Page 123 of Vain
“She was mine first,” Greyson says with a gurgle.
A series of moments pass through my mind, innocent moments, that all stacked together, suddenly don’t seem so innocent anymore. Like how he wasn’t in the room when the texts and photo were sent, and how disheveled he looked when he came back to the house. He would have had enough time to stab Hattie and return. He has access to the property and Tilly’s trailer, and he knows how to avoid the security cameras, not only because he knows where they are, but also how to disable them.
“Hattie said he’d gone home. This is his home,” I mumble before turning slowly to face him. “What did you just say?” But as I ask, my eyes fall on the body behind the sofa. “Oh, fuck no. Kellen, take that motherfucker’s gun and get over here.”
In the next second, I roll Tilly to her back with shaky hands. Her white tank top is soaked through with blood. It’s all over her face and in her hair, every inch of her is covered in it.
“Oh, fucking fuck me.” Kellen drops to his knees beside me as Tilly’s eyes flutter open. “Tilly, can you tell me where it hurts?” Kellen asks her.
“Not mine. It’s Marley’s,” she says, looking dazed
I turn, and that’s when I realize I rolled her off Marley, who is also covered in blood. I can’t see anything visibly wrong with him, apart from a gunshot wound to the leg. Unless it hit an artery, but there is far too much blood for that.
“Marley! Marley!” Tilly starts screaming.
Kellen grabs her and pulls her into his lap. “I’ve got her.”
I nod and roll Marley to see his back, and hiss in fury. His back is riddled with bullets. I lay him back down and feel for a pulse, but I already know it’s too late. When I don’t feel one, I look up at Tilly and shake my head.
“No. No, Aiden. Please, you have to try. He saved me. Please try.”
Feeling tears prick my eyes, I start CPR. It’s too late, but I’m giving my woman what she needs right now. She sobs loudly into Kellen’s shoulder as he rocks her gently. I want nothing more than to be the one holding her, but I don’t stop chest compressions, not even when I feel his bones crack and grind beneath my palms.
Not once does he take a single breath.
It’s only when the police announce their arrival that I look into her eyes and watch her heart break. “I’m sorry, baby. He’s gone.”
When we get to the hospital, they have to sedate Tilly so they can examine her.
We told the police what happened, but we knew they’d be back, which is why our lawyer is on her way.
“I can’t get my head around all this.” Kellen rubs his eyes before leaning forward on his elbows, his eyes glued to the bed where Matilda is still sleeping. Physically, they say she’s okay, but she’s in shock and needs monitoring.
A commotion outside has us both looking up. Already on edge, I open the door and nearly fucking bawl like a baby when I find my whole damn team on the other side.
“We figured she’d need her family,” Blake tells me as I hang my head. He tugs me in for a quick hug.
I step back and let everyone in. “Shit, we didn’t mean to wake you, sweetheart,” Arlo says.
I turn and see Tilly sitting up, looking confused. As it all comes crashing back, she breaks down. Before I can get to her, Marcus does. He wraps his arm around her and pulls her to his chest. She grips his T-shirt and breaks.
I squeeze my fists, ready to go to her, when Felix grabs my wrist. “Give them a minute. Let her realize she’s not alone and we’re all here for her.”
I swallow, choked up, and nod. Once her tears stop, she accepts the tissue from Banner and looks for me. I make my way over and climb up on the bed beside her. I wrap my arm around her as she rests her head on my shoulder.
“Hey, Matilda.” Blake greets her by squeezing her foot. “As much as I don’t want to ask, do you think you’re up to telling us what happened?”
She shudders, but my brave, brave girl nods.
Her recall, from learning lines and shit, comes in handy here because she remembers every word and detail. She gets to the part when Greyson tells her that if he can’t have her nobody can before she has to take a break. Arlo hands her a cup of water that she takes with shaky hands. She drinks it all before resuming her story.
“Marley knew what he would do a second before I did. He threw himself on top of me. He kissed my cheek and told me he loved me. And all I could hear was bullet after bullet hitting him. When the bullets were spent, I rolled him off me and dragged him behind the sofa. I covered his body with mine and waited. I didn’t know if Greyson had another gun or if he was working alone. I just knew Aiden would come.” She looks up at me. “Daniel? My mom?”
I shake my head. “I’m so sorry.” She nods, a few ears slipping free but she holds it together.
There’s a knock at the door before Suzie, our lawyer, pokes her head around. She introduces herself to Tilly quickly before giving us an update from the police. “The bedroom of the outbuilding he lived in was plastered with Post-it notes. There were also a lot of pictures of you taken over the years, from birth until recently. There is nothing improper in the photos, before you ask.”
“That’s what always threw me,” Tilly whispers, drawing all our attention to her once more. “There was nothing sexual in any of the notes he left or the gifts he sent, which seems to be most stalkers’ MO. It’s why I couldn’t get my head around it being Daniel, because he made it clear how he felt about me.”
