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AJ helped me stand, carefully avoiding my left arm. My wrist was bent at a nasty angle, swollen, and turning a frightening shade of purple. He tried to walk me out, but I refused to budge, not without Jack. I watched as John and Doug helped him stand. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. Not for a second. I was too afraid of losing him.

Jack must have seen the fear on my face because he held out his left arm, inviting me into a hug. Without hesitation, I stepped into his one armed embrace. He held me loosely and kissed the top of my head. “It’s over. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

“Is he really dead?” I turned to look at Sullivan’s body to confirm for myself, but AJ stepped into my line of sight. My head started spinning when I saw the pool of blood on the floor.

“He is.” Jamie answered as he slung a long rifle over his shoulder. He reached out a hand to support me as my knees buckled at the news. Sullivan was dead. My nightmare was finally over.

“Should have done it a few seconds sooner and spared me the pain.” Jack said through gritted teeth.Jamie shot Sullivan? When? How?

“Wasn’t a clean shot.” He shrugged as he looked from Jack to me and back to Jack.

The paramedics arrived as we walked out.

The sun was peeking over the horizon just like it did every day, not caring one bit about the hell I'd suffered over the last twelve hours.

Chapter 49

Jack

Irode in the ambulance with Meg. They tried to tell me no but Dad stepped in when he saw me arguing with the paramedic. Whatever he said was enough to convince them.

I kept my promise to Meg and refused to leave her side when they transferred her from the ambulance to the emergency room. I didn’t care if I annoyed the doctor and nurses.

I stood near the door, arguing with a nurse, “Listen, I’m her fiancé. She’s having a panic attack and won’t cooperate if I’m not in the room.” I kept my voice as calm as I could, more for Meg’s benefit than for the nurse’s. “So I’m staying.”

She sighed and backed down. “Fine.” She huffed out. “Just don’t get in my way.”

I nodded.

Meg whimpered through clenched teeth as the nurse gently cleaned her cuts and bruises. There was nothing I could do or say to stop the slow, steady stream of tears spilling down her cheeks, and it was killing me.

Meg choked back a sob when the nurse said they needed an x-ray of her wrist. My heart broke as I watched her trying to be brave while drowning in fear.She is so much stronger than she realizes. I gave her unhurt hand a gentle squeeze to remind her I was still here with her. “It’ll be okay.”

After another battle with the nurse, she allowed me to accompany Meg as far as the radiology door.

Dad and Jamie were waiting outside Meg’s room when we got back. They followed me inside so we could talk. I stood near the door, angled towards Meg so I could see her, and more importantly, so she could see me. Dad looked at my arm, then my chest, worry written all over his face, but I couldn’t leave, not until I was sure she would be okay.

We whispered as the nurse wrapped Meg’s arm in an ice wrap and elevated it on a soft block. I held her gaze as I listened to the nurse explain what she was doing each step of the way.

“How is she?” Dad asked.

I flinched when I heard Meg wince. It was taking a Herculean effort to keep myself from running to her. “She’s scared. I don’t think it’s sunk in yet.” I whispered, running a hand through my hair.

He nodded. “You haven’t you seen a doctor yet.” It wasn’t a question.

“Not yet. I can’t leave her dad.”

Jamie came to my rescue. “I get it. Why don’t you talk to the nurse? We’ll say hi to Meg and remind her she’s safe.”

They talked to Meg while I asked the nurse about the x-ray results. Relief washed over me as I hurried over to tell Meg the good news. “Good news Meg, you won’t need surgery. The doctor can set and cast your wrist after the swelling goes down.” I didn't want to imagine how hard it would have been for her to hear she needed surgery.

She released a shaky sigh of relief. I stood at the edge of her bed and caressed the back of her hand with my thumb, offering what little comfort I could. I desperately wanted to hold her and chase away her pain and fear, but couldn’t think of a way to do it without causing us both a lot of pain. A little pain was a small price to pay to hold her, but Meg would be upset if she thought I was in pain.What a fucking mess.

She leaned back and stared at the ceiling. “Thank you.”

For the next few minutes, the only sound in the room was Meg’s sniffles.

She startled us when she bolted upright, eyes wide in panic, “Oh my God, how the hell am I going to pay for all this? I can’t work with a cast. Which means I won’t be able to pay for it or the ambulance or the x-rays. I’m going to lose my job and if I lose my job, I’ll get kicked out of my apartment.” She sucked in air as fresh tears ran down her cheeks. “Those assholes broke down my door.”

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