Page 99 of Choosing Skyler

“I’ll give you money,” Brady says through clenched teeth. “How much do you want?”

Eric laughs again. “I want it all and I’ll get it. I’m your only living relative,son,” he sneers. “So, if you’re dead…” He shrugs like talking about killing is son is no different than talking about the weather.

“Wrong,” Brady says. “I’ve already filed my will with the courts. You won’t get a fucking thing if I’m dead.”

Eric glances at me. “You leave it all to her, huh?” He shakes his head admonishingly before shrugging again. “Well, ladies first, then,” he says before pointing the gun at me with a new determination in his eyes.

Just as his finger lands on the trigger, Brady shouts “No!” before shoving me sideways so hard that I stumble sideways.

Bang…Bang,I hear before falling to the ground.

Brady

I glance over at Skyler sleeping on the way home from the beach. It’s been an amazing day, but I know she’s exhausted. We barely made it out of the parking lot before her eyes closed. I’ve never understood how a day at the beach can be so relaxing and so exhausting at the same time. I smile as she snores softly, loving that she’s comfortable enough to sleep with me driving.

When I turn onto my street, I notice an old Dodge pickup in Timothy’s driveway. It definitely doesn’t look like something anyone he knows would drive. I plan to call him once we get inside. I push the button to open the garage door as I turn into my driveway. Then, I slam on the brakes in the driveway when I notice my front door has been kicked in.

“What the fuck?!” I yell, startling Skyler. “Stay here and call the police. I’m going to check inside. Donotget out of this car, Skyler.” I tell her, hopping out of the car and leaving it running.

“Brady, stop. Wait…” I hear her say before the car door closes and I’m running inside.

I look left and right as I enter the foyer. Then, I hear the laundry room door close and run toward the sound. I swing the door open and freeze at the sight of Eric standing in the open doorway to the garage with a gun pointed right at me.

“Hands up son, we’re gonna have a little chat,” Eric sneers.

I put my hands up in surrender, noticing Eric’s disheveled appearance. He looks like a man that’s been on a bender since the court hearing yesterday. He’s wearing the same clothes he was in at the hearing, but they are crumpled, and I can smell the stench of cheap whiskey seeping from his pores.

I’m thankful that I told Skyler to stay in the car, especially with Eric’s gun raised like he’s ready to shoot. My relief doesn’t last long, though. She comes running into the house screaming my name and my shoulders slump. I don’t want her anywhere near Eric at all, let alone with a gun pointed at us. I look over my shoulder as she runs up behind me.

He seems to think killing us will grant him the estate and money he lost in court. When he aims his gun at Skyler, I act without thinking, shoving her sideways.

Bang…Bang,I hear before falling to the ground.

Chapter 36

Skyler

I open my eyes to see Eric slump to his knees in front of us before falling over as a dark spot spreads across the chest of his dirty green shirt. I look up to see the police officer standing behind him with his gun still raised. I turn to Brady, relieved that the police got here in time to stop Eric from shooting us. That’s when I notice Brady laying on the ground next to me, his white shirt turning an alarming shade of red.

“Brady!” I yell, crawling over to him.

I pull him into my lap and try to see where the blood is coming from.There’s so much blood.It should bemyblood spilling on the white tile floor, not Brady’s. He literally jumped in front of a bullet that was meant for me. I have to stop it. I have to keep him with me. My hands frantically search his torso until I find the bullet hole in the middle of his chest and press down to try to stop the flow.

“Why would you do that?!” I cry as I hold him to me and blood pools around my hand on his chest.

He looks up at me and whispers, “Because I choose you, Beautiful. I’ll always choose you.”

Then his eyes close and he slumps into my lap.

“No! Brady! Stay with me! Ineedyou to stay with me!!!” I cry, but there’s no response.

I flinch when a heavy hand lands on my shoulder. I look up to see the policeman that shot Eric standing over me.

“Ma’am. I’m going to check his pulse, okay?” he asks.

I nod and he bends down and presses his fingers to the side of Brady’s neck before speaking into the mic clipped to his collar. “Suspect has no pulse, believed fatality. Gunshot victim has a pulse, but it’s thready and weak. Additional victim fell but doesn’t appear to be injured. Requesting separate transport for suspect and victims.” He turns back to me. “I need you to keep pressure on the wound but get back for the paramedics when they arrive. They’ll assess the damage and get him to the hospital if anything can be done,” he says like this is an everyday occurrence for him.

“If anything can be done?! You said he has a pulse. They have to help him! I’m not leaving him. You asked for separate transport but I’mnotleaving his side!” I cry hysterically.

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