Page 100 of Clap Back (Carter Brothers)

The question was, what did they do that gave me that impression?

I was halfway through getting my face cleaned up when I heard her.

I winced, looking at my face, and realized that there was nothing to be done for it.

The police department, and Brooks himself, had arrived while I was getting cleaned up.

So had the ambulance.

The medic was currently cleaning off my face in the bathroom, with me sitting on the edge of the claw foot tub, when Maven’s worried cries filled the room.

“Auden!” she cried out again.

I tapped the woman’s shoulder. “Give me a second.”

“Hey, you’re only losing blood. What do I care?” she quipped.

I ignored her and pressed the gauze I was using in between her cleaning back to my face.

Maven rounded the door of our bedroom just as I hit the mouth of the bathroom.

She took one look at me and went gray.

“I’m okay,” I told her. “I’m okay.”

She took a step toward me, and her knees went wobbly.

I had her in my arms in two steps, pulling her into my chest right where she belonged.

“Baby,” I said. “Listen to me.”

I heard her sniffling into my throat and squeezed her lightly. “Your brother intercepted Scott’s attempt at murdering me.”

She stiffened.

“Nothing else happened besides this,” I promised.

“What is this?” she whispered brokenly.

I swallowed, definitely not wanting to admit this part but…

“A gunshot wound,” I said.

She sounded much steadier when she said, “To the face?”

“He had the gun raised before I could comprehend,” I admitted. “It was stupid. I know better than to do what I did today. Years and years of training went out the window because I was sleeping.” And thinking about you. “It’ll never happen again, I swear it.”

She pushed lightly at my chest and said, “Get that fixed up enough that it’ll ride. We’re going to the hospital.”

I stepped backwards into the bathroom and said, “I’ll be quick.”

“He’ll be done when he’s done,” the paramedic said shortly.

Her temperament left a lot to be desired.

But I liked that she was thorough.

Her nametag read ‘Howe’ and I was curious of her first name.

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