Page 32 of Brand
CHAPTER TWELVE
Brand
Gunshots.
A whole bunch of rapid-fire gunshots rang out just as I was about to kiss Cami again. My first thought was to protect her. So I dove, plastering her body under mine, trapping us both right in the middle of the shop.
Fuck!
What was I going to do?
I could tell that I was outnumbered and it would have been dumb-as-fuck to try and pull out my handgun and start firing back. And it wouldn’t have been good to get up and try to make a run for it. I was stuck and if I was being honest, I was a little scared. Not because I was getting fired at, but because Cami was here. I felt like I would die right there if anything happened to her.
Bullets whizzed passed us, shattering everything around us. One grazed my shoulder and I did my best to bite back the pain.
Her body was shaking underneath mine. And who could blame her? I was sure she’d never heard gunfire in real life, let alone been in the middle of it. They weren't after her, that was clear. I was to blame for all of this and poor Cami was an innocent getting trapped in the middle. I hated myself right then. I put her in this position.
The night went quiet but I didn’t dare move. Car doors slammed and tires squealed and I prayed that we were in the clear. I stayed on top of her another long moment, just to be sure.
“You okay?” I asked like an idiot because of course she wasn’t.
She didn’t answer. Instead, her hands came up and gripped my sides, her short nails sinking into my skin through my thin shirt. My fingers tangled in her hair as I leaned back and cradled her head. Her eyes were wide with panic and her breaths were short and choppy.
“Cami, answer me, please. Say something. Give me a little nod to let me know you’re with me.”
I needed to know she was alright.
“You aren’t hit, are you?” I started to shift back so I could look over her body in search of any blood, but her arms wrapped around my back, holding me to her. “Breathe for me, okay? Deep breath in and then let it out.” I did just what I said, trying to get her to mimic me.
It took her a second, but she finally did. She opened her mouth and gulped in air like she had never needed oxygen before.
“Brand?” she asked, her eyes suddenly snapping to mine.
That was good, at least she didn’t seem like she was going into shock.ThatI could work with.
“I’m here,” I whispered.
“Were…those…guns?” she attempted to ask in between breaths.
“Yes. I’m not going to lie to you because, well, there’s really no point. Those were automatics being fired at us, but I think they are gone now. Can you let me up so I can check?” I tried and succeeded at keeping my tone calm and even.
“No,” her head shook frantically back and forth, but I didn’t lose her eyes. “What if they aren’t and something happens to you. No.”
In spite of the fucked up situation, I smiled.
“I won’t be long. I need you to stay low and crawl to Blade’s room, okay? I’ll come get you once I make sure we are clear.”
“O-okay,” she sputtered out.
She was still shaking and clearly scared. But who would have blamed her?
A million things ran through my brain but I didn’t have time to process any of them right now.
I leaned back and at my head jerk, she rolled over onto her hands and knees and began to crawl to Blade’s door. Once she was inside and the door was closed, I got to my feet, gun in hand, and scanned the area.
The shop was fucked and as pissed as I was, that wasn’t what was important right then. I made hesitant steps toward the front. All of the front glass had been blown out and was shattered all over the floor. Outside the streets were quiet, but I doubted it would be that way for long. Someone was bound to hear all the noise and I had a feeling the cops were around the corner.
I needed to get Cami out of there before that happened. I also needed to call my brothers and get them down here. I had no idea who the fuck just opened fire on the shop but we needed to figure it out like right fucking now.
