"They won't get far." Frost's expression was dark with fury. He looked ready to tear them apart with his bare hands.
I'd never seen him look so angry. Or angry at all. Any other time, the way his eyes flashed would have been hot. Right now, with my heart still racing, hands damp, I wanted to get out of here. I'd come way too close to dying today.
Sadie could have died.
"Who did this?" Dallas asked. "I should have been here to—" He shook his head. He looked ready to give up playing football and become my full-time bodyguard. He was already attached to me. If I was dead, he'd be devastated.
The other guys would be too, but if anything happened to me, he'd lose it. And vice versa.
I shook my head. "That's what I'd like to know. We need to get out of here. I want to get Sadie patched up properly."
"Sadie would like something for the pain," Sadie said. "I'll start with tequila."
"You can't have pain medication and alcohol," I told her. A fact she was well aware of, and we both knew it. Thankfully, she still had her sense of humour.
"Yes, Doctor Downer." She pouted playfully. She was smiling, but her eyes belied her pain. The glint of moisture suggested it was excruciating. She was trying very hard not to cry, or cry out.
She was tough, I had to give her that.
"Help me get her up," I said to the guys.
Dallas helped me to my feet, first before they reached down to draw her to hers.
She whimpered from the pain, but let us lead her to Frost's car, which was parked at an angle beside the curb. "Is this where you tell me I have to go to hospital?"
"My brother's place is closer," I said. "He'll have everything we need."
Right now, we'd be safer there than in a public place. We were vulnerable already. Exposed for long enough for someoneto take a shot at us. It never should have happened. I wasn't going to let it happen again. From now on, I'd be on my guard at every moment. I had to, this was exactly what happened when I let it slip. I owed it to myself and the people I cared about, to be more careful.
The guys helped Sadie into the back. I slipped in beside her, so I could keep the pressure on her wound. She wasn't in danger of bleeding out, but the less blood she lost, the better. Not to mention, she could clearly use the reassurance right now. If I was honest, I'd say I needed some of that myself.
Dallas hovered near the back of the car. He frowned like he wanted to sit beside me, but there wasn't room in the back of Frost's vehicle.
Frowning deeper, he reluctantly slipped into the front passenger seat. Before he even fastened his seatbelt, he was watching out the window. If anyone approached, he’d be ready.
No one did, but we got a lot of curious looks. Of course we did. Even in Dusk Bay, people didn't get shot in broad daylight every day. Every second day, maybe, but noteveryday.
As we pulled away from the curb, I watched out the window myself. Someone tried to kill me, and I wanted to know why. Did someone want to get to my brother or someone else in my family? It wasn’t unheard of, but this… It felt personal. This was about me.
They wanted me dead.
If they tried once and failed, chances were they'd try again.
"Was this something to do with the new coach?" Sadie asked. "People at the Smashers dropping like flies. First the GM, then the head coach."
"Then almost me," I whispered. "I'm so sorry I dragged you into this. If I had any idea it'd happen…" I wouldn't have stepped foot outside of Storm's apartment, much less met her out in public.
I blinked back tears that threatened to trickle down my cheeks. This was exactly why I didn't want anything to do with themafia shit, as the guys called it, that went on in this city.
The deeper people became involved, the greater the chance of things like this happening. Getting involved made you enemies. Enemies that wouldn't hesitate to end you, if you didn't end them first.
It was an ongoing cycle of violence I'd wanted no part of. But now, in spite of everything, I'd been dragged back into it. Whether I liked it or not.
"Of course you didn't," she said. "No one would go anywhere if they thought someone was going to take a pot shot at them." She winced again.
"I wouldn't have suggested we get together," I agreed. "After this, you should stay away from me. At least until we know what's going on and we’ve dealt with it."
She looked less worried than she should. And less inclined to lay blame on me.
