Page 172 of Stay With Me
The fuck is he doing?Why is he arguing with a man who has a literal gun to his face?
My phone’s in my back pocket, but I’m too scared to grab it. Idon’t want to make any sudden movement and alert Emilio I’m in here. But if I don’t, he could kill Landen.
“Pretty confident for a guy who’s facing a death sentence. Tell me where Magnolia is and you won’t get hurt.”
Landen scrubs a hand over his jawline, looking more amused than anything.
“This is the problem with you city-slickers who handle guns. Y’all gotta be real loud and flashy about ‘em. You don’t just whip it out and pull the trigger like a man.”
Landen Michael!I swear to God. If he survives this, I’m going to kill him!
“Excuse—”
It happens so fast that I barely have time to register Landen’s hand reaching behind his back and underneath his shirt. Seconds later, he reveals a handgun, aims it at Emilio, and then fires within three seconds.
My whole body jumps at the booming sound that echoes throughout the trailer.
“Holy shit!” I scream, unable to hold it in.
“See? That’s how we shoot down here in the South. We don’t just wave it around like a flag. If it’s in our hand, it’s to be used.”
Landen’s talking to him, so that must mean he’s not dead. Then I hear a faint groan.
“Mags, call the sheriff. Tell him cleanup on aisle seven.”
“W-what?”That is not even a little bit funny.
“He’s not dead. Yet,” he reassures me. “But he will bleed out if we don’t get him an ambulance.”
“Where’d you shoot him?” I stumble, getting to my feet, but Landen takes my hand to help me up the rest of the way.
Landen’s devilish smirk doesn’t ease my panic. “His groin.”
Jesus.
Landen walks out of the trailer, kicks Emilio’s gun out of reach, and then looks down at him. “So on a scale of one to ten, what would you rate our Southern hospitality so far?”
I finally manage to take my phone out with a shaky hand anddial 911. When Wendy picks up, I tell her a quick recap, and then she informs me the EMTs are on their way.
“Tell the sheriff to come too, please?” I plead.
“He’ll be there, sweetie. Just hang tight.”
Once we hang up, I stand next to Landen.
“Where’d you get a gun?”
“Tripp. He always hands it off before leavin’.”
“Wait…” I swallow hard. “He’s been packin’ this whole time?”
Tennessee is an open carry state, but that doesn’t mean I want one near me all day while I’m working. Though I guess if he hadn’t, Landen would’ve been killed.
“Yep. Did you assume your boyfriend wasn’t unhinged when it came to you?”
Oh God.Tripp is going to go feral when he finds out this happened, and he wasn’t here.
People start coming over from the other businesses and a small crowd forms. They’re looking at Landen and me, waiting for an explanation, but I’m too shell-shocked to speak.
