behind me as we move into the next room.
The front door flies open and flashing lights illuminate the shadows in the living room. Shouts come from the front and back of the house.
“Freeze! Hands up!”
About fucking time.
Coleman’s eyes go wide as he whirls to face the cop and the gun trained on him from behind. More responders pour in from the front.
“Put the gun down on the floor slowly!”
“Officers, this is a misunderstanding.” Coleman shifts his demeanor, putting on his good teacher act. “This punk broke in.”
Thea and I shuffle out of the way. I stay in front of her, hands up to show I’m unarmed.
“Drop the weapon!”
I meet his gaze and smirk. “Game over, bastard.”
Watching Coleman’s expression crack as the authorities disarm and cuff him is satisfying. Thea takes my hand while we are ushered outside. I’m never letting go again.
It’s a madhouse on the quiet residential street outside of Coleman’s place a short while later. The road is crammed with squad cars, an ambulance, a news van, and the neighbors watching the scene unfold.
Coleman is in the back of one of the police cars as the cops secure the scene and take our statements.
Thea and I are seated on the back of the ambulance as the EMT patches my injured arm. They cut my hoodie off and Thea wrapped the blanket they gave her around me to keep the frigid night air at bay.
Mom’s going to have a goddamn field day when she gets wind of this. Deranged teacher, wounded protecting my girlfriend. Sympathy vote, here she comes.
“GSW, male, eighteen.” A paramedic standing to the side checks off on a tablet. “We need to get you to the hospital for a CT scan so they can confirm the bullet isn’t lodged in your arm.”
The paramedic rolls her eyes as I lift the oxygen mask off and toss it aside.
“Fuck that, I’m not going anywhere. I feel fine.” I hold Thea closer, tucked beneath my good arm. I’m not ever leaving her side. “Not without her.”
“Connor, they’re just trying to help.” Thea rests her bandaged hand against my stomach. It shakes slightly, the shock and adrenaline wearing off. Troubled shadows cloud her beautiful eyes and I want to drive them away. “Don’t give them trouble.”
