Page 112 of Always Right

“Where’s the bitch?”

I sucked in a ragged breath when I heard a pained groan and then another loud thump.

I can’t stay here.

I can’t stay here.

My feet moved before I could even process what I was doing and I rushed toward the violent sounds of fighting and things falling...but I wasn’t prepared, not for the sight in front of me. Eugene, worn and exhausted and completely different than I remembered, struggled with Derek, pulling away from him as Derek tried to pry something shiny and metallic from his hands.

A gun.

Oh, God.

A gun.

There was blood on Eugene’s lip and it looked like he wasn’t completely focused, but the rage on his face was palpable.

I was in too much shock to react, standing still as I saw everything unfolding in front of me. It wasn’t until Eugene landed a hard punch to Derek’s side, enough to cause Derek to wince that I reacted, the sound too much for me to bear.

“I’m here! Stop, please stop! I’m here!”

Everything stilled.

My gaze locked on Eugene who seemed to have seen a ghost. My heart pounded against my chest as I stood there, frozen.

“I’m here, Eugene. What do you want?”

It all happened so fast I barely had time to react.

Derek turned to face me, his eyes wide and full of a terror I had never seen before and then the gleam of perverse satisfaction on Eugene’s face appeared.

And then the gun was pointed at me.

Seconds.

It all changed in seconds.

In Derek’s momentary distraction, the few moments he looked at me, were enough for Eugene to pull the trigger.

The sound of the gun going off echoed and I ducked, covering my ears at the sound. Derek shouted my name and ran toward me, jumping over the small end table beside the sofa and then I heard it again, two more gunshots, except that time, when I ducked, Derek was shielding my body.

I wanted to say so much.

I wanted to fast forward into our happy ending.

But the right side of his shirt quickly turned red.

His face paled and he stumbled back, a pained gasp escaping past his lips.

“Fuck,” he muttered, and though he struggled to breath, I could see him trying to steady himself, taking in a deep breath.

One that caused him pain.

“Oh my god, Derek!”

His hand went to his side, trying to hold on to the wound to stop the bleeding but it wasn’t enough. His hand was soon covered in blood and I knew it then...I knew it in my heart...I have to end this.

I saw red.

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