Page 27 of Reaper's Rival

“It’s just in the shoulder; I’m fine.”

I spun her around, staring into those crystal blue eyes. I wanted the truth, and she wasn’t giving it. She was far from fucking fine. Her eyes were flooded with tears. From me touching her? I frowned and pulled my hand off her shoulder. It was covered in blood.

“Guess I don’t have to worry about that tattoo anymore.” Her words were weak, but that right there was a strong fucking punch to the guts. The fucker had cut the skin off. I realized now why she cowered from my touch.

He was going to die, slowly, painfully, and at my hand.

It was choking me, watching her in pain. She could barely stand.

“So is this the reason you suddenly want to leave, Abby?”

My head snapped up and landed on a man that was the size of a fucking truck. Still, I could take him. But he had his gun pointed directly at us.

Roach raised his gun, being closer to the cunt than I was.

“Wasn’t like that, Damon.” Then everything happened in a blink of an eye.

Abby pushed me back, stood in front of me. Then the sound of bullets being fired echoed through the small kitchen.

It happened so quickly that I didn’t have time to pull my gun. My eyes darted from Damon, who was slumping over, Roach standing firm, his gun pointed. Then Abby fell backward into me. Linking my arms through hers, I guided her to the ground.

Wasn’t till I saw the blood that it clicked. I heard five bullets fired. Roach would have taken Damon out with one or two, which meant . . .

“Abby. ABBY!” I pressed firmly into her stomach. Blood. So much blood. But where was it coming from?

“Roach, we got a fucking problem over here. Abby’s been shot again.”

My girl was in trouble.

My life depended on this woman breathing. My life was nothing without her. She was my world, and my blood ran cold as I watched her fade away from me. I pressed firmly into her stomach, but it was like she was bleeding from everywhere at once.

Abby

The blood oozed from my chest, and it wasn’t pain consuming me, it was worry. The pain in Kade’s eyes was scaring me. His hands were pressed firmly into my chest. His lips were moving, but I couldn’t hear what he was saying. I didn’t want him in pain. He had to know it was ok.

I’d rather die for the man I love than anything else.

I’d die for Kade.

I wouldn’t take it back.

He was my reason. My everything.

Dad was at my side, then suddenly I wasn’t on the ground anymore, I was in his arms. I didn’t even have the strength to pull my arms up to cling to him. Instead, my arms were limp at my side.

Kade’s white shirt was covered in blood, so much blood. Was it all mine? I watched him drag his hands down the side of his face, leaving blood marks on his cheeks.

He was shouting at someone or something, I could tell because I had seen that face before, but usually fear didn’t capture his eyes as it did now. Kim stood in the doorway, tears running down her face, her hand reaching out for mine, squeezing it tightly. I wanted to squeeze back, to tell her I was ok.

I blinked, and tears slid from my eyes.

Where was Kade?

Why couldn’t I see him?

Dad was shouting at someone in our way. I could tell by the way his mouth was wider and the lines around his eyes deepened. He was scared too.

I had to tell him it was ok.

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