Page 130 of Mended Fences
I was a doctor. I knew what a GSW to the shoulder could do—arterial bleeds, nerve damage, shock. If it hit the subclavian or axillary…
No.No.
I let out a shaky breath, tears sliding sideways across my face. “Tell me he’s not dead.”
“He’s not,” Emma finally said, voice strangled. “But…”
The officer at the doorway pressed a hand to his earpiece.
“Update from Officer Clark,” he said. “He’s pursuing both subjects now. Suspect is armed. Second vehicle confirmed—Chase Everton.”
I closed my eyes.
That stupid, beautiful idiot.
He’d gone after them.
Of course, he had.
“God, I love him,” I whispered, sobbing into Tessa’s shoulder. “But I swear, if he dies, I will defibrillate the fuck out of his ass so I cankill him myself.”
“Don’t worry, bestie.” Tessa held me tighter. “We’re getting them both back.”
Chapter Fifty
CHASE
Now, May 2025
I could barely seethe road.
My vision tunneled—dark at the edges, pulsing in sync with the fire in my shoulder. Blood soaked through my shirt, smeared across the steering wheel. Every bump in the road made my body scream.
Didn’t matter.
I wasn’t stopping.
Not until I had her.
Andy’s voice crackled over speakerphone. “Chase, where the fuck are you?”
“County road. Eastbound. I think I see him—black SUV, busted left taillight.”
“You’ve lost too much blood. Pull over.”
“He has my daughter.”
Silence. Then a low curse. “Okay. Just—backup’s coming. Let us handle it.”
I didn’t respond. Because that’s when it happened.
Up ahead, the SUV swerved violently, clipped the guardrail—andflipped.
Metal crunched. Glass exploded. The vehicle rolled twice and slammed into the ditch.
I slammed on the brakes, the jolt sending a new spike of agony through my chest. My vision blurred. My lungs locked up. But I forced the door open and stumbled out.
“No. No?—”
