Page 117 of Faith
Nina looked into Frannie’s eyes. “For shooting her. Said I’m just like my father and brother and her. That I’m a killer like she always knew I would be.”
“Even in her last moments, she manipulated you. She lied to you and tried to control you. None of that is true,” Frannie said.
“It is, though. I did kill her. I shot her. She’s dead because of me.”
“She’s dead because of herself. Because she tried to kill all three of you tonight, and you were defending yourself. You didn’t do anything anyone else wouldn’t have done in the same situation.”
All the women nodded in agreement.
“But—”
“I’ve done it,” Raina said. “I would do it again.”
“I wanted to,” Stacey confessed. “I thought about it so many times.”
“Me, too,” Karli and Jessica said together.
“It’s not easy to take a life. To feel responsible for ending someone’s time on earth. But you didn’t get to that point the same way Gwendolyn did. You didn’t kill her for fun.” Frannie squeezed Nina’s hand.
“I wanted her dead. I thought about it for a long time. The night I left…” Nina rubbed her throat. “I would have killed her that night if I’d had the chance.”
“But you didn’t. Even if you had, she wasn’t a good person. The things you’ve been through…” Stacey shook her head. “You are strong, Nina. So strong. For getting away, for building a life with Zeke, for facing Gwendolyn again. Don’t let her take anything else from you.”
“Zeke,” Nina whispered. “She might have taken him.”
“The doctors are going to do everything possible to make sure that doesn’t happen.” Raina rubbed Nina’s back and hugged her side.
“He said he loved me,” Nina confessed.
The women all smiled and congratulated her.
“Then he stopped breathing. I didn’t have a chance to say it back. He just…”
“You will tell him as soon as he wakes up,” Frannie said. “And he’s going to wake up. We are sending him all the positive energy and prayers we have. Everyone is.”
Nina looked around the room at all the people waiting for news about Zeke. Heads were bowed in prayer. Hands clasped together in groups. Soft voices spoke to each other.
Love filled her for all the people in the room. People she didn’t know, but who showed up for the man she loved. People who were there for them, no matter what.
She looked at the women around her, and she knew they were the same. The Curvy Vigilantes had supported her since they met. They’d welcomed her in and gotten to know her andfought right along with her, even if they didn’t all know each other the whole time.
Nina reached for Raina and Karli’s hands. Both women held her hand tightly and reached to hold another woman’s hand. They circled around Nina, giving her their strength.
For the first time since the gun went off, Nina believed Zeke would be okay. She believed everything would be okay. Because Gwendolyn was dead, and she would never hurt anyone else again. And Nina was not alone. She had her brother, and Zeke, and her new friends.
“Is it Zeke?” Monty asked, his voice low and scared.
“You’re here,” Nina said, jumping up and rushing to Monty.
“Is he dead?” Monty hugged her tight, wincing when she squeezed back.
“What? Why would you say that?” Nina asked.
“You’re all sitting here and holding hands. You’re crying. What am I supposed to think?”
“We haven’t heard,” Frannie answered, joining Nina and Monty. “Come sit. Did you get stitches?”
“I’m fine,” Monty said, brushing off Frannie’s concern. “I don’t want to miss any updates on Zeke.”
