Page 68 of Until I Found You
There’s no threat in Graham’s words. It’s a promise, spoken with such conviction. It’s one he fully intends to keep if he’s pushed to that point.
Krate chuckles, the sound grating like nails on a chalkboard.
“You should never threaten a man who has nothing to lose.”
The sound of sirens in the distance grows closer as Krate adjusts his aim at me. Anger transforms his face.
“Hate to say it,” Graham says. “It looks like it’s you this won’t be ending well for.”
Graham shouts for me to duck, just as the sound of shots fire around the room. The mirror on the salon station behind me breaks, sending glass shattering around me, as Graham rushes Krate.
The weight of Graham’s heavy frame and the blast from his gun sends Krate stumbling, falling back against the wall. I fold my body in half, pressing my chest to my knees, protecting myself.
“Why’d you do it?” Graham grunts, forcing his elbow against Krate’s neck, cutting off his airway. Graham’s eyebrow is cut deep, leaving blood trickling down his forehead.
“Fuck you,” Krate spits.
“You had your chance,” Graham growls, rearing back elbowing him in the face. Blood splatters from his nose just before Graham hits him with a heavy fist against his jaw. I watch as life leaves Krate’s body with every blow.
“Graham!” I shout, pulling him out of it. He pushes off his body, holding his hands up as he kicks Krate’s gun away from him.
The front door slams open as several men rush in, shouting “police.” Graham falls to the floor before me, holding his hands in the air.
He looks dazed, lost. His body shaking, a mixture of fear and adrenaline coursing through him. His eyes look me over, checking for any sign I could be hurt.
“I’m okay, I promise. I’m okay.”
I say it over and over, never taking my eyes off him. After the fourth or fifth time, he lets out a deep sigh finally accepting it as the truth.
I hear someone say “all clear” as another person identifies Graham. As soon as the all clear is given, Graham slides across the floor on his knees until his forehead is pressed against mine.
“I love you,” he whispers. “Fuck, I don’t know what I would’ve done if something happened to you.”
He looks up, tears in his eyes, focusing on something behind me, before looking back down at me.
“You two okay?” Maverick asks, appearing next to us out of nowhere.
“Get something to untie her,” Graham orders, just as Detective Keller approaches us. Mav produces a knife from his pocket and quickly releases me of the restraints. My wrists cry from the pain.
“You’re lucky you didn’t get yourself shot. We found enough ammunition in his car to do some serious damage. What were you doing coming in here by yourself and not waiting for us to arrive?” Keller questions.
“With all due respect, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to make sure that woman was okay.”
“Well, if it’s alright with you, I’m going to have her taken to the hospital to get checked out. Make sure there’s nothing wrong. We’ll meet you up there to get her statement.”
“I’m okay,” I say, looking back at Graham shaking my head.
“She’s okay. If it’s alright with you, I’d like to just get her out of here.”
Glancing over, I see them loading up Krate on a stretcher with his hand clutching his shoulder. I want to be angry all he is left with was a gunshot to his shoulder and a busted-up face when Gage lost his life, but I know he’ll be in prison for a long time.
“Alright. We’ll be by your place to talk to you. I will just need your information,” Keller says, looking at me.
“I can get you that information,” Maverick says, interjecting. “I’ll let Graham get her out of here, if it’s alright with you.”
“You can just come by my place. She’ll be with me.”
* * *
