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Chunks of jagged glass spread across the sidewalk. Many of the storefronts downtown were relics in themselves and hadn’t been updated with anti-shatter glass.
The brick had created a hole in the window and bounced across the tattoo shop floor. A huge spider web pattern inched its way across the remaining glass.
Sylvie and MJ were crouched on the sidewalk beneath the window. I hadn’t even realized she was there but assumed theway news travels in this town, she and MJ had decided to come by when they heard something was happening.
MJ held Sylvie as Sylvie clutched her arm, from beneath her fingertips, her face pale and eyes wide.
“Oh shit, Sylvie,” MJ cried, alarmed.
My feet couldn’t get me there fast enough as I watched MJ rip off her heavy coat and immediately go into nurse mode. Sylvie had been wearing a thin jacket. It was the only one that still fit her, and she’d refused to let me buy her a new one. She called itpointlesssince she wouldn’t get much use out of it after the pregnancy. When she fell, a sliver of glass had torn through the thin fabric and into her forearm.
MJ’s hand clamped above where Sylvie was bleeding.
I crowded her space. “How bad is it?”
“I don’t know. Bad enough. We ducked to get out of the way of the brick and Sylvie slipped.” I didn’t miss the fleeting flash of panic in MJ’s eyes before she tamped it down and got to work, wrapping the belt from her own coat around the upper part of Sylvie’s forearm.
Sylvie sank down on her heels, holding her arm out as though she didn’t want to get any of her own blood on her belly.
I had pulled up my phone to call 911 when Kate’s hand stopped me. “I already called. They’re on their way.”
Howling buzzed in my ears as I looked on, helpless. Royal moved to his sister’s side while Kate, Lark, and Wyatt worked to disperse the crowd. In our small town, it was only a matter of minutes before the EMTs arrived, my brother included.
Lee spared only a quick glance to the storefront window before taking over and rushing to Sylvie’s side. I sagged in relief that he immediately went to help her instead of holding her last name against her.
Unable to help, I did the one thing I knew I could do. I turned to my cousin and hauled him off his ass by his collar. “Stand the fuck up.”
“Duke, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to— I didn’t think that?—”
“Yeah, no shit, you didn’t think.” I pulled him closer to the window so he could see what he had done and also see that people had gotten hurt.
Not just people, my person.
“Come on, man, let me go. It was just a joke.”
“This isn’t a fucking joke.” I was unhinged, rage clawing at my throat.
Royal stepped up beside me. “She’s okay, not as bad as it looked. Lee’s getting her wrapped up.”
I kept staring down at my cousin but spoke to Royal. “Call the sheriff.”
“The cops? Are you kidding me?” Matty whined. “You know Amy King will have my ass if she has the opportunity to arrest me. Come on, man.” He pleaded to Royal. “You’re not gonna press charges, are you? It was an accident.”
I tightened my grip around his collar and hauled him against me. “I don’t give a shit if he’s pressing charges about the window.I’mpressing charges. Assault. I don’t give a fuck if you’re a Sullivan or not.”
That was it. The line. The moment where Iknew.
Nothing and no one mattered more than her. I would choose Sylvie over all others, even a Sullivan.
Royal clamped a hand on my shoulder. “She’s asking for you.” My head whipped in his direction. “I’ll make sure he hangs around until Amy gets here. Go.”
I looked over his face and, with a nod, released Matty and walked to where my brother was putting the final touches on a bandage wrap on Sylvie’s forearm. Someone had draped a woolblanket over her shoulders, but she still shivered against the frigid February air.
Lee looked at her with a kindness I realized he reserved for all his patients. He was damn good at his job and loved what he did. Pride filled my chest for my little brother.
When Sylvie’s gaze lifted to mine, the tears that gathered on her lower lashes tipped over and streamed down her cheeks.
I brushed one away with my thumb as I crouched in front of her. “About gave me a heart attack, woman.”
