AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Erika.” Grayson’s voice has a slight wobble to it. “Not now. Not here. Not like this.”
“Yes, now.” I pause and wait until he’s focused on me again. “Like this.”
“Hurry up,” Jimmy yells.
“I’ll do everything I can to keep us safe until you can get to me. But just in case, know you are my everything,” I say softly so Jimmy can’t hear me.
Grayson’s hands spasm against my waist, but I pull from them and move toward Jimmy. I’m almost to him when he points the gun back at Grayson.
“You can’t hurt him. You promised.” The gun fires, and I scream as I whip around. “Grayson,” I shout, but he doesn’t respond right away.
“I’m okay, Erika,” he finally says.
“You promised.” I square off with the man with the pockmarked face. He stands taller than me but not as tall as Grayson. His body is large but not very muscular, more untoned muscle.
“I don’t want him chasing after us right away.” He grabs my arm and drags me through the door and out onto the street.
“I love you, Grayson,” I yell and pray those aren’t the last words I speak to him. I don’t know where he was hit, but hopefully it’s not too bad.
I try not to stumble as Jimmy continues across the street and into an alley before pushing me into a dark vehicle.
* * *
Grayson
Pain radiates from my shoulder,and I groan as I stand up. I move out onto the sidewalk, trying to follow them.
“Hey, are you okay?” I turn as Jas moves toward me at the same time I hear tires squeal and see an SUV barreling down the road toward us. The side window starts to roll down and I’m in motion. I grab Jasmin’s pregnant body and wrap mine around hers as I propel us toward the front tires of my SUV parked at the curb. I’m hoping between the engine block and metal it will save us. The gun starts firing, and I hear Erika’s screams over the shots along with Jasmin’s too. The sounds recede and I look down at Jasmin, who is crying.
“Are you okay?” I ask, but she stares at me in shock.
“Jasmin, are you okay? Is the baby okay? Do I need to call an ambulance?” I see blood on her but realize it’s mine from the earlier gunshot wound.
“I’m okay. But was that Erika I heard screaming?” she asks as she looks up at me. I stand us up and plant her on her sneaker clad feet. She was complaining today that Ryan won’t let her wear heels, and I’m glad he doesn’t. As shaky as she is right now, I’d still have to hold her and I need to get moving.
“Yeah,” is all I say as I pull my cell from my side pocket and dial the only number I can think of in this moment.
“Jimmy Duncan just took my wife,” I say without greeting.
“Call Ley, she’ll help you. I’ll call the men I sent along with you. They know what to do.” I completely forgot about his men. I left them at the small airstrip when I came to Erika yesterday.
“Tell them to be careful; Erika is pregnant,” I tell my brother before I hang up and dial Ley.
“What is going on at the shop? I noticed several cameras went down. And the police scanner just went off about shots fired in the area,” Ley says in greeting. Jimmy must have had a signal blocker on his person. He knew I would have eyes on my girl.
“Jimmy Duncan took Erika. Then he shot me, and he shot Frozen Tattoo up,” I say as I turn to see the parlor is riddled with bullets. Thank goodness there were no clients inside and minimal staff.
“I’m on my way already. As soon as there was a signal interruption, I started heading that way.”
“My husband has security on Erika. Where are they?” Jasmin says as she looks around, and sure enough a black SUV pulls up. I have my gun out and pointed at them before they confirm they are with Andreason Security. I nod and try to wait for my sister because my SUV can’t drive me.
“Mrs. Richards, we’ve contacted your husband; he’s on his way.”
That answers one of my questions. Who had security on Erika. I’m about to ask her why when my sister’s big, lifted truck skids to stop in the middle of the street. Ley doesn’t say anything to her team of men but looks at me. I’m already in motion and climbing up into the passenger seat. I know Ley’s guys will protect Jasmin until her husband gets to her. My focus is on my own wife and child.
“Drive faster, Ley,” I bark at her, and the truck speeds up. She makes a turn as she looks at her phone and then another one.
“Where are you going?” I demand and look at her. She tosses her cell phone at me.
