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I was shaking my head. I wasn’t running away. I wasn’t leaving him or anyone behind.
“Molly.” He cupped the back of my head. “You run to that wall and turn right, and then you follow it until you hit a door. It’s the guard post. Inside is a phone that’ll work—”
“I’m not going anywhere.” I moved away from him, stepping ahead.
He caught the end of my dress, pulling me back.
I shook my head and gave him the hardest glare I could muster in this moment. I cocked the gun, taking the safety off. “I already told you. I’m not running.” My tone was hard, and I was hard. Fuck being scared. I was enraged. Whoever came here, shot at people I loved, I was done. They were going to get their ass handed to them, possibly literally with me. But he was right. My switch was retired. I wouldn’t put people I loved in danger, but I wasn’t running. He couldn’t ask me to do that. “We all have phones that’ll work. I’m sure there’s one in the house.”
“Molly.” His hand was twisting in my dress, but I saw the fear in his eyes.
I still shook my head. “Do not send me off on a fool’s errand because you want me to be safe. I’m not safe, no matter what. Heartbreak or physical pain, it’s all the same to me.”
He straightened back up, his eyes glittering, and he pressed his mouth in a firm line.
I clipped my head in a nod. “Right. I’ll lead.” I took a step forward but was hauled back.
Ashton was glaring at me. “Leave!”
“No,” I hissed back.
He groaned.
“We don’t have time for this.”
“I’m aware,” he shot back.
Bang, bang, bang!
Pop!
There were more screams, more shouting.
I couldn’t make them out, but Ashton leaped into action, turning in midair, and he shoved out of the shed. His gun was up, and he was shooting before I could see what was ahead of us.
“Agh!”
Bang!
That was Ashton. He kept running, and he kept shooting, until I heard a sudden thud ahead.
I moved around him. A man had fallen to the ground, and Ashton went right up to him, nudged him over, and shot him in the face.
I gasped, jumping back.
Ashton spared me a look, but his eyes were hard. The cruel Ashton had returned. I fought down a shudder because he was so different from the man holding my face, telling me he loved me.
A shot rang out from our left.
Ashton moved, his arm sweeping me behind him, and he was shooting back at the same time.
That guy fell, too, his gun falling far from his body.
A hand appeared, and Ashton barked, “Don’t!” His gun was still up, and he walked over until whoever was reaching for the gun froze. It was a female hand. Her other hand showed. “Get out here. Now.”
Nea came out, standing on shaking legs. Her face was pale, her lip trembling. Her eyes were so big and scared. “It’s just me, Ashton.”
I frowned. I didn’t like how she said his name, like she knew him, knew him.
“Step away from that gun, Nea.”
“Ash—”
“Now!”
Her whole body jumped, but she scrambled away, coming more into the open. Her hands were still out. “I was just scared. That’s all. I don’t know what’s going on here.” She pointed behind where she’d been hiding. Her finger was still wobbling. “There—others. There are others hiding back there.”
Others? Every part of my body wanted to run around him, get in there, save who else was in there, but no. I cursed but held back.
Ashton went first, and I peeked right behind him. Instant relief flooded me, seeing Nurse Sloane, but also Sophie and Pialto. Nurse Sloane was sitting, her knees to her chest, haunted eyes looking at me. Sophie and Pialto were huddling together, their arms and legs around each other.
I cursed, first touching Nurse Sloane’s knees, but then I put the safety back on before I threw myself into Pialto’s and Sophie’s arms. Both circled me, pulling me into their huddle. Their arms wrapped around me. Sophie was crying. Pialto was smoothing down my hair. “Oh, thank goodness. You’re okay.”
Sophie held me so tight I couldn’t get air. “Thank God, thank God, thank God,” she kept on repeating, and Pialto was thanking God, too, looking up in the air and giving a cross motion with his other hand.
Then, suddenly, a hush came over them.
I turned, seeing Ashton standing there. Nea was a bit away from him, farther back. He had his gun, and he motioned to us. “Everyone, come out here.”
We did.
Ashton pointed ahead, to the right. “Go that way. There’s a safe room where you can hide.”
Pialto’s sigh of relief was loud.
Sophie choked on a laugh, tucking her head down.
Ashton was giving me a slight “WTF” look, but I motioned for him to leave it alone. Both did odd things when they were uncomfortable. Sometimes, I thought it was the basis of our relationships, besides me employing them.
