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I closed the space between us in seconds, crouching down in front of him, cupping his chin, lifting his head to mine. I could feel the weight of it, his inability to hold it up himself, his unfocused eyes. Tears filled my eyes because the strong man Tanner had fought so hard to become over this past year was gone, and in his place was a broken boy who needed someone to stay and fight for him.
“Go, Em. Go. Run,” he slurred, sounding desperate.
“I’m not running anywhere, rock star. I’m here. I’m not leaving you.”
Any fear I had felt melted away, replaced by the unshakable need I felt to protect him, no matter what the cost to me. I kissed his forehead, his cheek, his neck. “You’re always worth coming back for, Tanner.”
I heard the scream rip out of her, sounding like a wounded animal. I turned as Rylee wrapped her gun-free arm around herself, rocking backward and forward.
“Why him? Why not me? Why didn’t anyone come for me, fight for me, protect me, love me?” she screeched. “Why is it always him? Even now. It’s still him. She broke me. Threw me away like rubbish. I lived in the gutter while he lived in the stars. Why wouldn’t he just break? Why couldn’t I break him?” Her words choked through her tears, while her manic eyes fixated on Tanner.
“I’m not leaving, Tan, hang on for me,” I whispered as I stood, moving slowly towards Rylee. She looked broken, wild, untethered. Holding my hands in the air, I murmured her name.
“Rylee. What did you do to him? What did you want to happen today?”
Incensed, she spoke. “Fuck, I tried it all. Spiking his drinks, helping him overdose, the news stories, the threats, the stuff with Levi, you, your apartment. It was all me. I wanted to take everything, so I had someone who felt like I felt. But it didn’t work. You still all forgave him. It’s too late, though. Today, it all ends. I gave him a choice. He chose you. All of you. Shame, that means he will die to save you all.”
My eyes widened, and I had to stop myself from crying out.
“Rylee, all those things you did to him didn’t work because he has people who love him. That will hold him back from the brink. Who would never let him fall apart. Even now, I’m here because I would rather die than leave him to go through this on his own.”
Somewhere behind me, I heard Tanner, retching and crying out my name, sounding like he was in physical pain.
“She just left me. She didn’t want me. Not for a moment. She should have just got rid of me. I’m worthless,” Rylee sobbed.
I stepped towards her. I knew the risk I was taking. I guessed it was her that shot Rob and the gun was still in her hand and pointed in my direction, but I didn’t care. I realized I would take a bullet and die again and again to keep Tanner safe. He was my life, and I would give mine in a heartbeat to protect him. “Give me the gun, Rylee. Let me help. Let us help,” I pleaded.
“It’s too late. She made me a monster. And now he will die because of me. At least then people will remember my name. I won’t be invisible anymore.”
Her eyes lifted as she stared at me, her pupils blown, so I could only see blackness. As she lifted the gun, I cried out, but she didn’t point it at me. Instead, she pushed it to her chin, closed her eyes, and pulled the trigger. The noise deafened me. Ringing filled my ears as her warm blood exploded over my face and body.
A second shot fired from behind me, and I screamed as Thomas kicked the door open, dragging me to the side of the room, trying to protect me while he assessed the damage around me.
“Emmy, tell me you’re okay. Are you hurt?” he asked, grabbing me by the shoulders, looking me up and down for any obvious injuries.
“Tanner. Ambulance. Now. Help him,” I pleaded, unable to believe what had just happened.
I moved out of the way so he could help Tanner, but as I did, I saw something in the corner, hidden behind a chair. Long, dark hair, surrounded by so much blood.
“Frankie. No. Please, no,” I screamed.
Matt appeared out of nowhere, bending over her and pushing his fingers against her neck to check for a pulse. “Christ, Rogue. Please be okay. She’s breathing. Just. Thomas, we need to get them out of here,” he yelled as he turned her over, pressing his hands over the wound in her chest. “I’ve got you, Rogue. I’m right here. Just hang on for me.”
“Already on it, Matt,” Thomas reassured him before turning his attention back to me. “Emmy, answer me. Are you hurt? Is any of that blood yours?”
I looked down at Rylee and shook my head, not sure if I would ever get the image of her out of my mind.
Tanner groaned, snapping me out of the shock I was experiencing. “Drugs,” was all he managed to say before his body stiffened and he started to fit, falling from the chair to the floor, his eyes rolling back in his head and his lips turning blue.
Dropping to my knees, I reached for him. “What the hell? Tanner? Oh my God. Thomas, help him, please,” I cried out. “Don’t let me lose him like this.”
What happened next was a blur of paramedics, police, and people everywhere, pumping Tanner with good drugs, tending to Frankie’s wounds, and covering Rylee in a body bag. As a sob left my lips, arms enveloped me. Lots of arms. Addi and the twins wrapped themselves around me, holding me together while I fell apart.
Chapter 41
Emmy
“Emmy,areyousureyou’re ready to hear this? Now that you’ve been given the all clear by the doctor, let’s get you cleaned up, and then we can talk.” Addi wrapped her hand in mine, her bloodshot eyes glistening with tears. “You’re covered in… stuff, Em. Come on.”
