Shane's Fall (The Escort Series Book 2)

by Kennedy, Sloane

  “Your mother had you. What’s worth fighting for if not your own kid?” Shane asked desperately.

  Gabe was thoughtful for a moment. “A year ago I would have agreed with you, but things are different now.” He glanced through the glass doors at the two women and smiled when Riley immediately lifted her eyes as if she sensed he was watching her. There was no wave or blowing of kisses – just a look between lovers, a silent message. “You remember what you said to me? That day in the construction yard that you knocked me on my ass?”

  “I said a lot of shit that day,” Shane said, smiling slightly at the memory of the stunned expression on Gabe’s face when Shane had sucker punched him.

  Gabe laughed, but then sobered. “You told me she was like my drug. That didn’t make sense at first, but I started to realize you were right. I’d become so used to automatically trying to save her, I never really asked her to fight for me. In my head, I just assumed it would be an easy and automatic choice but it’s not, is it?”

  Shane sucked in his breath at the pointed question, more confirmation that Gabe had figured out the truth on his own somehow. “No, it’s not.”

  “She didn’t really have anyone to fight for her when it all started. I was just a kid – I took care of her when she couldn’t take of herself. I protected her secret because I thought that was what I was supposed to do. I didn’t know how to fight for her, beside her.”

  Gabe stood and looked around the quiet complex. “I can play the maybe game for the rest of my life but it won’t really solve anything. Here’s what I do know,” he said as he turned to look Shane in the eye. “I’ll fight for you Shane. Riley will fight for you. Savannah, Logan, we’ll all fight for you. All you have to do is ask and I swear, you’ll never have to do it on your own again.”

  Shane forced some air into his lungs and then closed his eyes. “I need help Gabe.”

  ***

  Savannah saw Shane and Gabe hug and felt a sigh of relief go through her. There’d been no doubt that Gabe would be there for Shane no matter what, but she knew how hard it was for Shane to have to admit the truth about himself to his best friend whose own life he been devastated by the very drug that Shane craved day in and day out.

  She felt Riley take her hand and give it a quick squeeze. Her friend was watching the two men as well. “He’ll be okay,” Riley said as she released Savannah. Savannah nodded and blinked back a stubborn tear.

  There was a knock at the door and Riley went to answer it.

  “Hey,” Logan said as he entered and gave Riley a quick kiss on the cheek. He pulled Savannah into his arms and said, “They got him.” She was confused at first but then he said, “Sam. The police have him.” She felt Logan wave over her shoulder and heard Gabe and Shane come back inside.

  “What is it?” Shane asked as he appeared at her side. Her knees felt shaky as she realized it was finally over.

  “The cops caught Sam trying to get past border security in Canada. They’re extraditing him back here tomorrow.”

  “Thank God,” Riley said as Gabe pulled her against him.

  Savannah choked back tears as she looked around the small room. Logan had his arm around her shoulders and Shane was gripping her hand. Everyone was smiling and relaxed for the first time in weeks and Savannah couldn’t help but wonder if they had finally started putting the broken pieces of their little family back together again.

  ***

  “Gabe helped me find a place that has an NA meeting tonight,” Shane said as he pulled her into the apartment. “I’m gonna ask my parents if we can meet them tomorrow night instead, if that works for you,” he said.

  “Definitely,” she said. Tomorrow was Monday and now that Sam was behind bars, she was free to return to work. There’d been little doubt that he’d been the person who vandalized her room with the blood, which had luckily turned out to be pig’s blood, not human. Shane had suspected he was behind her flat tire that day at the school too and one look at the gaping hole in the tread had confirmed that it hadn’t been a stray nail or just wear and tear. She’d always been afraid of Sam for the obvious reasons, but she’d never guessed he might come after her or toy with her the way he had. And when Shane said his name was an alias and no one really knew who he was, a chill had gone through her. What evil things was he hiding in his past that made him take on a new identity?

  It was almost four o’clock and all the anxiety and excitement of the past week were starting to catch up with her. She was about to suggest they go take a nap together when she heard her phone ding.

  She read the text and then said, “Logan wants me to come to the bar. He needs my help with something.”

  “With what?” Shane asked as he grabbed two sodas from the fridge and handed her one.

  “Didn’t say, but he mentioned earlier that he was getting some deliveries this afternoon. I told him I’d help him unpack stuff. It gives us a chance to get caught up on things,” she said with a smile. Things between Logan and Shane were still tense, but her brother seemed to have accepted that her future was with Shane because when she told him earlier that day that she’d be spending the night with Shane again tonight, he had just nodded.

  “You want me to drive you?” Shane asked.

  “No, I have to switch cars with him anyway. I kind of commandeered his car last night,” she said sheepishly.

  “That’s my girl,” Shane said proudly and kissed her. “Call me when you get there.”

  Chapter 18

  Shane felt lighter than he had in years as he climbed into his car. He was nervous about getting up in front of a group of people and admitting he was an addict, but when it was over, he’d be able to come home to Savannah. And tomorrow, he’d do it all over again. If it meant meetings and sponsors for the rest of his life, he’d do it. His family was counting on him. He was counting on himself.

  His phone rang and he looked down to see Dominic Barretti appear on the screen.

  “Hey Dom.”

  “It’s not him.”

  Shane stilled. “What?”

  “I heard about the arrest so I tapped into security footage taken at the border crossing. It was his truck, but they guy isn’t Reynolds.”

  Ice went through his veins and he jammed the key into the ignition. “How do you know?” he asked, even as he backed out of the parking space and tore down the street.

  “I did some surveillance on Logan after you asked me to check out his friends. I saw Reynolds at the bar. I never forget a face.” The man sounded desperate and concerned and that had Shane even more freaked out.

  “Savannah’s at the bar. She got a text from Logan a little while ago asking her to meet him down there.”

  “Hang on,” Dom said and he heard what sounded like Dom putting him on speaker and then clicking on a keypad. Shane ran a red light and veered around a corner, barely missing a truck going through the intersection.

  “Her phone’s at the bar. But there’s no signal for Logan’s. It’s probably turned off.”

  “Jesus,” Shane whispered.

  “I’m ten minutes away,” Dom said quickly and the line was disconnected.

  Shane dialed Savannah’s number and waited, praying to hear her voice. He did, but only because her voicemail picked up. He dialed again as his foot pressed harder on the accelerator.

  ***

  Savannah was reaching into her purse to answer her phone as she opened the door to the bar. She’d missed the first call because she’d been in the process of parallel parking the car when it started ringing. Her hand finally closed around the phone that was at the bottom of her bag, but she hesitated when a strong odor permeated the air as she swung the door open with her free hand. The stench was so strong it nearly knocked her backwards. It was gasoline, she realized as she stepped inside the dark room. Had there been some kind of spill nearby?

  “Logan,” she said, pinching her nose.

  Her phone rang again. She began reaching for it once more, but stopped when she saw a dark s
hape on the floor next to the bar. “Logan!” she screamed as she recognized her brother’s scuffed work boots. She dropped her purse as she fell to her knees next to him. She shouted his name again and then shook him hard. It was too dark to see clearly, but she recognized the sticky substance on her hands instantly. Blood. On his chest. “Oh God,” she whispered. She dropped one hand back to his chest and searched the floor for her purse. She cried out in relief when she felt his chest rise and fall beneath one hand as her other hand closed around the strap of her bag. It took her only a second to dig out her phone.

  “Drop it or I’ll put a hole in his head right now.”

  Savannah froze at that familiar voice, the one that had starred in her nightmares for years. She released the phone and raised her hand to show she wasn’t holding it. She felt his presence behind her and fear held her in place as he moved around to her side. She slowly turned her head and found herself staring at his demented eyes behind the barrel of a gun that was pointed not at her, but at her brother.

  “Get up,” he said. She didn’t move right away, but when she saw him draw back on the hammer of the gun, she struggled to her feet. “Over there,” he said, motioning to the corner of the bar. She stepped over Logan’s legs and stopped in the place he had pointed. Her back hit the unforgiving wood behind her as he closed the distance between them.

  “Did you know you were the most expensive piece of ass I ever paid for?” he muttered as he stuck the gun against her temple. “Twenty percent,” he said harshly. “That fucker charges me an arm and a leg for twenty fucking percent.” He kicked one of Logan’s legs. “Ungrateful piece of shit!”

  The cold metal bit into her skin and she closed her eyes and waited for one of his jerky movements to cause the gun to go off and end her life. He finally turned his full attention back on her, his thick fingers closing around her neck before drifting down her chest. “But you…you were worth every fucking penny.” He lowered the gun slightly and then trailed his fingers over her left breast. “Do you still carry my mark?” His fingers pinched her hard and she bit back a scream. Somewhere behind her, she heard her phone ring again.

  “What do you want?” she finally asked. She needed to figure out a way to get Logan help. There’d been a lot of blood and her brother still hadn’t stirred. He might not have much time left.

  Sam’s fetid breath washed over her as he laughed in her face. He didn’t answer her. Instead, he pulled what looked like a lighter from his pants pocket. She remembered the gas, but before she could stop him, he locked the flame and then flicked the lighter across the room. Flames shot up the wall and then pools of gas lit up as one fed the other until the whole room was surrounded by fire. He’d left only the opening to the back hallway as an escape route. Pockets of fire were all around Logan but blessedly, Sam hadn’t appeared to have doused him as well.

  “Let’s go,” Sam said as he gripped her upper arm in a vice like grip. He began pulling her towards the back exit, his intent to leave Logan behind to die clear. She struggled against him and managed to pull free for a second but then he put her in an arm lock from behind, his thick, beefy limb cutting off her air as he dragged her with him.

  “Logan,” she screamed as she watched the flames creep closer to him. If Sam got her out of this room, Logan would die for sure. She began to struggle harder, but as he cut off more of her air, her vision began to dim. And then she heard Gabe’s voice in her ear as he explained the hold he was going to put on her before he actually touched her. As he spoke, he explained each step of what her response should be and then she was doing it. Relaxing her body, jabbing her elbow, grabbing a finger and twisting.

  Her surprise attack caused Sam to drop his arm and she spun around and kneed him in the groin as hard as she could, then stabbed her fingers into his eye sockets. He screamed and pushed away from her and fell backwards over some boxes. His huge body disappeared behind the wall of flame and she heard his scream of agony. Losing her own balance, she hit the floor hard and tried to suck in some air but all she got was smoke.

  Tears ran down her cheeks as the intense heat enveloped her. She crawled forward through the blackness and felt for Logan’s body. It felt like hours before her fingers finally brushed his jeans.

  “Savannah!”

  “Shane!” she screamed but she couldn’t see him. The fire was loud and she thought she heard glass shattering but she wasn’t sure. She tried to drag Logan towards the back exit but he was too big. “Shane!” she screamed again, not even sure if her imagination had conjured up him calling her name. But then he was there, his arms enfolding her, pulling her back as flames roared around them. “Logan!”

  “I got him!” another voice called and she saw a huge man grab Logan and haul him over his shoulder. He had Gabe’s build but the nearly bald head told her it was Dom. Shane grabbed her under the legs and lifted her into his arms. Dom was right behind them as they worked past the last of the flames and escaped into the alley behind the building. She choked and sputtered as oxygen warred with the soot in her lungs and the bright light hurt, but she ignored it all and crawled over to where Logan lay lifeless on the ground, blood still seeping from the bullet wound in the center of his chest.

  “He’s not breathing,” Dom said as he began CPR, his big hands compressing Logan’s damaged chest before stopping to blow air into his lungs.

  “No!” she screamed. She couldn’t lose him now. She felt Shane’s arms circle her from behind as she watched Dom work to save her brother. Paramedics appeared and then firefighters were there with hoses.

  “We’ve got a pulse,” one of the paramedics said as he checked Logan. Dom eased back to let them work, his relief evident.

  Within minutes she was in the ambulance, her brother’s limp hand in hers. There hadn’t been room for Shane, but he told her to go with her brother and that he’d be right behind them. The paramedic had put an oxygen mask over her face, but otherwise focused all his attention on Logan. She heard the cool, calm voices of the paramedics as they told the hospital what to expect, but everything faded to the background as she focused on Logan and told him she was there. She kept talking, even when his heart stopped again.

  ***

  Shane watched Savannah in growing concern as she forced herself to stay upright in the waiting room chair. He’d managed to stay behind the ambulance the entire way to the hospital and had paled when he saw CPR being performed on Logan once again. Savannah had stumbled out of the ambulance as they lowered her brother’s gurney, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and an oxygen mask dangling from her hand. She refused to release her brother’s hand and Shane finally had to pry her hand loose so the medical staff could get Logan into the hospital. After that she’d gone eerily silent. A doctor had checked her out in the ER and she was cleared by the time Gabe and Riley arrived. His parents were there too, even though they’d never met Logan. To Shane’s surprise, Dom lingered as well, though he stayed on the fringes of the group.

  They’d both arrived at the bar at the same time. It had been Dom who had broken the glass on one of the front windows near the corner where there were fewer flames. His relief at finding Savannah and Logan alive had been short-lived when he saw the condition his friend was in and felt the anguish of Savannah’s sobs as she watched her brother’s life seep out of him. The ER staff had managed to get his heart going again and he’d been rushed into surgery nearly four hours ago. Riley had managed to talk Savannah into going into the bathroom to help her clean some of the soot off her face, but she refused to eat or drink anything.

  Feeling helpless, Shane finally stood and plucked Savannah from the chair and pulled her into his lap. He couldn’t make her talk, but he could let her feel that he was there. She could take his heat and strength and use that to sustain her. She was stiff at first, but then finally curled against him, her arm wrapping around his neck as she buried her face against him. They stayed that way for another hour and then finally a doctor came out.

  “Miss Bradsha
w?”

  Shane helped her stand and saw her lip quivering as she tried to prepare herself for the worst.

  “The bullet nicked his heart, but we got the bleeding to stop and were able to repair the damage. He lost a lot of blood but we’re giving him transfusions. It’s going to be a long recovery, but he should be okay.” Savannah sobbed in relief and crumbled against him as she nodded her understanding.

  “Give us about an hour to get him up to ICU, then you can see him.”

  “Thank you,” Shane said to the doctor. Gabe and Riley huddled around them as relief swept through the group and he felt his father’s arm patting his back. He saw Dom near the door, his dark eyes watching them and then he left, a quick nod in Shane’s direction. He didn’t even have time to nod back at the man before he was gone.

  Epilogue

  Logan was a terrible patient, Shane thought to himself. Yes, Savannah was definitely the hovering type, but Logan clearly wasn’t someone who was good at taking orders. It had been less than a week since he’d been shot, nearly burned to death and had his heart stop not once, but twice and yet he wanted to know when he could go home.

  “If you try to force one more spoonful of that crap down my throat Savannah…” he threatened as she shoved a mouthful of orange gelatin at him.

  “God, no wonder the nurses are so sick of you!” she huffed as she put the food down and then went to fluff his pillow for the fourth time.

  “Shane, can you do something here?” he asked.

  Shane put up his hands. He knew better than to try and intervene. He’d done that on the second day when he tried to tell Savannah she needed a real meal and a shower. Somehow that had turned into her yelling at him because she thought he was telling her she smelled bad. Logan had still been out of it and Savannah was sick with fear so her shouting had quickly turned to tears and in the end, Riley took over, putting on her “mom” hat and dragging Savannah to her and Gabe’s place for a scrub down and a hot meal. And that was only after Shane had promised to stay with Logan and call her if there was any change.