Page 24 of My Stupid Heart

“You’re JanineSusannahGobillot,” Ryker said, dumbfounded.It wasn’t a question.

“Gobillot is my legal name.But I’ve started using my mother’s maiden name—Talmage.”

Fuck, he really should have done background checks on all the women in Molly’s book club.But that would have taken time, and he’d only just met them all that night.Chase could only work so fast.

“Why are you here?”Molly asked, confusion, exhaustion and terror all fighting for the top spot on her beautiful face.“I don’t want Adrian.You can have him.You can win him back.”

“He won’t want me unless you’re out of the picture, unless he had nowhere else to go.He loves you.”The gun shook in Susannah’s or Janine’s or whoever the fuck she was’s hand.

“I’m leaving,” Molly said.“Ryker and I have finally told each other how we feel and we’re moving.”

Now it was Susannah’s turn to look confused, but that lasted only a second.Her gaze narrowed, and she shook her head.“You’re lying.”

“No, Susannah … Janine?I’m not,” Molly said slowly.“There’s nothing keeping Sasha and me in Jackson Hole anymore.My in-laws have passed away, and she’s outgrown her dance studio.We’re moving on.”Her eyes landed on Ryker, and she smiled.“We’re following our hearts.”

At that moment, out of the corner of his eye, Ryker spotted Officer Linden, gun at the ready, hiding off to the side of the deck behind the French doors.Were there more cops?Did they have the place surrounded?

He’d been inching himself closer to Susannah as slowly as he could.He’d made it about three feet without the wingnut noticing.At this point, he could possibly kick the gun out of her hand, but there was still the risk of it going off and hitting Molly.

He’d been in a standoff before, but never when the gun was pointed at the woman he loved.

A hot tear made its way down Molly’s cheek.“I swear, Susannah, I never meant to hurt you.To hurt Adrian or Kate, Olivia or Camden, or anybody.Please don’t do this.We’ll leave tomorrow.We’ll leave Jackson Hole tomorrow and never return.You can have Adrian all to yourself.There are so many wonderful things about you, I’m sure he’ll take you back.I’m sure he’s just blowing off steam with other women.He knows it’s a mistake.He knows you love him and I’m certain he still loves you.”

Susannah seemed to actually be thinking about it, and it was at that pause, that moment where she wasn’t looking at Ryker, that he decided to make his move.He threw himself in front of and on top of Susannah, in front of the gun, pushing her into the counter while deflecting the aim of the gun away from Molly.

But she pulled the trigger, and he felt it go straight through his shoulder.

Blinding pain rocked his entire body as he collapsed on top of Susannah on the floor.

Molly screamed and pandemonium ensued a moment later with police officers running in through both the front door and the French doors.

Sasha’s voice echoed behind him and Molly ran to her.“It’s okay.It’s okay.Get out of the way.Don’t look.Don’t look.”

But then Sasha must have looked because she screamed Ryker’s name at an ear-piercing volume.

“Mr.McKnight,” came the familiar voice of Officer Linden.“Have you been shot?”

“Yeah,” Ryker groaned, rolling off Susannah and against the oven.“Shoulder.Don’t think it hit anything major.”He closed his eyes and grit his teeth from the blinding pain.It would be nice when he went into shock and the adrenaline kicked in.It’d hurt a lot less.

Another officer was hauling Susannah to her feet and putting her in cuffs while Officer Linden helped Ryker sit up against the oven.Ryker grabbed the tea towel that hung from the oven handle and pressed it to his gunshot wound, sucking in a sharp breath from that more-than-a-bite of pain.

“Lean forward,” Officer Linden said.Ryker did as he was asked.“Looks like a through and through at least.”

Ryker nodded.“Not the first time I’ve been shot.This is nothing.I can make a necklace from all the bullets.”

Officer Linden snorted.“We have an ambulance on the way, sir.”

Molly and Sasha came into view, both of them crying with terror riddled faces.The adrenaline was starting to kick in and the pain was numbing.He smiled bleakly at them.“Hi ladies.”

They both dropped to their knees and hugged him, but he winced when they squeezed a little too hard.

Then Molly smacked his chest, his shirt covered in blood.“That was stupid as hell.Don’t ever do anything like that again.”

“What?Throw myself in front of a crazy person with a gun for you?Uh, I think I’ll definitely do that again if the opportunity presents itself.”

Sasha and Molly choked out chuckles through their sobs.

“Let’s get out of here,” Sasha said.“This town is …” She glanced around at the ongoing chaos of cops in the kitchen.“There’s nothing here for us anymore.”

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