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Hendrix had been crazed and that was less of a kiss and more of a strange pawing at my face with his. Shuddering, I lost sight of Ty for a moment and then I saw him charging toward me. At the same time, someone tried to grab my arm and haul me back, but I punched them in the face.
“Lia,” Ty bellowed. “Watch out!”
With a gasp, I saw that Hendrix had closed the distance between us, and that several of his men were guarding him and intent on me.
I took a deep breath and remembered what Ty had told me this morning — how Hendrix would be expecting Ty to take the shot, or even Daniel or Kir Volksov.
Standing outside in the garden, Ty had put his arms around me as we held the gun together, and I’d practiced taking shots.
You can do this,Ty had whispered into my hair.
I believe you.
He won’t be expecting it.
If I get a clear shot, I will take it.
But I think it will come down to you, Lia.
“This is for my mother,” I said and pulled out the gun that Hendrix had given me the previous night. None of his guards were paying attention but he skidded to a halt, mouth opening and closing. Hectic violence and rage clashed in his eyes, then he threw his elbow into one of his men's faces; grabbing at their gun.
He raised the gun, and I saw it rise in slow motion, blinking as he swung it around to aim at me, his mouth open in a snarl. But I’d already fired off a shot and as he pulled the trigger, spraying bullets, my bullet had torn through his chest.
Hendrix dropped the gun and fell to the ground, and I seemed to fall with him.
Then I realized that I was on the ground too, my ears ringing, a heavy body on top of me. With a gasp, I sat up and got out from underneath Ty.
Ty had thrown himself into the line of fire to protect me.
“No,” I gasped out and lifted blood-stained fingers to his face. “No, no,please.”
Silence wrapped around us and I distantly realized that the fighting was over.
Hendrix's men had lost. Michaelson guys were hurrying toward us, but none of them would get here in time.
“Ty, you can’t do this to me,” I said and pushed him from his side onto his back. His eyes were closed and his face pale. “You can’t leave me. You made me promise to stay by your side, and I…”
My eyes squeezed shut. “I love you so much, Ty. You have no idea. I had Flora sneak out to the store early this morning. It was to get a pregnancy test. I’m pregnant.” I sobbed now. “Thesickness, the mood swings… I was right. So, you need to be there for the baby — you have to come back to me, to us. We’re your family, Ty.” I bent my head and got out, “I’ll stay by your side, no matter what — no matter what you do.”
“I know,” said a voice and a hand squeezed mine.
Gasping, I looked down and saw Ty shake his head, his eyes a little unfocused as he gazed at me. “Sorry, I got the damn wind knocked out of me. I’m… I’m okay.”
“Oh my God,” I said and sniffed. “Danny.Danny!We have to get him to a hospital. We have to—”
“We have to calm down,” Daniel said. Suddenly, big hands were pulling me away from Ty, gentle but firm and I twisted to see Kir holding me. Daniel opened Ty’s jacket and shirt, frowning, then he yanked it open to reveal the armor beneath. It was dented and shot to hell, but there was no blood covering his chest or any vital organs. Even as Daniel helped Ty shrug out of the armor, I could tell the injury on Ty’s arm looked worse than it actually was from the way he moved his limbs. No muscle had been torn and after Daniel dabbed at the injury, I could see that it was deep but not serious.
“Hendrix grazed my arm, nothing more,” Ty grunted as Daniel helped him up and they locked hands briefly. “I’m okay, it’s not serious. Might need stitches, might not. But first…” His eyes flickered up, and a grin spread across his face. “Kir, you can let go of the woman you owe your favor to for killing your uncle's murderer.”
Kir let me go and I flew to Ty, sobbing and trying not to throw myself at him. He pulled me against his body, hugging me tightly and laughing.
“I knew you were actingpazza,so crazy last night,” Ty said. “But pregnant? Already? Damn, Lia, I can’t believe it.”
“I can,” Daniel said. “You’re like fuckin’ Catholic rabbits.”
“Yeah, happy rabbits,” Ty said and sat back; pushing my hair out of my face then holding my cheeks in the palms of his hands. Yanking me in, he kissed me hard and long. When finally we broke apart, he whispered, “There’s a lot of happy days waiting for us, Lia. That’s my promise to you.”
Even though I couldn’t stop crying, I smiled at Ty, knowing he was right.
