Page 84 of His Haunted Desire
CHAPTER 31
AURORA
It’s a testament to how close we’ve become that Raiden understood what I was telling him just through the look on my face. I understood what he was saying too.
Don’t do it. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to you.
Sebastian glares at me, furious that I grabbed his hand and jerked it upward. Plasterboard flakes away from the ceiling and falls on us like snow from the bullet.
My ears ring, skull splitting with the noise as I try to wrench the gun from him. He growls and drives against me, shoving us both against the wall.
“Fucking bi?—”
Suddenly, a strong arm wraps around his neck and drags him backward. Raiden grabs Sebastian’s wrist and violently jerks it upward. There’s asnappingsound as it breaks, and the gun falls to the floor. Sebastian begins to howl and moan as Raiden squeezes his neck, turning his face red.
His legs kick as Raiden chokes him until he falls unconscious.
Raiden drops him on the floor then quickly grabs the gun, backing up and aiming it at him.
“Both of you, behind me. Now.”
I feel like I’m in a dream–no, a nightmare–as I hide behind his broad back.
Evangeline clutches me.
“That was so brave,” she whispers between tears.
“And stupid,” I say.
Sebastian wakes up, rubbing his head, looking around the room before his gaze settles on us. “Fuck,” he grunts.
“Fuckis right,” Raiden snaps. “You’re going to sit right there as we call the police. Make one move and you’ll see what I learned in the Marines.”
“You’d shoot your own brother?”
“You put a gun against my woman’s head,” Raiden says fiercely. “I wouldn’t just shoot. I’d empty the gun, reload, and then shoot some fucking more.”
It’s useless to say or even think that I’m not his woman. The description feels like it fits. There’s nothing like a life-or-death experience to show a person what they truly feel.
I go to the corner of the room, pick up the landline, and dial911.
It’s almost midnight when I finally return to the shop. Evangeline and Raiden come inside with me, waiting downstairs as I check on Grandma. Ellie is asleep in the armchair, and Grandma is sound asleep on her bed.
I gently kiss Grandma on the forehead. I don’t have the heart to wake either of them. I haven’t told them what happened yet, only that the party ran over and I was going to be home late.
Downstairs, the three of us gather in the store.
“Will our statements be enough?” Evangeline murmurs. “To make sure he doesn’t come back?”
“There will be DNA on Grayson. He’s killed a man. He tried to kill us. He’s going to prison for the rest of his life, Grandma.” Raiden runs a hand through his hair. “We’ll never have to worry about him again.”
She sits with her hands clasping her knees tightly. “He tried to turn me against you. Against Julian too. The worst part is, when they were taking him away in cuffs, I feltbadfor him. All his life, he’s been ignored, shunned. And now he’ll be in a cage. Forever. I feel responsible.”
“He killed an innocent man,” Raiden snarls. “He put a gun to Aurora’s head. I’m not going to lose any sleep over him.”
“What now?” Grandma says.
Raiden approaches and pulls me into a hug. We haven’t had any alone time since the cops arrived and we gave our statements. Now, I sink against him. I didn’t realize how traumatizing thisexperience was until I collapse into his embrace, his warmth enveloping me.
