Page 123 of Cost of Courting

POP! POP! POP!

I jerk upright, my heart pounding, but I’ve no sooner gotten up than Bailey throws his entire self across me and slams us to the floor. My cheek is pressed to the carpet. The loud growl of Bailey’s breathing is in my ear.

He has me blanketed, and I can’t move, so I lie there and wait. And wait. I lie there listening to more pops coming from everywhere! Frustrated tears burn in my eyes.

Fucking Benson. That piece of shit, of course, he would target this neighbourhood. He would never fight an honest fight.

I hear the laughing catcalls of his disciples and struggle to get free of Bailey.

“Let me go!”

“No fucking way!” Bailey hisses. “You don’t know when a stray bullet will fly through and take you away from us. You stay here with me.”

I still struggle, but Bailey wraps his arms more securely around me and holds me in a way that I am not escaping from.

I can hear Mael cursing, and I know the other two are here somewhere. I twist my head around and find Shade under the bed. He lets out a deep and unsettled meow.

“It’s all right, Shade. It’s almost over.”

Another loud pop, and glass shatters somewhere in the house. Shade bolts.

“NO!”

Bailey’s quicker than I am and catches the cat with one arm. He tows him into us and holds perfectlystill.

The cars drive away, the revs of their engines disappearing into the night. But the sound keeps pulsing in my ears, I keep hearing it. Who is hurt? Is anyone dead?

Oh, my god, what have I done?

Bailey eases off me, and I jump up, rushing through the house. I grab my jumper and a pair of jeans and drag them on before I rush out onto the street.

“Is everyone all right?” I shout out.

A door five houses down bursts open, and a teenage girl runs towards me. I open my arms and catch her as she bursts into noisy tears.

“Mum’s at work. I didn’t know what to do, so I just hid and waited!”

“I know, Mercedes. You did so good. You are so brave,” I murmur and stroke her back.

Without me asking, Mael, Edric, Kingston, and Bailey fan out and start walking from house to house, checking on everyone inside.

Dot comes rushing out of my house, a backpack in hand. “Is anyone hurt?”

Cindy, Evie, and Peta jog from the end of the street. They’ve got a group of kids with them.

“Tiffany is opening up the community centre. We’re taking the kids there. It will be safer,” Cindy says.

I nod and hand Mercedes to Cindy. “You go with them. Tiffany will kick anyone’s butt who tries to hurt you.”

“What if they come back while we’re walking?” Mercedes almost shrieks.

I realise she’s losing it, barely holding it together, and cup her cheeks, lowering my head until we’re eye-to-eye.

“If they do, you will hear them, and Peta, Cindy, and Evie will get you safe and hidden. We’re not going to leave you.”

Her eyes fill with tears, and, once again, I’m left frustrated and hurting because I can’t stop this shit from happening. All I can do is clean it up and try to give them the best lives I can.

“Come on, sweetheart, let’s get you safe, warm, and back into a bed at the community centre.”

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