Page 134 of Forever After All

Seconds ticked by as the ringing in her ears continued. Panic hung on the edges of everything as numbness covered her whole body.

“Jess!”

The scream was far away and muffled.

“Jess!”

The second shout was clearer, and the pounding of her pulse filled her ears.

The ringing faded, and the blurriness cleared. The doorframe was shattered. Pieces of wood and Sheetrock littered the floor. She reached for her shoulder. There was tingling but no pain.

She hadn’t been shot. Debris must have hit her. Too bad her adrenaline hadn’t figured it out yet.

Leaning against the wall, Jess huffed for breath after breath.

“Jess!” Linc screamed amidst a struggle.

Think. Think. Think.She had to distract Ryan or get him away from Linc.

“Don’t move, or I’ll kill you too,” Ryan seethed.

Linc’s footsteps pounded on the porch. “Jess!”

Another shot rang through the house. Jess pressed her hands over her ears and tucked her shoulders in. A thud shook the floor beneath her, and she let out a sob.

Keeping her eyes squeezed closed, she prayed frantically.

What do I do? What do I do? What do I do? Please, God. Help!

A groan and a huff from Linc told her he was still alive.

She opened her eyes, and her gaze landed on her gun. She’d dropped it after Ryan shot at her.

Grabbing it, she tucked back against the wall. With a deep breath, she peeked around the busted corner.

Ryan stood over a writhing Linc with the gun in his hand pointed down.

Linc’s teeth were gritted, and his eyes were squeezed closed as he gripped his upper arm.

No. She couldn’t lose him. She had to help him. Had to save him.

She lifted the gun and looked at it. When she peeked again, Ryan was crouching over Linc. They were too close, and she didn’t trust her aim with shaking hands.

She had to get Ryan away from Linc. Knowing what she had to do, she stepped out from behind the wall.

“Ryan.”

He looked up at her, but there wasn’t any fear in his eyes. His bland expression made it seem like she was insignificant. He stood, holding the emotionless look on his face.

Surprise. It was the only advantage she had. She lifted the gun from behind the corner and steadied it with both hands before pulling the trigger.

Ryan’s left side jerked back, pulling him to the floor with a thud.

She’d done it, and the implications hit her square in the chest. Her hands shook, but she held tight to the gun in her hand.

Ryan groaned and twisted.

Linc pressed up onto his hands and moved toward Ryan. A trail of blood followed.

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