Madness-filled eyes danced over her. Sam was insane, and none of them had noticed.
"Fine, then. I won't take him back, but he's not gonna have you, either. I get nothing, he gets nothing. I'm afraid you'll have to die, cause you see, Allison McKay, you stole Jimmy from me years ago. He never even looked at me once after he heard you sing... I set my sights on Drew, knowing they had a competition going between them hoping that I could get his attention focused on me. But no, it didn't work now, did it? Jimmy still wanted you."
This revelation stunned and confused her. This was all about Jimmy? It had nothing to do with Drew? All the trouble Drew was having getting his divorce was because of her. She had been right all along, this was all her fault. Drew would have been better off without her.
"Sam, put the gun down. You don't want to do this."
"See, that's where you're wrong. I want to do this more than I've ever wanted to do anything else in my entire life. Goodbye, bitch. See you in hell."
Being shot felt nothing like what she'd imagined it would. It hurt like hell and burned as the bullet traveled through her body. She briefly wondered if hitting the pavement would hurt more or less that the bullet tearing through her flesh. Allison vowed to never allude in her books that being shot, or taking a bullet for someone was in any way romantic.
"Put the gun down, Sam! I will not hesitate to shoot you if you so much as twitch in any other direction but down,” Jimmy warned, his service revolver aimed at Sam's head.
A stray thought moved through Allison's mind, that he'd chosen well, as Sam had no heart. Strong arms wrapped themselves around her, catching her as she fell.
"Baby? Baby, talk to me. You'll be okay, baby. Do you hear me, Allison?"
Reaching up, she gently cupped his cheek. “I love you."
"Call an ambulance. Please, Lord...someone call an ambulance!” His hand came up to cover hers as tears entered his eyes. “Don't leave me, Allison. I can't do this without you."
"Yes, you can; you can do anything,” she told him, her eyes closing as she felt consciousness slipping away. But he had to know how sorry she was she did this to him. “I'm sorry, Drew, I should have stayed away. You just made it so hard, and then I fell in love with you."
Drew rested his lips against her forehead. Tears freely streaming down his face. “Where's that damned ambulance! Baby, sweetheart, open your eyes. Look at me. You can't get rid of me that easily. I know you love me, and that means something."
Jimmy rested a hand gently on Drew's shoulder to get his attention. “Drew, you need to let her go so that the paramedics can do their job. She'll be in good hands, buddy, I promise."
It pained Drew to see her like this. He never guessed that Sam could be dangerous. If Allison died, it would be his fault. He'd forced her to admit how she felt about him. He kept at her until she made love to him. He didn't deserve a woman like her. Jimmy and Eric were right—Allison McKay was too good for him.
"Lord, if you save her I promise I'll do anything you ask. She's too good to die. I'd rather you took me."
"Drew, you have to stop talking like that. Allison wouldn't approve, and when she wakes up, she's so going to kick your ass."
Jimmy seemed so sure.
"I need to be with Allison, Jimmy, where is she?” Looking around, he couldn't see any sign of his girl, but his eyes did land on Sam sitting in Jimmy's cruiser. Rage filled him at the sight of her. “I'm going to kill her."
"Drew! Drew, stop. Don't do anything stupid. Allison wouldn't want this."
"Get out of my way, Jimmy. If Sam wanted to hurt me, she should have shot me, not the most precious woman I know, who has this insane ability to make everyone who meets her love her."
"Then hang on to that and get your ass to the hospital. Because when that woman wakes up and you're not there by her bedside holding her hand, you know what she's going to think."
Oh hell, she's going to think that I left her. Marching toward his four—by-four, he threw Jeremy the keys. He was in no shape to drive and he knew it. Besides, the kid looked like hell, and Drew knew Jeremy loved her as much as he did in his own way.
"Get me to that damned hospital, Jeremy. Now! That woman is not getting out of marrying me that easily."
He felt like someone had torn his heart out of his chest. Sam had always been a money-hungry bitch, but he'd never pegged her as homicidal before today. What could have pushed her over the edge like that?
Arriving at the hospital, he jumped out of the vehicle before Jeremy could come to a complete stop and ran into the building. Grabbing the first hospital worker in a uniform, he pulled him within an inch of his face. “Where is she? Allison McKay, where is she?"
"I'm sorry, Sir, but..."
"That's Sheriff Perry to you. Now, point me in the direction of someone who can help, and the Lord save anyone who tries to tell me she didn't make it."
The orderly pointed toward the nurse's station that was surrounded by photographers. Letting the man go, Drew rushed off in the direction the man pointed him in.
"Forgive him. You'd be a little crazy, too, if the woman you loved had just been shot."
Drew ignored Jeremy's apology on his behalf and blocked the nurse's path to get her attention. “Allison McKay, where is she?"
"I'm sorry, Sir, but unless you're family, I can't..."
"Vanessa, you know who I am. Besides the fact that I'm the Sheriff and you have to tell me for my report, she's my fiancee, and I will cause all sorts of trouble if you don't tell me right this instant. Where is she?” He wasn't in the mood for jealousy fits or games, and he was willing to go to any lengths to prove it.
"Vanessa, just give him what he wants,” Eric replied from behind him. Drew had no idea where he came from, but he was welcome if he could help.
"She's still in surgery. When the doctors come out, I'll let them know you're here. Until then, no one can see her. Not even you, Sheriff."
Why that little bitch...
Flashes going off in his eyes brought his attention onto the other problem Allison had been having recently—the photographers.
"Take one more picture of me, and I promise you that you will all be spending the next forty-eight hours in a jail cell."
"We have every right to be here, Mister, and since you're Allison McKay's fiancee, you are now fair game. And there is nothing you can do about it."
The arrogance in the man's voice irritated him. Spotting Jimmy making his way toward his baby brother, Drew decided to make a point these photographers would never forget. “Jimmy!"
"Yeah, Boss?"
"Please escort our friends here to the station and give them all a free room for the night."
"Boss?” Jimmy asked, confusion evident in his voice.
Drew turned back to the men eyeing him in disbelief. “Invasion of privacy should do nicely. You see, being the Sheriff of this town gives me the power to do something about unwanted nuisances. Since you didn't get my permission to take my photo, city by-laws state that I can imprison you for forty-eight hours."
"I'll sue..."
Getting into the man's face, Drew flashed him a toothy grin. “Be my guest, but as long as Allison McKay lives in my little town, you vultures are not welcome!"
"This is against my constitutional rights."
Jimmy snickered as he pulled out his cuffs. “Damned arrogant American paparazzi. This isn't the United States, moron. American law doesn't mean shit in our little town. Don't you do your homework before entering a foreign country?"
A few of the words Jimmy said wormed their way into Drew's pain-soaked brain. “How did you know Allison was here?"
The photographer sneered at him. “Blind luck. I expected to find her shacked up and living a life of sin. But this angle is a thousand times better."
Grabbing the defenseless man by the collar, Drew lifted him off his feet. “I meant, how did you know she was here in my town?"
Terror filled the photographer's eyes. “I got an anonymous tip. This guy sa
id that Allison McKay had broken her own code of ethics and was shacked up with a Neanderthal living in sin. It was too good to pass up."
Dropping the man in disgust, Drew stepped away from him. “What was too good to pass up?"
Rubbing his neck the photographer looked up at Drew in shocked surprise. “You're kidding right? Allison McKay...Ms. Wholesome, doesn't drink, smoke, do drugs, or believe in pre-marital sex, shacked up with some guy living in sin? One picture of her in a compromising position would be like catching Mother Theresa with a joint."
"Stay away from my fiancee."
"You can't keep this a secret. Allison McKay has been shot by a madwoman and is near death—"
"Get him out of my sight. Allison is not going to die, and the minute she wakes up I'm going to marry that girl. Jimmy, once you have our guest safely locked up, please come back here. I'm off to find the judge. Call me on my cell the minute you hear anything."
Jimmy looked at him with worry in his blue eyes. “The judge is standing right behind you, Drew."
"Wrong Judge!"
* * * *
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Nineteen
Jimmy worried as he watched Drew stalk toward the hospital exit; there was an insane glint to the man's eyes that didn't bode well for anyone who stood in his way. “Uhm Judge, I think you should go with him, or he's likely to do something stupid. I'd go, but I need to get our guests here to their new accommodations."
"He looks awfully determined. I don't think anyone could stop him now."
Resting a hand on Eric's shoulder, Jimmy turned back to look in Drew's direction. “He's terrified. I don't think he's ever been truly in love before, and he's just now realizing it. With Allison in surgery, that love is being threatened."
"I guess our Sheriff isn't as unflappable as he's made everyone believe, and Allison chose right after all. She finally found what she'd been searching for all these years."
Jimmy turned back towards the photographers with a smile. “Okay, you three. Move it. The sooner I get you guys settled, the faster I can get back here."
Grumbles issued from three disgruntled throats.
"I said move!"
"Fine, fine, were moving."
Laughing, Eric hurried forward to hold the door open for the procession to exit ahead of him. “I wouldn't annoy our good Sheriff any more today gentlemen, or as Judge I just might find you all guilty and let you rot in jail until Allison recovers."
"This whole town is corrupted in her favor,” the lead photographer whined.
Eyeing the man critically, Eric stepped forward until he was nose-to-nose with the man in cuffs. “What does that tell you? Perhaps this town isn't the best place to try and invade the lady's privacy. Let's call this her sanctuary, the one place you and your kind are not welcome. I suggest if and when you're ever released, you get the word out."
Even Jimmy was impressed by the judge's speech, and seeing the fear in the photographer's faces, he felt certain they'd take those words to heart.
"Good advice. Now, shouldn't you be going after Drew?"
"He's not going anywhere. Drew could no more leave Allison now than he could let her leave when she tried after the audit was over."
Closing the cruiser door, Jimmy turned back toward Eric. “How can you be so sure? He did let her leave after all, the last time."
"And he was both miserable and horrible to be around. Besides, his truck isn't here, so he can't leave. He's sitting on the bench with his head in his hands. Take your prisoners to jail. I'll handle Drew and find MacKenzie."
"You're a good friend, Judge. I hope Drew realizes that."
He will, once Allison is safe. Watching Jimmy speed out of the parking lot with the siren blaring, Eric wondered how to best approach the man before him. Drew was a dangerous man right now. He was terrified and in more pain than any man deserved to feel.
Taking a seat beside his new friend, he picked a blade of grass from the ground beside them and twirled it between his fingers. “So how long were you planning on sitting out here?"
"Leave me alone!"
"You know when she comes out of surgery and finds you missing..."
The lost look in Drew's eyes told Eric, he understood exactly what would happen. “So where does this leave us, Sheriff?"
"I can't go in there only to wait for news. I told Jimmy to call me on my cell, but I don't even have that with me. Allison's gift to me is sitting at home. She gave me a new cell when mine died, and I left it behind. How I could I leave it behind like that?"
Things were more serious than Eric had expected. “This isn't your fault, Drew. No one saw Sam's meltdown coming. We all thought like you did that she only wanted the money. Now pull yourself together and get back in there. I'll find MacKenzie and bring him here to you."
"Excuse me, Sheriff. Ms. McKay is out of surgery. You can see her any time you wish."
The nurse had barely started speaking before Drew was in her face with questions. “Is she awake? Is she safe? Is she asking for me?"
"I'm so sorry, Sheriff, but I'm afraid that Ms. McKay is still unconscious. She lost so much blood that the doctors aren't sure when she'll wake or even if..."
At the word blood, Drew took off into the hospital leaving the poor nurse pale and shaken from the encounter.
"How is she really, Kathleen?"
"Put it this way, Judge—I don't want to be the one to have to tell him she didn't make it, and unless she starts to fight to live..."
Giving the girl a quick hug, Eric held open the door for her to precede him into the building. “Then we have nothing to worry about. That woman is a fighter and her reason for fighting just ran through this door."
"I sure hope you're right, or the whole city is in for some dark times."
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Twenty
Allison looked so small and frail lying there with all those tubes in her. It hurt to see her like that, but worse, it terrified him.
"Damn it.” How had he let a woman—any woman—get such a deep hold over him? He couldn't even bring himself to enter the room. Six days now, and she still hadn't stirred, let alone woken up, and he couldn't even bring himself to enter the damned room.
"Drew..."
One word—one faint whisper—and he was across the room in a shot. One faint word, and all the barriers stopping him from entering her room were gone, and he was crushing her to his chest while laying kisses all over her face. “I'm here, Love, and I'm not going anywhere ever again."
"Just checking."
That brought a smile to his lips and answered his silent questions. She'd won him over by worming her way into his heart with her quiet strength. By convincing him he was needed to sustain her happiness, she'd cemented his need for her.
"No one will move me from this spot, I promise."
A soft smile curved her lips as her eyes closed in sleep. Slipping up onto the hospital bed, Drew carefully arranged himself behind her and was rewarded by her contented sigh.
"Think that's a good idea, Boss?” Jimmy asked with a knowing grin from the doorway. “The hospital staff might have issues finding you in the bed with her."
"Too bad for them, because I'm not moving from this spot. Allison wants me here."
Laughing Jimmy pushed away from the door taking the chair Drew had just vacated and carried it into the room to have a seat. “I take it our lady is finally awake?"
"What do you mean, ‘our' lady?’ Allison woke up long enough to make sure I was still here and then went back to sleep. She's resting now, and I think we should let her.” Drew knew Jimmy was there to keep an eye on him; they'd all been taking turns watching over him. It meant a lot to know his friends were worried about him. They were worried about what he'd do if Allison took a turn for the worse. Well, they had nothing to worry about. Allison was going to be just fine.
"Glad to see you're back to your old cocky self. So shall we get some business done?"
&n
bsp; "I think that might be a good idea. Catch me up."
"Sam and the photographers are all safely in their cells. I confiscated all the memory cards and film from the photographers so there's no chance of any photos leaking out. Sam is another story altogether. She's claiming self-defense."
Drew muffled his groan. The last thing Allison needed was to sense his moods. “Pray tell, exactly how is she going to prove this claim?"
"She says that Allison was trying to kill her. I think she's setting up her insanity defense."
The expected anger never materialized, which surprised him a little. “Somehow, that doesn't surprise or bother me. Allison must be rubbing off on me."
"Then maybe this will surprise you. Sam says that Allison stole me from her in college so she had to settle on you, and then Allison got bored of stringing me along, so she set her sights on you to make sure Sam was left alone and desperate enough to kill to survive."
The confused look on Jimmy's face wasn't too hard to understand. Drew felt exactly the same way. “She truly is insane...isn't she?"
Jimmy shrugged, but Drew could see right through his supposedly calm demeanor.
"Jeremy witnessed the whole shooting, and don't even think about getting mad at him for not stopping Sam. The kid is being hard enough on himself without your help."
"I never expected Jeremy to get involved in this situation. Sam had a gun and she could have just as easily hurt them both. He did the right thing, and Allison will tell him that as soon as she's strong enough to stay awake for more than a few minutes."
He could see the shocked disbelief on Jimmy's face and he didn't care. Any negative energy would upset the woman in his arms and he believed every word he'd said. Unless a person was properly trained, they should never get involved when weapons are involved. Especially guns. Jeremy had done the right thing by staying out of sight. The boy called the paramedics, and that action saved his love's life.
"In my opinion, Jeremy is a hero."
"Okay, what did you do with my best friend?"
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