Page 95 of Wild Side
I do not like the way he’s looking at her, and I really don’t like the angry vibes he’s giving off either.
“You fucking cunt,” he growls.
“Wait a fuckin’ minute,” I say, taking a step to move in front of her.
Then it happens. It’s so fast that I don’t realize what’s going on. He pulls a gun out of the back of his waistband. Without a second thought, I jump in front of Cidney just as he pulls the trigger.
Something hot slices through my shoulder. A bullet. Lainey screams in the background, then another shot goes off, and like a hot knife, another bullet slides through me, this time my belly.
Taking my gun out of my shoulder holster, I point it at him. But before I can get even one round off, he’s gone. I watch as he climbs into that running pickup, and his wheels screech as he backs up and peels down the road.
CHAPTER THREE
LIGHTNING
The beeping is fucking annoying.But I feel a warm hand curl around mine, fingers squeeze me, and my eyes open. I’m surprised when I see a familiar head of hair by my hip. Flexing my fingers around her hand, I watch as her head lifts.
Her eyes find mine, and her lips widen. I watch as her eyes water, then the tears fall down her cheeks. Lifting my hand, I cup her cheek.
“What the fuck?” I ask.
She smiles softly. She lifts her hand, cupping my cheek. “Dakota called me.”
“And you came here. Why?”
I feel the pad of her thumb slide across my bottom lip. “Where else would I be, Light?”
“Enjoying whatever adventure you were on.”
She snorts, rolling her eyes to the ceiling, then brings her gaze back to meet mine. “It wasn’t much of an adventure at all,” she whispers. “This is exactly where I need to be.”
I’m not sure how to respond to that. She’s the one who walked away. I know it was because she needed that, but at the same time, she left me. My eyes slide closed, and I realize I’m being a gigantic fucking dick by thinking the way that I am right now. I decide not to voice my thoughts for that reason.
“Is it?” I ask.
“Is it?”
“Where you need to be?”
Briana picks up the hand that she’s still holding, touching her lips to my fingers before she places my hand back on the bed. “More than you could know,” she breathes.
I don’t ask her any details, but I can tell that something is bothering her. Like the pussy I am, I ignore the fact that she’s got something else on her mind. I open my mouth to ask her what the fuck happened to me when the door opens.
A nurse walks through the door, a smile plastered on her face. She moves around, checking my shoulder, then my stomach, and then everything comes flooding back to me. I was shot. Twice.
“Cidney,” I croak after the nurse leaves the room.
“She’s safe. Goose is staying with her as protection.”
Pressing my lips together, I try not to laugh, knowing it’s going to fucking hurt my incisions. Goose protecting Cidney is laughable. No doubt he’s balls deep in his protection of Piggy’s cousin.
BRIANA
When Dakota called me and told me that Lightning had been shot, I almost passed out right there in my apartment building hallway. Once the instant shock wore off, I loaded my bag intomy car and drove the seven hours to get here, only stopping for gas.
Seeing Lightning in this hospital bed, machines, and bandages, I knew that this was where I needed to be. I’m not sure if it’s where I’ll stay forever, but this is where I should be. There’s no other place for me right now.
There’s a knock on the door, and I turn my head, expecting a doctor or nurse to walk in, but instead, it’s Dakota and Bullet. He jerks his chin toward me, but Dakota closes the distance between us, and as I stand, she throws her arms around me.
