Page 1 of Deserter

Prologue

Grey: Present Day

“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus sanctifying. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

I knew the voice, but the sound of it was muffled. Like talking to someone underwater. A clock ticked loudly from somewhere above my head and my heart raced, steadily pumping blood through the wound in my chest. I was no longer lying in a parking lot but was being thrown around in a cage.

Had it just been one hit?

I didn’t remember.

My only instinct had been to keep the bullets away from Rick. I didn’t even know if I’d been successful.

The truck swerved, and I gasped in pain from the movement. Staying awake was agony, but my body refused to let me pass out. Fire burned its way through my chest; every breath like the stab of a hot poker.

My forehead was bathed in a sheen of cold sweat as the blistered skin on my chest tore away from muscle and bone.

The goddamn sun had decided to beat the shit out of me with a baseball bat.

I kept waiting for the numbness to set in, but it never came, leaving me painfully aware of every bump and jerk of the steering wheel.

So, this was what dying felt like.

“Jamie? Jamie, look at me!”

I tilted my face up toward the sound and forced my eyes open.

My girl.

“You can’t be here,” I forced out. “It’s too late for me, princess.”

She shook her head and pressed down on the wound. “No, I won’t let you. You promised me, Jamie. You swore to keep us safe!”

I took a shallow breath and struggled to reach her hands. The pressure made it impossible to breathe.

“Gotta stop now. It’s done.”

Someone continued praying in the background and I closed my eyes again. I didn’t want to see the love of my life kneeling over me, frantically trying to stop the bleeding.

“You were supposed to wear the vest! You told me you would!” Her tears hit my face, and I mashed my lips together to keep from joining her.

I had worn the goddamn vest, just like Mikey had asked me to, and the motherfuckers had used armor-piercing bullets. I took at least one to the back and it had gone all the way through.

“Our baby girl,” I gasped, forcing my eyes open again. “She looked so good, didn’t she?”

“I’m here, Daddy. I’m right here. Do you feel my hand?” Dakota squeezed, and I nodded, my own tears sliding down my cheeks.

“I feel you. Is—is anyone else—”

Mikey answered. “We’re all here, Grey. We’ll stay with you until it’s over.”

“I’ve got you, Dad.” Katydid’s fingers brushed the tears from my face. I was grateful to be surrounded by family, but they didn’t need to see me like this.

This wasn’t how I wanted to be remembered.

“I know—I know who’s responsible,” I whispered.

I should’ve seen it from the beginning but hadn’t wanted to believe that my sins could ever catch up with me.

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