Page 75 of Under Their Protection

“No, I just saw movement. You’re lying. Who is it?” he asks.

“No one is in the office, Isaac,” I say, getting nervous as he walks closer. Isaac goes to step past me and I shove him backward in an attempt to keep him from Theo.

“It’s that fucking shrink. You fucking whore,” he screams at me. Before I can register his movement he lunges for me with the gun raised. I put my arms out to try to push him away, but the gun goes off and I freeze. My entire body goes numb in an instant. Another round goes off in the room and Isaac hits the floor right as I come down to my knees. I touch my abdomen and when I look at my hand it is covered in blood.

“Anika!” Rowan screams as Theo brings me to the ground.

“Go get help,” Theo says. Max turns and runs to the front door.

“I’m sorry,” I say, forcing my words out.

“Don’t apologize, Anika. I need you to hang on for me, okay?” Theo says calmly. He presses something to my abdomen and I scream. “I know, baby. I know it hurts.”

I reach for Rowan, and he takes my hand. “Please take care of Mia. Please,” I whisper.

“You are going to be fine, Anika. You just have to hang on a little while longer, okay?” he says through his tears.

“I’m tired,” I mumble.

“I need you to stay awake, Anika. You hear me! You have to stay awake,” Theo says sternly.

“I just want to sleep,” I whisper, closing my eyes.

“No, no, no. Stay awake, Anika,” Theo says as one of them pats my cheek.

“I’m sorry. I love you guys,” I mumble.

“Nika. I have help. You’re going to be okay,” Max says from somewhere.

“I love you,” I mumble. “I’m sorry.”

“I love you too, Nika. You can make it up to us later. You have to hang in there, okay?” Max says.

“I don’t feel good,” I mumble. Someone lifts me from the ground and places me on a stretcher. I can hear the wheels moving me. The world around me is blurry and then voices seem far away now. They sound pleading, but I can’t make out what they are saying anymore. My body feels light and I feel at peace. I just want to go to sleep.

“I’m sorry.”

Chapter Eleven

Rowan

“Are you her husband?”The paramedic asks me.

“Yes,” I answer, still holding Anika’s hand. I am trying not to panic. She’s breathing still. She will be fine.

“We can bring you with us. They’ll have to follow,” she says.

“Okay. Guys, find the others and meet us there,” I tell them as I toss Anika’s keys to Max. He looks like he is hardly holding on. “Max, don't fall apart on me, man. Anika needs us, okay?”

“I’ve got him. You go,” Theo says as I step up into the ambulance with Anika. Theo may sound and appear calm but the look in his eyes say something completely different. He loves her and he’s terrified, just like me and Max.

“Mercy Vale Memorial this is Ambulance 8274 do you copy?” The paramedic says into her radio.

“Go ahead, Ambulance 8274,” a voice says.

“We have an incoming trauma. The patient is a twenty-six-year-old female with a GSW to the abdomen. Significant blood loss. She is unconscious and hypotensive. BP is 41/60 and declining. Herpulse is 197. ETA five minutes. She is going to code so have trauma on standby,” she explains.

“Fuck. She’s gonna die,” I say out loud to myself. I keep holding her hand. I’m afraid if I let go then she will, too. I need her to know I’m still here.

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