Page 106 of Meant to Be
Julia glared at Sydney with accusing eyes. “You’re supposed to be meeting Patrick.”
Sydney wiped her tears. “I am.”
“Then why is he here? You said it was over with him. You always say it’s over and then you fall back in his bed.”
“That’s not what’s happening.”
“Why don’t you leave her alone?” Julia’s nostrils flared.
He started to reply when Julia pointed a .22 caliber pistol at him.
“Julia, what are you doing?” Sydney shot up and stood in front of him.
Mitch’s instincts had him jumping up and pushing Sydney behind him. Not that she’d stay there. She kept trying to get to Julia. He was in a tug-of-war as he figured out how to keep Sydney out of bullet range while disarming Julia.
Julia stepped back, out of his reach. “I’m doing what I should have done the first time. He only hurts you, Sydney. Why do you keep letting him? Patrick can give you everything.”
Mitch’s eyes and brain worked overtime. He scanned the area, discouraged by all the people and children who could be hurt if he handled it wrong.
“What are you talking about? Put the gun away. Julia, this is—” Sydney tried again to move forward.
“Do you see I’m trying to protect you?” Mitch pushed her back. He’d liked her newfound assertiveness, but now it scared him to death.
“It’s not me she wants to hurt.” Sydney pushed him.
“Not this time.” Mitch pushed her back.
Sydney stopped abruptly. Her gaze shot to his. Her mouth fell open. She turned to Julia. “You stabbed me. You tried to kill me.”
“I wasn’t trying to kill you. I was trying to make you see how good Patrick is. He took good care of you. He’s always there for you. We always said we’d be together. The three musketeers.”
The fight went out of Sydney, allowing Mitch to push her back behind him. “I’m not a threat to the three of you being together.”
“Yes, you are.” Her voice was matter-of-fact, but she waved the gun threateningly, and Mitch hoped to hell that she’d had enough training with it to not accidentally set it off.
He lifted his hands in surrender, unable to decide if the sudden calm in Julia’s voice was a good sign. “I’ll admit I came here hoping to have another chance, but she was telling me to take a hike. She doesn’t love me.”
“Yes, she does. She always has. And as long as you’re alive, she always will.”
How ironic that the words he wanted to hear — that Sydney loved him — came from the woman about to kill him.
“Even so, she’s not willing to risk it. Let her go.” Movement behind Julia caught his eye. Patrick. “Your brother is coming. Let him take Sydney away from here.”
“Of course I will. It’s you I’m getting rid of.”
“Julia, no.” Sydney escaped from his protection and made a grab for the gun, but Mitch held her back again.
“What’s going on?” Patrick’s expression turned from curious to alarmed the moment he saw the gun. “No, Julia. What are you doing?”
“I’m protecting my family.”
Bullets were fast, but Mitch had a nanosecond to realize Julia had fired the gun before the bullet pierced his chest. Even as he fell back, he tried to block Sydney. His head hit something… the park bench?… before he landed on the ground. Whatever he bashed his head against hadn’t been hard enough. He was going to be conscious during his death.
Fire burned in his chest. He could feel the blood and life draining from him.
“Mitch!” Sydney dropped to her knees beside him, pressing the handkerchief to his chest.
“Jesus, Juls, what did you do?” Patrick’s panicked voice cut through the fog.
