Page 60 of Seized by the Lawman

Realization swept over his scrunched features. He pulled his knife from his pocket as he grabbed Melly’s arm tight. She tried to pull away, but he held her in his grasp and her knees went weak. The knife came up and she sidestepped him, the blade missing the target and sliced into her arm. About the same time she heard noises, yells and a flash, followed by Spider being thrown off his feet and onto the ground. Blood splattered his chest and a droplet of crimson rolled from the corner of his mouth. His eyes were open, but death had snatched his last breath.

She heard a voice, but they came through a tunnel as her vision became blurry. Nix was next to her, holding her, his hand pressing hard against her arm as he yelled, “Get a fucking ambulance.”

“He’s dead though,” she heard herself whisper, but it seemed far away.

“Not for him, sunshine.” There was a nervous cadence to Nix’s voice. He picked her up into his arms and she watched as the team shuffled around her. “Did you call for an ambulance?”

“Got it!” One of the men said from somewhere in the background.

“Wh-what happened?” Her vision grew fuzzier. Then she felt pain and looked down at the blood gushing from her arm as she was placed in someone’s car. She watched in a daze as Nix tore off his shirt and tied it around her arm, and then she realized she must have been bleeding bad. “Nix?”

“It’s okay, sunshine. It’s okay. You’ll be fine. You’re so brave, baby. We got the guy thanks to you.” Although he appeared calm, the trembling in his voice warned her the wound was serious. “Where is that fucking ambulance?”

And then her father appeared over Nix’s shoulder. He was as pale as a ghost. “Dad? What are you doing here?”

“For you, sweetheart. You hang in there.”

Nix left her side and she wanted to complain, but she couldn’t find her voice. She heard him say through her brain fog, “We don’t have time to wait for the paramedics. I’m taking her myself. I’ll get her there.”

“I’m following,” her father said.

And then she seemed to drift away into a dreamlike trance and a warmth spread over her.

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