Chapter Twelve
Shane Blake
Today I need to catch up on all the appointments and paperwork I missed the past few days while I stayed in bed with Mercy. It was well worth it, though. Being able to get to know her body and her mind has only brought us closer together.
My phone has made shrill sounds from inside the drawer twice now, and although I want nothing more than to grab it, I remain focused. When it rings, I stop what I am doing and all but rip open the drawer to grab my phone. I smile when I see Mercy’s face lighting up my screen.
“Hey, Babe.”
I wait a moment, but she doesn’t reply. Did she accidentally dial me? Just as I am about to hang up and call back, I hear a man’s voice and my blood runs cold as ice.
“Tie him up!” the man yells. My chair clatters as it falls over when I jump to my feet.
A moment later I can hear Mercy . “I don’t know what you want from me, Zane.” Her voice is calm, but I can hear the fear she is trying to hide. “I’m just taking my dog for a walk in the park.”
Zane.
I will fucking kill him with my bare hands if he so much as touches her.
“I wanted you!” he yells, and I hear Zeus bark in the background. “But you gave yourself to him. I fucking saw you!” I feel sick to my stomach, knowing he watched us together. How did I miss this? “I would have been good to you, but now I just want to make both of you as miserable as I am.”
“Call the cops,” I shout out to anyone who might hear me. “And track my phone.”
I’m glad everyone who works for me keeps their location tracker app on at all times. We once had an agent stranded for an hour before someone drove by and no one knew where to look for them.
Keeping the phone pressed close to my ear, I storm through the office and out the door. I hear Kalum call out to me, but I am not stopping for anything. I fling myself into the front seat of my truck and thank God it looked rainy this morning. My bike wouldn’t have been any help in this situation. My cell phone automatically connects to Bluetooth, and I hear a pained cry escape from Mercy.
“Where are you taking me?” Her voice is moving further away from her phone. “I can’t just leave Zeus tied up here in the park!”
Smart girl. I know exactly where she is. I have to hurry. Her voice is getting further away from her phone, and I know she doesn’t have it on her. If he gets her in his car I won’t have any way to find them.
Gunning the engine, I listen as she struggles against Zane. Zeus is going crazy in the background. Rounding the corner, I see them. Mercy is kicking and slapping at the much bigger man as he drags her toward his car by her hair.
Jumping the curb I floor the gas. Zane sees me and jumps out of the way, releasing Mercy and pushing her out of the way. Not that I would have hit her, I’m aiming for him. Gunshots go off as Zane fires at my truck. I keep my head down and pray that Mercy is safe on the other side.
The gunshots stop abruptly but are replaced by horrific screams. I hear the police sirens in the distance and smile, knowing someone heard me and called the cops.
“No!” Mercy screams just outside the door of my truck before another gunshot goes off.
I’m not sure when she came around to this side but my heart stops when I hear that shot go off. I can’t lose her now. Throwing the door open I jump out, ready to fight. The scene that greets me is bloody and heartbreaking.
Zane is on his back. His eyes are filled with fear as his hand presses to his throat. Blood is pooling beneath him from a wound in his neck. Mercy sits on the ground beside him, tears streaming down her face. Zeus is cradled in her lap as she tries to stop the flow of blood from where the bullet penetrated his side.
“Help me!” she screams, her voice broken.
The local sheriff comes to a screeching halt beside us. “Jesus,” he curses taking in the scene. “What the fuck is going on here?”
Zeus whimpers in Mercy’s arms and she sobs louder. “Just help me!” she screams again imploring him with her gaze.
The sheriff turns to face me and nods. He knows me. Knows where my business and my home are, and he will find me to clear this up. I lift Zeus into my arms and place him in the back seat—Mercy clambers in after. Without giving it a second thought or looking back at the carnage behind us, I drive to the local vet like a madman.
****
Mercy West
It feels like it takes forever to get to the vet. Zeus whimpers with every bump in the road while I sob. Crazy beast. He saved me but now Shane is going to lose him, and my heart is being torn to shreds.
“Wait here,” Shane says loudly. He jumps out of the truck, and within a minute a woman is following him outside pushing a metal table.
Harshly, Shane rips the door open and helps me out. Gently he lifts Zeus out of the truck before laying him on the table. Zeus’s eyes are closed but I know he is still alive by the shallow movements of his chest. Just as quickly as she appeared, the woman wheels the table away again. I can hear her shouting instructions inside the building but it’s like I have cotton wool stuffed in my ears. Everything sounds far away.
“Babe…” Shane shakes me lightly and my gaze moves from the closed door to him.
“I’m so sorry,” my voice breaks with the last word.
“Mercy.” He crushes me against his chest. I can hear his heart beating loudly against my ear. “It will be okay.”
“It won’t.” I push him away. “I’m the reason he got hurt. If he dies I won’t ever be able to forgive myself, and neither will you!” I yell, sounding slightly unhinged. I know I’m acting like a deranged person but I don’t feel that sane right now.
“Stop!” he roars.
I turn to glare at him. We face off both breathing hard.
“Kimberley is going to do everything in her power to help Zeus. But he did what he was supposed to do. He protected his loved ones.” Shane is fierce in his belief that Zeus will be fine. My heart is breaking every moment that we don’t know if he will be all right.
We don’t have any more opportunity to argue as the sheriff pulls into the parking spot beside us. Getting out of his car, he studies us for a moment before speaking.
“Zane is dead. He bled out from the wound your dog inflicted.” He stares at us in turn. “Were you aware of his history of mental illness or that he was a long-time drug user?”
We stare at each other as so many of the puzzle pieces slip into place. He was a sick man and it didn’t take much to send him over the edge.
“He had a gun!” I reply instead. “He was trying to kidnap me.”
“I’m aware. I am also aware you had a problem with someone stalking you.”
Taking a deep breath, I calm myself. I’m happy someone had the forethought to let the local sheriff know about my situation, but I also know what happens to dogs that maul or kill people. There is not a snowball’s chance in hell I will let them euthanize Zeus if he survives this shit. I glare at the sheriff, only now realizing that he is Tommy Smith.
“What do you want, Tommy?”
“When your dog is out of the woods, I need you to come by the station.” He is calm as he speaks. “I need to get your statement.”
“And my dog?” Anger infuses every word. “Are you going to try to take him from me?” Not that Zeus is my dog. Not that it matters. He saved my life and I will fight for his to my last breath.
He shakes his head. “No, ma’am. In my eyes, he’s a hero and deserves to be spoiled by his momma.”
Sliding back into his car, he doesn’t say another word before driving off.
Taking my hand in his, Shane leads me inside the veterinary practice before taking me to a hard grey chair in the waiting area. I stare in disbelief at all the blood coating my hands and clothes before turning to him. I sob into his chest as he holds me tightly.
His phone rings but he doesn’t answer.