Page 130 of Sweet Ruin

That I’d live to see another day.

Then, without warning, everything happened at once.

The sound of a gunshot ricocheted through the air. Someone screamed. It might have been me. One moment I was standing, and the next, I was being tackled to the ground as Noah threw his body on top of mine. All the air left my lungs as I hit the grass, and Noah’s weight was so heavy on me I couldn’t move.

The sound of the gunshot still echoed in my ears. It was all I could hear. I was in a total state of shock, and my body felt numb. Had I been shot? I couldn’t feel any pain.

“Isobel. Isobel, are you okay?” Noah asked. He pulled back to look at me. His eyes were already shining with tears as he held my face in his hands. “Please tell me you’re okay.”

“I’m okay.”

As the ringing in my ears faded, the sound of yelling made me look past Noah. I saw Wes wrestle William to the ground and pin him down. There were screams in the background and the sound of many footsteps pounding on the path and the grass around us. Some men appeared from all around and hurried to help Wes keep William Hastings secured.

“Are you sure you’re not hurt?” Noah asked.

“I’m not hurt.”

Noah’s forehead relaxed into mine as he released a breath. “Thank God.”

He went to lift himself off me, but as he drew back, my heart caught in my throat. There was blood staining his shirt.

I placed a hand against his chest, stopping him from moving. “Noah, you’re bleeding.”

Noah frowned as he looked down to where blood was pooling at his side. He winced as he pulled up his shirt to reveal a deep gash along his ribs. My stomach lurched with dread. Noah’s face grew pale, and he sank down on his knees.

“Someone call an ambulance,” I yelled at the gathering crowd. Tears welled in my eyes as I eased Noah onto his back and quickly put pressure on the wound to try to stop the blood from flowing.

“Ouch, that hurts,” Noah groaned.

“Of course, it hurts,” I gasped. “You’ve been shot.”

“It’s notthatbad,” he said. His skin was getting whiter by the second, and his voice caught on the words.

“Are you crazy?” I asked. “Why would you jump in front of a bullet for me?”

He was lying on the ground with a gunshot wound at his side, yet somehow, he was able to smile. “It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

He winced suddenly though. I didn’t have any idea how to tend to his wound, and I hoped I was doing the right thing. Thankfully, one of the men who’d been helping restrain William ran over. He pulled off his jacket and used it to help stem the flow of blood.

I moved out of the way as he took over, but I grasped Noah’s hand tightly as we waited for the ambulance to arrive. Noah kept trying to say he was fine, but I think it had to be shock. At least he was still talking, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to breathe properly again until I was sure he was going to be okay.

I was so focused on Noah I barely noticed as my father’s security detail began to lead William away. They had to walk right past us though, and the cruel smile William gave his grandson when he saw him lying on the grass was haunting. His eyes had been filled with such cold loathing as he looked at the two of us, and I knew I’d never feel safe until he was behind bars.

The paramedics arrived moments later, and William was put to the back of my mind. I tried to keep out of the way as they assessed Noah, but it was hard when I knew he was in pain. I wanted to be at his side, holding his hand, and when they lifted him onto a stretcher, I rushed back over to him.

“Are they taking you to the hospital?” I asked.

“Yeah, apparently these gunshot wounds are serious business.”

I shook my head at him. It was still too early to joke.

“I’ll be fine,” he said.

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

He gave me a weak smile, trying to reassure me he would be okay, but it was hard to watch him go. I’d almost lost my mom a week ago, and now Noah. I couldn’t bear to take my eyes off him for one second after what we’d been through.

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