Page 101 of Protecting Her Secrets

“Now put your hands up and turn around slowly.”

“I’m not out here alone. One call to my buddies, and you’ll be surrounded.”

“I’m not here alone either, and your buddies are a little preoccupied right about now.”

My mistake is glancing to the side to make sure everything is okay with my friends. Klutch was expecting it and takes the opportunity to grab my arm and point it upward. My finger presses the trigger, firing off a round into the air.

I struggle to gain control of my own damn arm, but the asshole is strong. I can’t get far enough to land a punch with any momentum, and with him angled toward me, I can’t kick either. So I do the only thing I know: I grab him by his stupid vest and headbutt him.

The key to a good head butt is to land a thick part of your skull against a vulnerable part of your opponent’s. Since I’m taller, the only technique I can use is to drop low and ram my head up into the side of his jaw, dislocating it.

He howls in pain, but it only seems to piss him off, not weaken him. When he tackles me to the ground, I hold onto my pistol with all my might. I can’t let him get control, or it’ll be lights out for me. He has my hand pinned to the ground, not to mention the rest of me. Rocks and branches dig painfully into my back, but the adrenaline helps me ignore it.

He mumbles something unintelligible, his jaw unable to close with it out of place. I try to worm my knee between us, but I get derailed when he slams my hand onto the ground over and over, trying to get me to drop the gun. I feel a bone or two break as I realize he made sure there’s a rock under it.

I feel the gun slip from my hand, and I crane my head and watch in horror as he grabs it and sits up, pointing it right at my chest. I’d never survive a shot at point-blank range. Turns out, time does slow down, and you do see your life flash before your eyes when you think you’re about to die.

In a split second, I feel the weight of everything I never got to experience, like growing old with Skylar or watching our baby grow, but I also feel the joy of everything Ididget to experience. I had the privilege of falling in love with the most amazing woman to ever exist, and then I had the privilege to fall in love with her all over again. She was the best thing to ever happen to me, and my only regret is not forcing her to run away with me all those years ago.

The gun fires in slow motion. I see the spark as it leaves the barrel, and what feels like an eternity later, I feel it pierce through my flesh, tearing up my insides. Coughing, I gaze up at the sky between the trees, praying my friends rescue Skylar. I trust they’ll take care of her.

Before my heart stops beating, a heavy weight falls on me, and I’m suddenly covered in something wet, warm, and metallic-smelling. Blood. Is it my own? Why am I still alive? And what the hell is on top of me?

Glancing down, I come eye-to-eye with Klutch. He looks absolutely terrified as he chokes and gurgles. Blood is pouring from his nose and mouth, and when I follow the river of blood soaking me to his neck, I spot the wooden handle of the switchblade Rowan gave Skylar.

“No. Please, God, no.” Skylar’s shaky voice calls out, and then she’s standing over me, trying her best to get the bleeding man off me. The life in his eyes is gone, and I know he’s dead, just like I should be. Except I’m still here.

I place my hands on Klutch’s chest, but a sharp, shooting pain forces my left arm back down, followed by my right. Apparently, the bullet hit my left shoulder, and my right hand is definitely broken. So instead, I help Skylar with my knee, rolling him off me. I’m disgusted at the amount of blood on me, but I’m so fucking grateful to be alive. Skylar must’ve stabbed him right as he was pulling the trigger.

“Oh my god, you’re alive,” she sobs, falling on top of me, not caring that I’m wearing a blood suit.

“You saved my life,” I murmur into her hair. “Are you okay? What about the baby?”

“I feel fine, but my Aunt Amy drugged me, and I don’t know what with.”

“We’ll get you checked out right away. You sure you’re okay?”

“Physically, yeah. I got away before he could hurt me.”

“I need you to tell me all about it, but that can wait. Fuck, I was so scared.” I wince when she pushes against my left arm.

“What’s wrong? Where are you hurt?”

“He got me in the shoulder, and my right hand’s busted.”

She’s off me in a heartbeat. “I’m so sorry.”

“No, don’t go. I just got you back.”

Her nose scrunches. “You’re covered in blood.” She looks down at her body. “Now I am too.” She turns green before she doubles over and vomits all over Klutch’s back. It’s the kind of send-off he deserves.

I sit up, needing to check on my friends, even though there’s fuck all I’d be able to do to help them. All three of them have their biker pricks in zip ties. Apparently, I’m the only idiot wholet my adversary one-up me, though Wilder does have a bloody nose.

“You good?” Rowan asks.

“Yeah. Probably need Dr. Rivera to take a look, but I’m alive. This guy is dead dead, though. Sorry, Wilder; you might have some paperwork to fill out.”

“Am I going to get in trouble for killing him? Oh my God, I can’t go to prison,” Skylar cries. She’s in shock; of course she’s drawing conclusions and panicking.

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