by L. P. Dover
Breathing hard, Connor pulled out his phone and handed it to me. “Take this. I’ve already called for help, but it’ll take them a while to get here. Right now, you need to get out of here.” Another gunshot fired and he pushed me toward the back door. “Go, now!” He charged off into the fight, but I couldn’t leave them. Instead, I went right back into the line of fire.
There was blood everywhere, yet no one was down. Nick had blood soaking the left side of his shirt and I could see his energy waning. He backed into the wall and gripped his arm. “Nick!” I raced toward him and helped him over to my dad. “What happened?”
He grimaced in pain. “The fucker shot me in the shoulder. I think this is a clear sign that I need to stick to hockey.”
“Are you okay? Where did he go?”
“I’m fine. I think he took off to find you. I need to warn Connor.” He started to get up and I squeezed his arm. Connor could handle Shades.
“No, you need to help me get my dad out of here. I can’t do it by myself.” Nodding, he helped lift my dad to his feet. We carried him outside and all the way down the driveway. Nick pressed the button for the gate and it opened. “Where are we going?”
He nodded toward the woods. “There’s a spot up ahead with all of our supplies.”
As soon as we got there, I pulled out one of Blake’s shirts from his bag and ripped it in half. I wrapped one around my dad’s leg and the other around Nick’s shoulder. Something else caught my eye and I picked it up.
“That’s not a toy, Hadley,” Nick warned.
“I know,” I agreed, holding the gun in my hands. Turning on my heel, I marched straight back toward the house.
“Hadley, no! Stop!”
I couldn’t stop. There was no time.
Hadley
More gunshots fired and I ran as fast as I could. Shades could be seen through the window, getting to his feet but I couldn’t see Connor. Where was he? Shades hobbled across the floor, gun drawn. No! I raced up the stairs and pointed my gun at his chest. Blake was on top of Tristan, his fists hitting flesh, he didn’t see Shades coming.
I pulled the trigger and the next thing I knew, he was on the floor, bleeding out from a wound in his gut. Not where I was aiming, but at least I hit my mark. He grunted in pain and reached for his gun. Another shot rang out and I screamed, turning my head away from the bloody carnage.
Gun drawn, Connor stood by my side, his expression full of turmoil. “It’s over, Tristan,” he growled low.
Blake slammed Tristan’s head on the marble floor and stood. He was covered in blood and the whole right side of his face was bruised. Breathing hard, he cocked his gun and pointed it at Tristan, who he allowed to get unsteadily to his feet.
Even faced with death, Tristan glared defiantly at us. Blake put his finger on the trigger and his muscles twitched. He was about to pull.
“Blake, no,” I warned.
Furrowing his brows, he glanced at me. “There’s no choice here, Hadley. This has to end. He has to pay for what he did to you.”
Connor spoke up. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll take care of him.”
Tristan swayed on his feet. “You gonna kill me, uncle?”
Connor winced and pointed the gun straight at his head. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this.”
Tristan scoffed. “Is this about that whore of yours?”
“She wasn’t a whore.” His voice boomed throughout the room and I trembled. I’d never seen him so angry; it was frightening. “Alannah was mine and you killed her! You raped her and when you found out she was pregnant, you made it look like a suicide. It wasn’t even your fucking child; it was mine!” He pulled out a piece of paper from the back of his pocket and threw it at Tristan. “She told me everything you did, you son of a bitch. She knew you were going to kill her.”
Clapping a hand over my mouth, I gasped in horror.
Blake lowered his gun and put an arm around me. “Turn around and keep walking,” he murmured, pulling me back. “It’s between them now.”
It was hard for him to walk away, but Connor needed the revenge more than he did. I was the one still alive, Alannah wasn’t. Turning my back, Tristan growled and started to shout, but I couldn’t hear what he said. A gunshot fired and I heard his body hit the floor with a loud thunk.
As soon as we got out of the house, I jumped into Blake’s arms. “I love you so much,” I cried.
He breathed me in, holding me tight. “I love you too, princess.”
Tears welled in my eyes and I laughed. I’d missed hearing him call me that. “How did you know I wasn’t dead?”
Brushing the hair off my face, he slid his fingers down and cupped my cheek. “I didn’t at first. I thought you were dead. It fucked me up more than anything. But then things didn’t add up and I couldn’t live with that. I had to have proof you were gone, and how it truly happened. That’s why I went to Burnsville and had Logan help me.”
“Logan?” I asked, wide-eyed.
He smiled. “He’s the one who got the satellite video for me. It showed the crash and then Connor getting you out of the car. After that, I knew what to do.”
“What if you were too late? What if Tristan had taken me to Ireland?”
His gaze grew dark. “I would’ve gone over there and fought for you. Nothing was going to keep me away.”
Over his shoulder, I watched Connor exit the house. I couldn’t imagine what it felt like to have to be around Tristan after what he’d done to him. It was vile and completely heartbreaking.
“Connor,” I called. He walked over and I threw my arms around his neck. “Thank you.”
It took him a few seconds, but he returned the embrace and let me go. By the pain in his eyes, I could tell killing Tristan took a lot out of him. Tristan was his nephew, his family. “You’re welcome. Sooner or later, he would’ve killed you too. If not physically, emotionally. I wasn’t about to let him do that to another innocent girl.”
“I’m sorry about Alannah.”
He averted his gaze. “Killing Tristan won’t bring her back, but it had to be done.”
I glanced at them both. “What happens now?”
Blake put his arm around me. “We wait for the police to come, answer their questions, and go home. Then you get the jollies of dodging the press.” That was going to be a nightmare. I’d been in the news more in the past two months than I had in my whole career. It was going to explode when word got out that I was alive.
“What about you?” I asked Connor.
His gaze landed on Blake and he was the one who answered. “His people will probably have him sent back to Ireland, where they can dish out punishment. Am I right?”
Connor nodded. “Killing him will be the ultimate sin in my brother’s eyes, no matter what he did to deserve it.”
Sirens blared in the distance; the police were coming. “What if you’re dead?” I asked.
“We could say one of Tristan’s guys killed you and buried you somewhere. That could work, right?” I glanced up at Blake, hoping he’d agree.
He squeezed my shoulder. “I think you’ve been hanging around these guys a little too long.”
“Not a bad idea,” Connor added. “But I’d need your full cooperation. You’d have to lie for me.”
The sirens were getting closer. “We’ll do it, now go,” I commanded.
His attention landed on Blake. “I have to hear him say it first.”
Huffing, Blake held out his hand. “Go, MacCabe, before I change my mind.” Connor shook his hand and I hugged him one more time before he took off at a sprint. “Hey,” Blake hollered after him. Connor stopped and turned around. “If you bring any kind of trouble to our doorstep, I will hunt you down and kill you. Got that?”
A wide grin spread across his face. “I’m not stupid enough to do that.” He turned and disappeared just in time for the police to barge in through the gate.
“I’m ready to go home,” I said.
Pulling me into his side, he kissed the
side of my head. “Don’t worry, you’ll be back to California in no time.”
I looked up at him and smiled. “Nah. I think it’s time I found a place where I belonged.”
Hadley
“So I’m good to go?” I asked the doctor.
She smiled over the file in her hands. “You are, as soon as you sign these for my two little girls. I’m pretty sure I’ll never see you again after today,” she said, handing me two pieces of hospital stationary. “It’s not every day you meet someone who rose from the dead.”
I signed the papers and handed them back to her. “I’m glad to be back. But what about him?” I asked, nodding over at Blake. He rolled his eyes and mumbled something under his breath about being fine. I had to laugh at the sight. He looked like Grumpy Cat in a hospital gown.
Dr. Reese chuckled. “We’re just waiting on more of his test results and then he’ll be ready to go. It doesn’t look like anything’s broken.”
“Because there’s not,” he grumbled. “I’m perfectly fine.” They put us in the same room because he refused to let me out of his sight.
“Still, Mr. Evans, we have to make sure you’re okay. You’ll be out of here within the hour.”
“What about my father? Is he awake yet?”
She closed my folder and held it to her chest. “He’s in and out. We’re flushing the drugs out of his system as we speak. They gave him a large dose. He’s lucky to be alive.”
I held back my tears. “Thanks, Dr. Reese. And Nick?”
“Doing surprisingly well. There was a clean exit wound. He’ll be back on the ice before next season. He should be fine to leave tomorrow.”
“Thank goodness,” I replied, sighing with relief. He was probably tired of getting shot because of me.
“We contacted his sister so she should be here soon. She’s your agent, right?”
And she had no clue I was alive. The media hadn’t gotten hold of that story yet. “Yep, and it should be quite interesting when she sees me.”
“I bet,” she laughed, glancing down at her watch. “All right, let me check up on those test results and I’ll be back.”
Once she left, I climbed up on the bed with Blake. “I never thought about how weird it’s going to be to see everyone when we get back. It wouldn’t surprise me if the paparazzi comes up with some stupid story about how I faked my own death to get media attention.”
Blake snorted. “They can fuck themselves. We know the truth and that’s all that matters.” Wrapping his arm around my waist, he pulled me down next to him and held me.
“What am I going to say to my dad? I’m so confused right now.”
He squeezed me. “You have to tell him how you feel. If he wasn’t in a hospital bed right now, I’d have beaten the shit out of him for what he did. However, it’s up to you to forgive him.”
“What if I can’t?” Tears fell down my cheeks onto the pillow. What my father did would forever impact my life. Nothing in the world could take away those scars.
“You will one day. He just needs to know he doesn’t have to protect you anymore. You have me for that.”
“Does that mean you’re going to be my bodyguard?” I quipped.
He pressed his groin into my back. “I’ll do more than protect your body, princess.”
I slapped his arm playfully and shook my head. “What about your undercover work? You won’t be able to do as much.” I turned in his arms and faced him. His fingers grazed along my cheek and then he leaned over and kissed me.
“I don’t care about any of it. I want to be with you and I’ll do that any way I can. I can’t trust anyone else to protect you.”
“It’s because nobody can. You’re the only one I trust with my life. I don’t want anyone else.”
He smirked. “You sure you won’t be embarrassed to be seen with me?”
“Never,” I murmured truthfully.
“Even if I wear Mexican pointy boots on the red carpet?” His lips spread wide and I laughed.
“Who knows, you might start a trend. But then again, it might draw too much attention. I’ll be fighting women off left and right.” We both laughed at the thought.
His face turned serious. “I need you to do me a favor.”
I nodded. “Anything, just name it.”
“Be patient. I don’t know what it’s like to be with someone like you, to be followed around and hounded constantly. And you know my ranch isn’t the fanciest of places, but it’s home for me. It’s just not what you’re used to.”
I placed a finger to his lips. “I don’t need fancy or lavish, Blake. All I want is my dirty ol’ cowboy, some hay for us to roll around in, and a horse to ride off into the sunset. I’ll even clean out the stalls and go hiking every day if you want me to. That’s where I belong . . . with you.”
Pulling my hand away, he covered me with his body and kissed me. “I love you, Hadley. So much it fucking hurts.”
“I know the feeling.”
“Are you ready for this?” I asked.
Blake groaned. “Not really, but it’s now or never. I’ll just cover my ears when she screams.”
“She already is . . . I can hear her all the way from here.” She was probably yelling at Nick because he wouldn’t tell her what happened. I wanted him to wait until Blake and I were in there with him.
Thankfully, all of Blake’s tests came back normal. We had both been discharged from the hospital, but we stayed around so I could keep an eye on my dad and also wait for Felicity. We weren’t going to be able to stay long because the more people who saw me at the hospital, the more rumors were going to start circulating.
“All right, here we go.” When I opened the door, she was still yelling. Nick smiled the entire time and his grin got bigger when he saw us walk in.
“What the hell are you smiling about?” Felicity snapped. “There’s nothing funny about getting shot . . . again.”
“Maybe if he knew what the fuck he was doing, it wouldn’t have happened in the first place,” Blake joked.
I smacked him on the arm and he laughed. Felicity huffed and glanced quickly over her shoulder and then did a double take, mouth gaping wide.
“Surprise,” I announced nervously.
She stared at me in horror and then backed up to the wall with her hand over her heart.
Her body was shaking all over. “How? How is this possible?”
“It’s a long story, and thankfully, Nick and Blake were there to help me.” Nick held out his hand and he pulled me over. “You doing okay?” I asked him.
“Great. Ready to play some hockey.” He rolled his shoulder and winced. “Or maybe I’ll give it a few days.” He laughed.
Felicity sidled over, reaching out her hand until she touched me. Eyes wide, she squeezed my arm. “Is it really you?” Tears streamed down her cheeks. When I nodded, she flung her arms around my neck. “Don’t you ever do this to me again!”
We fell over onto Nick’s bed and I laughed. “Believe me, I don’t plan on it.”
“Wait,” she growled, pulling away from me and glaring at Nick. “Did you know she was alive this whole time?”
His smile faded. “No. Evans and I didn’t find out until we were in Burnsville. Then we had to plan a rescue mission. I’m talking guns, mafia, you name it. They could make a movie out of this shit. Actually, they probably will.”
“Are you serious? Did anyone get killed?”
Nick and I both stared at each other and I knew he felt the same betrayal I did. Blake was the one who answered. “A few people did, including Tristan. He’s the one who was behind everything from the very beginning. He killed Scott and shot Nick, all in hopes of getting Connor put in as her bodyguard. That way he could have access to her.”
“Fucking Tristan? Tristan Doherty? What the fuck? What about that Dane guy?” she asked, focusing on me.
“He was a regular ol’ stalker and ended up being at the right place at the wrong time. He was innocent, except for trespassing on my prope
rty. Tristan admitted to being the one who broke in that night though.”
She fell down in the chair, her mouth open in shock. “I can’t believe this. This is some serious stuff right here. Do you realize how many people are going to want to talk to you when we get back? I’m talking the news, talk shows, et cetera. You’ll be booked up for months.”
I glanced up at Blake and he put his arm around me. “What do you think?” I asked him. She was right, there were going to be a lot of people who wanted to talk to me.
Blake squeezed my shoulder and sighed. “It’s up to you, princess. I’ll do whatever you need me to do.”
Felicity’s brows furrowed. “Something you need to tell me?” she asked.
Smiling wide, I wrapped my arm around Blake’s waist. “I’ll stay in town until everything calms down. Then afterward, I’m going home . . . to Wyoming.”
She gasped. “You’re leaving us?”
Nick nodded in understanding which gave me the courage I needed. I was so afraid of losing him as a friend, but after everything that happened, I felt like we were closer than ever. He might have even won Blake over in the process. I could dream, anyway.
“I am, but I’m still going to sing. So schedule up my concerts and do your thing. I’ll be there,” I promised.
“What about your producer? Recording your music?”
“I guess I’ll have to cross that bridge when I get to it.”
Hadley
Nick and Felicity left to go back to California and ever since being back, they’d been the main headline on every single news station on TV. My time was going to come. There were people parked outside of the hospital to see us, but I hadn’t left the building. For two days, Blake and I stayed hidden in the hospital, waiting for my dad to fully wake up. I couldn’t leave without him.
We had tried to eat lunch in the cafeteria but there were reporters everywhere pretending to eat lunch. Luckily, Dr. Reese took pity on me and let us hide out in an empty room, just down the hall from my father.
“Is Tyla okay with taking care of everything while you’re gone?” I asked.