Page 70 of Safe
I kept thinking about all the things I wanted to say right there in that moment, knowing full well that if I said a word, if Landon found out about us, I was all but killing Danielle myself.
I kept envisioning the future I wanted with Danielle; the house, the perfect wedding, our beautiful children—everything I always wanted but was so afraid to go after. It was the one thing that would keep me firmly planted where I stood instead of lunging at Landon with every bit of strength I had.
Here I was again, seconds away from losing the person who brought me back to life, whom I loved with everything I had, and I couldn’t do a single fucking thing to save her.
"Landon," Alex's voice scattered my thoughts, pulling me back to the tense reality. "You don’t want to screw this up any more than you already have. Just put the gun down, and you can leave here alive."
Landon's laugh was chilling—it was the sound of someone who had lost all grip on sanity.
I couldn't figure out Alex's strategy, but it seemed to be instigating Landon's volatile temper, and I was scared shitless that he might be reckless enough to pull the trigger.
Gunfire echoed again as dust rained down from the door frame I was barricaded behind, only a few inches above my head.
Danielle screamed.
Landon was shouting, swearing, barking threats I couldn’t quite make out. My body was frozen, but my mind was begging for me to move, to do something—anything.
Alex coughed, and blood bubbled at the corner of his mouth as he struggled to lift his head. His face was already pale, and I could hear how ragged his breathing had become.
"Cody," he locked eyes with mine, "You gotta...take my gun. Shoot him."
Chaos overlapped—Danielle’s cries, Landon yelling, my own pulse thundering in my head.
I dropped to my knees, hands slick with blood as I scrambled across Alex’s body, desperately searching until I felt cold metal.
My fingers curled around the grip. The slide was out of alignment—jammed from the fall or blood. I slammed the butt hard against the floor once… twice, until it snapped back into place.
Danielle yelped as Landon yanked her chair to the side, snapping her head back with force.
Everything was fire and noise. My heart pounded so loud I could hear it over my own thoughts.
Time snapped.
I rose fast, peeking around the door frame. Landon’s attention flicked to me. Danielle seized the moment, mouthing the words “I love you” one last time before using the little bit of strength and force she had left to knock herself to the ground, buying me a heartbeat.
That’s all I needed.
I fired.
The shot hit hard, jerking Landon sideways as if someone had ripped the spine from his body. He staggered as he loosened his grip on his gun and then collapsed onto the floor in a heap. The gun tumbled from his hand and skidded across the tiles, landing with a hollow clatter.
I kept my weapon trained on him, breathing hard. Danielle was sobbing on the floor, trying to scoot away, but was far too injured to move much at all.
SWAT burst through the doorway seconds later, yelling commands, sweeping the room. One officer secured Landon’s gun, and another checked for a pulse.
"He's still breathing! Get a medic in here now!"
More boots flooded in. EMTs swarmed Alex first, then moved to Danielle. A pair of officers yanked Landon’s limp arms behind his back and cuffed him, even as blood soaked through his clothes.
Someone shouted for a chest seal. I stood frozen, watching them work on the man who’d nearly destroyed everything.
Why are you trying to fucking save him?
The idea was a fucking gut punch.
Danielle was surrounded now, a medic cutting through the ropes, others checking her head, her ribs, her vitals. Her blood matted her hair. Her face was swollen. I couldn’t even get near her yet.
Alex was being hoisted onto a stretcher, but he caught my eye and gave me a weak grin.
