20
Denim
Iripped off my shirt and pressed it to Jade’s chest.
She winced, laboring for breath, as tears dropped down her pretty face. “It hurts.”
I wasn’t a religious man by any means, but I started praying to anyone who would listen. My worst nightmare was playing out before me. The reason I didn’t get involved with a woman was because of my enemies. The reason I’d said goodbye to Jade in high school was because of my enemies.
I’d witnessed firsthand how Hector had changed after his number one enemy killed his girl. The hate and revenge had driven him and those close to him crazy, including me.
I gritted my teeth, not only because I wanted to kill whoever had put a bullet in Jade, but to prevent me from losing my shit. I had to be strong for her. I had to show her confidence. I had to show her the wound wasn’t that bad even though it was probably life-threatening.
She gasped for air.
The screams and voices in the room dulled as I tuned out everything. I had to focus on what to do next.
Think, man.
Dillon! He had some CPR and medical experience from the merchant marines. But Jade needed a doctor.
Mallory crawled over. I had no idea where she’d gone. “Oh my God! What can I do?”
Jade tried to speak as her chest heaved. “Den—”
“Shhh, baby.”
“We need to get her to a hospital,” Mallory said.
I didn’t see that happening anytime soon as I scoured the three exits. There was one on each side of the bar in addition to the main entrance. All were jammed with frantic people pushing and shoving to get out. I did another quick scan to see if I could spot the shooter, but my search came up empty.
The dude from Jade’s office building came out of nowhere and sucked in a breath. “I’ll go get help.”
“Wait,” I said to the guy.
His face was pale. “I’m Todd.”
I checked the glass room, but I didn’t see anyone. Maybe Duke and Dillon had taken cover. The people who had been lounging on second floor were pushing to get down the stairs.
“Can you go up to the glass room and get my brother, Dillon?” I asked Todd.
“Dark shoulder-length hair,” Mallory said. “Just yell out his name. Go!”
Todd darted off into the crowd.
My breathing ramped up as I searched heads and faces that time in more detail. Not one was Tito, and nobody resembled the dude who’d shot at me outside Jade’s office building.
The shooter had to be on the second floor considering the trajectory of the bullet.
“Maybe I can find a doctor or nurse.” One of these yahoos in the club had to have medical experience. “We should move her behind the bar just in case.”
Mallory’s hair fell out of her updo as she slid her hands in place of mine. “No. She’s too injured. Go. Find someone.”
She was right.
I kissed Jade on the lips. “I’m going to get help.”
The light in her eyes was slowly dying out.
