“Put the gun down, Ryan. This is ridiculous. Nobody needs to get hurt. Put it down and we can talk,” I plead with him.
He lowers the weapon slightly.
“All right, let’s talk about this.” He motions to his broken nose and his blood-splattered t-shirt. “Why the hell did you do this?”
I am not sure how to answer him and keep things relatively calm.
“Why are you doing this, Ryan? We haven’t been together in years. You left me, remember? Why come back now? Why try to scare me into being with you? Why? Can you answer that?” My voice is shaky. I fight tears back as I stand watching someone I used to love threaten to further tear my life apart.
He lowers his head and almost looks remorseful before he answers. “Why? You want to know why? Because I changed my mind, that’s why. I made a mistake, Ryles, and seeing you with Austin makes me sick. I want us to be us again. What is so wrong with that?”
He is pleading with me. He wants to go back to the way things were. Jesus, this guy is delusional. With the amount of pain he caused me, I cannot even bring myself to be friends with him, let alone anything else. However, right now he doesn’t need to know that. That would only escalate the already volatile situation.
With as much compassion as I can muster for the man holding me hostage, I reply, “There is nothing wrong with that, Ryan. But don’t you think you should ask me what I want? Shouldn’t I get a say in my life?”
I want to yell and scream at him and tell him what a jackass he is. He nearly killed my brother, my only family. Does he expect me to forgive that? I will never forgive or forget that.
He begins to slowly shuffle towards me.
“If I asked you, what would you say, Ryles?” He pauses and my silence spurs him on. “I know what you would say. You would say you want him. I see the way you look at Austin. You never once looked at me that way. Why? Why can’t you look at me that way, huh?”
Now standing only a few feet from Ruzek, he has backed me into a corner with his question. How can I tell him that I never looked at him the way I look at Austin because I never loved him half as much as I do Austin? I never expected to love anyone after Ryan. Not having an answer, I look at the floor and shake my head.
“Do you love him that much more than me?” He continues with a catch to his voice. “What does he have that I don’t? I can give you everything, Ryles. We can be happy. Please, Ryles, just give me a shot.”
What scares me is that he seems to believe he loves me. The look in his tear-filled eyes tells me that he is serious. He really thinks this can work out.
As I try to come up with something to say to his heartfelt plea, Ruzek’s radio sounds again.
“Ruzek, I am coming in.”
Fear and anger lash across his face before he yells at me and starts nervously glancing around.
“Who the fuck is that?”
Shit. The timing of that radio call could not be worse. My stomach drops in fear. I have to tell him the truth.
“That is the cop parked across the street. Ryan, please put the gun down and let this go before things get worse.”
Agitation courses through him as he runs a blood-stained hand through his messy hair. Then he redirects the gun at me.
“No, Ryles. You decide what it’s going to be now, or nobody is walking out of here.”
Unsure how much time I have before Officer Walker comes in, I try again to diffuse the situation. “Ryan, please. It doesn’t need to be this way. Just put the weapon down and you can walk out of here.”
Ruzek moves, drawing our attention when he moans and runs a hand across his bleeding head. His eyes go wide with realization as he takes in the situation. The concern is clear in his gaze when he looks up. I give him a slight nod, hoping he will just stay put and let me handle this. Any move Ruzek makes now could push Ryan over the edge and make this situation worse than it already is.
With his gun still pointed at me, Ryan barks, “Choose now, Ryles, or it’s all over.”
The loud boom of a gunshot echoes through the quiet house at the same time Ruzek falls forward. Trembling, I watch as Ruzek tumbles to the floor and white stuffing from my couch bursts into the air. I steady my hands and, without a thought, raise my weapon and return fire.
My eyes close as the weapon recoils in my hand. After a silent prayer, I peek from one eye to see that the bullet has pierced Ryan's shirt and a pool of blood is forming across his chest.
Everything moves in slow motion. Ryan raises his gun again, firing a wayward shot before falling to his knees and clutching his now blood-soaked shirt. Distress lines his face and he mumbles what sounds like ‘help me’ before landing face first on the hardwood floor.
Adrenaline is coursing through my veins at lightning speed. My body trembles, causing me to drop Ruzek's gun before collapsing on the ground next to it.
Chapter 28
Rylee
My momentary haze lifts and I crawl over in a panic to see how badly Ruzek is hurt. I check his arms and back for signs of Ryan's shot before turning him over. There are no outward signs he was hit, but I check his pulse to be sure. He is still with me. He is still alive. The blood continuing to pour from the gash over his right eye worries me.
Running to the kitchen, careful to avoid Ryan's limp body, I find a clean towel. I wet it so I can apply pressure to Ruzek’s wound while we wait for help to arrive. On my knees next to my unconscious friend, I place the cool cloth against the cut and apply as much pressure as I can stomach.
A commotion stirs near my front door and an officer announces his presence, prompting me to yell in return.
“In here! Please call an ambulance - Ruzek is hurt.”
Officer Walker comes through the kitchen. Shock flashes across his face as he takes in the scene. Ruzek remains still beneath my hands and a large pool of blood is circling Ryan’s motionless body. The officer still has his weapon drawn as two more uniformed officers make their way into the room.
He looks to me. “Miss Ash, are you armed?”
“No, I dropped the gun over there.” I gesture with my head, refusing to take my hands off the towel that is slowing Ruzek’s bleeding. “Please, he needs an ambulance. It won’t stop bleeding.”
I wipe my tears and sweat-covered brow on the sleeve of my shirt without lessening the pressure on Ruzek.
Walker leans into the radio on his shoulder and calls for two ambulances. Another officer leans down and checks Ryan for a pulse before nodding at the Officer Walker.
“He is still alive.”
The name badge on the officer beside me reads Spiller. He holsters his weapon and takes a knee on the other side of Ruzek. I look him in the eyes.
“He came to for a minute before the shot was fired. I thought he was shot, but I don’t see any more blood so maybe he just passed out again.”
My voice is shaking and my words come out in a jumble. He stares at me for a moment before responding.
“OK. We’ll keep the pressure on his head. The medics should be here soon. Are you all right?”
Am I all right? That is a hell of a question at the moment, and one I do not feel like dissecting, so I nod. He stands up and walks over to further survey the disaster that is my living room. I am surprised he has not asked what happened.
Officer Walker comes over to ask if I need anything. I decline. He tells me they caught Micah running from the house shortly after the shots were fired. Micah has been arrested. Well at least something went right tonight.
Upon the paramedics’ arrival, there is a flurry of activity. They check both Ryan and Ruzek before loading them onto stretchers. I ask the officers if I can go to the hospital with Ruzek to make sure he is OK. Thankfully they agree, because I can’t imagine staying in this house after the events that unfolded in the last hour.
Ruzek looks better in the ambulance, once he is pumped full of fluids via the IV in his arm. I hold his hand and say a silent prayer in hopes he will pull through this. I don’t have the mental capaci
ty consider any other option.
After arriving at the hospital, I am told to sit in the waiting room. Ah, the cold, lifeless waiting room. I had really hoped I would never see it again, but here we are. Sitting in the familiar gray chair, again in the corner of the room, I begin to decompress and process the horrors of the night.
Deciding I don’t want to be here alone any longer, I call the one person who I know is close enough to be here soon: Eric. It is three in the morning and I know this will piss Jen off, but whatever. I hit the button on his contact information and hope he answers.
“Hello,” Jen answers in a sleep-riddled voice.
Great. The last thing I need is to have to explain this situation to her.
“Hi Jen, it’s Rylee. I need to speak to Eric please.” I try to stay calm as I speak to her, despite my rapidly deteriorating mental state.
“Rylee, what the hell? It is three in the morning. Can’t your latest drama wait until the sun comes up?”
True to form, she is being a bitch and I am running out of patience.
“No, Jen, as a matter of fact this can’t wait. I need to speak to Eric now!” I yell at her, disturbing the relative quiet of the waiting room.
Eric is in the background now, asking who is on the phone. She finally hands it to him. It sounds like she slams the phone into his hand.
“Ry? What’s going on? Are you OK?” His questions come in quick succession despite his less than awake state.
“Eric, I am sorry to call.” The tears begin to flow when I hear a friendly voice. “I need you, Eric. J is in New York, Bode is halfway around the world somewhere, Austin is in Texas, and I shot Ryan tonight.”
He is moving around and the sound of rustling clothes comes through the line before he finally responds.
“Wait, what did you just say? You shot Ryan?” His voice is full of shock and disbelief.
“Yeah, I shot Ryan and now I am at the hospital waiting for an update on Ruzek.”
“What the fuck happened, Ry? Jesus. I’ll be right there. Just let me get dressed and I am on my way.” He sounds as flustered as I feel.
I start to speak again when I hear Jen yelling at him.
“You’re not going anywhere. I don’t care what kind of mess she is in. She’s a big girl, she can take care of herself.”
I really do hate that girl. From the sound of it, Eric isn’t too pleased with her right now either.
“You know what, Jen?” He shouts. “Shut the fuck up. Rylee is family and I am damn well going to go help her. If you don’t like it, feel free to pack your shit and get out. I am sick and tired of having this conversation with you.”
I feel bad causing him more trouble, but I had no one else to call. However, I would not be overly sad if she did pack her shit and get out. He returns to the phone.
“I’ll be there in ten minutes, Ry, just hang tight, OK? Wait, what hospital?”
“Mass General. Thanks, Eric.”
Chapter 29
Rylee
As I sit in the unforgiving waiting room chair, several officers join my vigil. Most have asked if I am doing all right and a few eye me suspiciously. I guess it makes sense, considering I am the reason why two men are lying in this hospital tonight. I haven’t given myself a chance to consider the outcome of Ryan’s injury. They took him straight to surgery upon arrival.
Eric comes through the automatic doors and my body sags with relief. He locates me and hurries over, unfazed by the growing crowd. I throw my arms around his neck, finding a slice of familiarity, and finally let go. My sobs come in waves as I try to thank him for coming. His gentle touch guides me back into the corner chair, away from the increasing stares of others in the room.
I cry for a few minutes until I feel a semblance of sanity return and notice the concern in Eric’s expression. Eric is a good-looking guy. He is not as striking as J or Bode, but he can hold his own. His chestnut-colored hair and eyes are shades of the same color. His hair is generally styled to perfection, but right now it is a complete mess.
He holds me close as we sit in silence for a few minutes. The gentle strokes of his hand down my back remind me of J. He always rubs my back when I am upset. Eric’s soothing makes me feel safe for the first time all night. The silence breaks when he asks the obvious question.
“What happened tonight?”
In hushed tones I relay the highlights of the evening and see both anger and disbelief take hold of Eric. Once I finish my explanation, he pulls me into a hug.
“I hope you killed that son of a bitch, because if you didn’t, I will.”
I don’t know why, but I can’t help laughing at his heart-felt statement. If I had killed Ryan, that would make me a murderer. I don’t know if I can live with that, even if it was in self-defense. Me, a murderer. This Hollywood fairy tale just keeps getting better.
Eric looks at me in confusion because of my inappropriate response. Bringing my laughter under control, I explain, “Sorry, but this has been one hell of a night.”
He nods, accepting my emotional rollercoaster. “It has definitely been that. Have you called your brother yet?”
“No. I called you because you were the only one close enough to get here. I will call him later, after I find out how Ruzek is doing. There is no reason to wake him up in the middle of the night at this point.”
Jeremy will be furious that I didn’t call him and the longer I wait, the madder he will be. It’s not that I don’t want to call him, it’s more that I don’t think I can handle talking to him. I love my big brother and telling him what happened will bring this all into reality. I am not ready to face it all yet.
“I imagine Jeremy would beg to differ. You know he would want you to call him.”
“I know, Eric, but I’m still having a hard time wrapping my mind around all of it and telling J will make it all real somehow.”
He lets it go and we continue to sit in silence. I hold onto his hand like it will keep me grounded in reality. A nurse walks out and scans the waiting room, taking notice of the growing police presence. She finally speaks up.
“Is there a Miss Ash here?”
I glance at Eric, stand up, and we walk over to the petite woman dressed in purple, flower-covered scrubs. She smiles at me.
“Are you Miss Ash?”
“Yes, ma’am, I’m Rylee Ash,” I answer, wondering why she is looking for me.
“Mr. Ruzek is demanding to see you,” she says with a chuckle.
I hear rustling behind me as a few of the officers walk up behind where Eric and I are standing with the nurse. I know they are waiting on an update about him.
“Does that mean Ruzek is OK?” I ask.
She smiles. “Yes, dear, he will be fine. He is stubborn as hell, too. He said if I didn’t come find you, he would check himself right out of here.”
There is a collective sigh of relief in the waiting room, followed by a few chuckles. I turn to Eric.
“I am going to go see Ruzek, and then we can get out of here. I really hate this place.”
He nods. “Yeah, I hear that. Take your time, Ry. I’ll wait right here.”
My nerves skyrocket as I follow the nurse down the long corridor to Ruzek’s room. I pull my ponytail tight and smooth my clothes, now realizing that my shirt is still covered in his blood. Shit, why didn’t I notice this before? No wonder everyone has been staring at me. I look like I walked out of a scene in a horror movie. I guess in a way I did, but I still wish I had a change of clothes.
The nurse – Virginia, according to her name tag - notices my sudden focus on my blood-stained shirt.
“Honey, I can bring you a scrub top to change into if you like?”
Itching to get out of this reminder of the night, I nod silently with tears staining my face.
“Yes, please. I don’t want Ruzek to see this.”
She nods in understanding before slipping into a small closet on the other side of the hall. It feels like she is gone for hours as I scratch at a few of t
he drops of dried blood on my arm. I don’t know whose blood it is, which brings the nightmares of my night back to life.
I don’t notice when she returns with a pink top in her hand. She pulls my hand away from my arm where I have reddened the skin trying to remove the red stains. Taking my hand, she guides us into a bathroom a few doors down.
“Miss Ash?” She looks at me with grave concern before wetting a towel and wiping the droplets of blood from my arms.
Her touch is warm and gentle, bringing me back from the brink. I struggle to focus through my tears. When she turns to wet another towel, I pull my shirt over my head and toss it in the nearest trashcan.
The cool air of the blue-tinted bathroom hits me before I pull the scrub top over my head. I glance in the mirror at my reflection to find a broken woman. The stains of blood may be gone, but the memories aren’t. My eyes are black with remnants of mascara and my face is red from crying. I look like the disaster I feel inside.
I have to snap out of this. I need to check on Ruzek and then get out of this hospital. Splashing cold water on my face, I take a few deep breaths and try to calm the storm roaring inside me. My appearance improves once the black circles are removed.
Once I have a handle on myself, I brave speaking again.
“I’m so sorry for all of this,” I say. embarrassed by my near meltdown.
“Don’t you worry about it, honey. Ruzek told me a little of what happened. You are one brave woman.”
“Thank you. Can I go check on him now, please?”
“Well, if he hasn’t escaped looking for you,” she says with a giggle before walking out of the restroom.
I follow her down the hallway until she stops, turns, and gives me a nod of encouragement. Turning back, she opens the door.
“All right, you stubborn man. I found her, so you can stay put in that bed.”
With a light laugh, she holds the door open for me and shuts it after I enter.
Ruzek’s face is filled with concern.
“Well, if it isn’t my knight in shining armor,” he says in an attempt to lighten the mood.
Loving Enough (The Enough Series Book 2) Page 12