Page 111 of Five for Silver

“God damn it,” Romeo snarled.

Blood dripped through his fingers and randown his arm.

“Romeo?” Chad breathed. His eyes were wide,fixed on Romeo’s bloody arm.

“Oh, my god,” Lucy gasped staggeringback.

She held the gun up again. This time ittrembled. Chad put himself between Romeo and the muzzle despiteRomeo attempting to shove him away.

Lucy pulled the trigger.

The gun misfired.

Lucy gasped again, hurrying back a few moresteps as she fumbled with a cartridge, pulling it from her jeans.She slotted it into the chamber before snapping the gun shut.

Chad was on his feet, moving on autopilot asLucy tried to take aim.

“Chad!” Romeo shouted, but he darted fromhis reach.

Chad grabbed the gun, too, not letting Lucypoint it towards him or Romeo, it ended up between them.

Their feet slipped in the mud.

Lucy’s eyes were wide, and a tear ran downher cheek. Chad felt one on his own face, hot as it trailed overhis cool skin and clung to the edge of his jaw.

“You really shouldn’t have done that.”

The second she’d seen Romeo— it could onlyever end one way. Lucy’s bottom lip shook as she tried to pull thegun from Chad’s grip, but he didn’t let go. He was close enough toher that he could see the terror in her eyes, growing as hisexpression lost all emotion.

She’d hurt Romeo.

“You’re … a detective.”

Blood had soaked into her coat, strainingthe blue a dark grey.

Chad could see it on her throat and cheektoo, speckled flakes like a spray had dried on her skin. He knew itwas more likely James’s blood than Romeo’s, but just the thought ofRomeo’s blood.

Romeo, Romeo, Romeo.

The bright red of it filling the gaps ofRomeo’s fingers while he tried to cover the wound.

It made Chad dizzy.

Chad could smell Romeo’s blood in the air.It made his heart pound, his veins fizzle and his mind fill withangry static.

She knew Romeo was alive. She’d seen him.She’d hurt him.

“The detective comes second.”

Lucy had her forefinger hooked around thetrigger, but she wasn’t applying pressure with the gun pressedbetween them. Chad shoved the gun at her. It knocked her chin, herteeth clicked. The muzzle slid beneath, pressing into her softflesh. Her eyes grew impossibly wide.

“I’m sorry.” Chad squeezed his hand overhers, crushing her finger into teasing the trigger.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered again, “this is myfault, I know it is, but Romeo will always come first.”

Chad wrapped his free arm around Lucy’sback, stopping her from escaping, then squeezed his fingers down onhers and closed his eyes.

Chapter Twenty

---