Page 44 of A Reaper's Devotion
At the same time, she heard a commotion as Cyrus, Daniel, Old Sheriff Billy, as well as several other men were close.Hank was there and George, and a couple of others that surprised her.
They were not in time, because Ray, who looked like he had seen a ghost, had snuck up on this man and thrust a blade deep into his neck, killing him.The moment the man dropped, Ray collapsed to the floor and Willow went to him.He had the gunshot wound at the shoulder, and it looked like he had another to his abdomen.He put his hand to his stomach, and Willow pressed on his wound.
“We need a medic,” Willow said.
The Reapers all responded and Cyrus was there.“Hey, man, what the fuck?”
“I wasn’t going to allow that shit to happen to your girl,” Ray said.“I fucked up before, not now.”He let out a cough.
Daniel moved closer.
Ray had saved her.
“I ...uh, I wanted to give you this.”Ray put a hand toward his jacket and then coughed.Willow helped him by reaching into his pocket.There was a single white envelope, now covered in blood.“I shouldn’t have—”
“Damn it, Ray.Shut the fuck up!He gets it.You’re sorry for the way shit went down, but you need to stop.You’ve been shot, and we all get it, okay?Just rest.Just stop and rest.”
They all attended to Ray.Several of the guys, including Old Sheriff Billy, dealt with the body of the guy who was shooting.
Within the hour, the body was gone and the guys were already starting to look at repairing the house.
Willow made her way to the kitchen and poured herself a tall glass of whiskey.Cyrus had a bottle.That was where he found her, drinking some whiskey.
“Are you okay?”Cyrus asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Do you want to come to the hospital?”
She took another sip of whiskey and nodded her head.“Yes.”
He went to her, cupping her face.“I’m sorry.”
Cyrus told her everything and Willow cupped his face and shook her head.“Stop.Stop worrying.”
“Babe, you ...that couldn’t have been easy.”
“I’m not nervous or scared about what happened to that guy.He hurt people.You’ve just told me that.He took on a new identity and continued to hurt people.For me, that’s not okay.”She let out a breath.“I don’t know if that makes me a good person or not.I don’t care that he’s dead.I’m glad.I thought he’d killed Ray and was going to kill me.”She stopped.“I’m worried about your brother.”
“Ray is going to be fine.”He pulled her into his arms.
She pressed her head against him.“I love you.That was all I could think about.That I loved you and felt like I didn’t tell you enough, so, Cyrus Tistleton, I love you more than anything in this world.”She tilted her head back.
“And I love you, Willow Evans, soon-to-be Willow Tistleton.”He cupped her face, then kissed her.“Come on, let’s go and see how Ray is doing.He’s not exactly a lover of hospitals.”
