Page 18 of Proof

Everything after that happened in slow motion. I yelled at the kid to drop to the ground. Despite the loud music, he somehow heard me and followed the order, but not before the gunman stood. He aimed his gun at the boy, forcing me to step in the alley so I could take my shot. I yelled loud enough to divert the man’s attention so that he’d aim the gun at me, which he did.

Unfortunately, my brain chose that moment to do what it had been doing to me for months.

It failed me.

A grainy image appeared in my head followed by a current of electricity that made it feel like someone was trying to hot-wire my brain. Cold, wet asphalt met my body as it crumpled to the ground. Darkness surrounded me as ice began to spread from my gut out to my limbs. I could see the stars glittering in the night sky and all I could think was I had to be dreaming because the sky was never clear in LA. I heard someone yelling my name but then it was silent. I tried to fight the darkness that was there to steal me away from the night sky, the stars, and the familiar voice that had called out to me, but it was no use.

I had to go wherever the darkness was taking me, so I closed my eyes and hoped that when I woke back up, all those things would still be there. The night sky, the stars, and most importantly, that voice.

CHAPTER 7

Cass

“JJ.”

I kept repeating his name over and over because JJ seemed to be locked within himself. His eyes were open and he was still standing in the same spot he’d been in, but he hadn’t spoken or moved.

JJ’s response, or lack thereof, along with the close call was scaring the ever-loving shit out of me.

“Get back in the house,” I yelled at the kid who was still crouched on the ground. “Call 911.”

The kid took off, leaving me alone with JJ and the body of the man I’d shot.

“JJ,” I said again as I carefully turned him toward me. “JJ, baby, can you hear me?” I ran my palm along his cheek. My adrenaline was flying sky high.

Just like the night I’d watched JJ fall to his knees and then onto his back on the hard asphalt of a quiet street, I knew what had just happened would be a memory that would also haunt me for the rest of my days.

When I’d pulled my vehicle to a stop across the street from the actress’s house only a few minutes earlier, I’d been preparedto sit on my ass all day as I shadowed JJ. Then I’d seen him and another man exit their car, guns drawn. I’d immediately gotten out of my car and sprinted to the house, but I’d lost precious seconds as I’d climbed over the fence that lined the front of the actress’s property. My boots had just hit the driveway when I’d heard the gunshot.

The discharging weapon had immediately thrust me into the past and fear for JJ had taken over. I’d reached the back of the house just in time to see him climbing to his feet from beneath the upper floor balcony and running toward the steep slope behind the property. It hadn’t mattered to me who he had been chasing. All that had mattered was getting to JJ so I could back him up. The dry, crumbling soil and long brush had threatened to steal my feet right out from under me as I’d run full speed down the hill.

I’d reached the neighborhood below the actress’s house just as JJ had called out an order for someone to put down their weapon. I’d hugged the shadows of the tree-lined sidewalk until I’d made it to where his voice had come from.

There’d been no preparing myself for what I’d seen.

JJ standing in the entrance of an alley, weapon drawn but no cover to protect himself. The kid I’d ordered to call 911 had been crouched on the ground and there had been a man pointing a gun in the boy’s direction. I’d expected JJ to take his shot while the gunman was momentarily distracted by the kid’s presence, but he had merely stood there, his finger on the trigger. My heart had nearly stopped when the gunman had aimed his weapon at JJ.

And still, JJ hadn’t pulled the trigger.

I had my brutal military training and the chaos of combat to thank for what had happened next. I’d managed to step into the street about a hundred feet behind JJ and had pulled the trigger before I’d even come to a stop. My shot had cleared JJ’s body bya few inches before hitting the gunman in the head. As badly as I’d wanted to get to JJ, my training had forced me to go to the gunman to kick his weapon away from him before confirming he was dead. It was only then that I’d been able to get to JJ.

“JJ,” I repeated as I stroked his ashen face. I could hear sirens in the distance. I hoped to God that an ambulance was among them.

“Cass?” he murmured in confusion. Before I could confirm it was me, JJ moaned and grabbed his head, his fingers pressing against the scar that began at his temple and presumably ran the length of his head.

“Fuck,” he whispered as he bent over in pain.

“Breathe, JJ,” I said uselessly because I didn’t know what else to do. “Just breathe.”

I supported JJ as he crouched down. He didn’t sit, but he did cover his right eye with his hand. Fear consumed me just like it had when I’d held his nearly lifeless body in my arms. This time, though, JJ responded to my words. He began taking in deep breaths and holding them before letting them out.

“That’s it, baby,” I said as I rubbed his back. I kept silent after that as I let JJ work through the pain. Sweat dotted his brow, and his body twitched now and then. It seemed like hours had passed before he whispered something that I couldn’t make out.

“Cass?”

“Yeah, I’m here,” I responded. I couldn’t help but press my temple against his as I silently thanked whatever deity had been watching over him.

“What… what?” JJ asked as he tried to stand. He couldn’t do it on his own, so I wrapped my arm around his waist and supported his body until he stood up. I kept my hold on him until he finally started to become aware of his surroundings.

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