Chapter 33
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Jack
And I mean literally explodes.
Shots fire.
Glass shatters.
Lily’s eyes widen, and her mouth falls open.
More shots.
Blood drips.
Oh, please, no.
Before she falls forward against me, I grab her around the waist and flip us to the floor. Hard. All I had time to do was to keep her head from slamming against the floor. The weight of my body crushes her. Thank God I’m big enough to shield her completely. Bullets hit the walls and everything else in the room. From the floor, I slap my hand across the top of the nightstand until I feel my phone.
The covers bounce from the bullets. From this side, the bed shields us from the worst. Not true. The worst has already happened. My hands shake as I open my phone. Lily lays motionless under me. Her eyes are closed, her mouth slightly open. There’s blood. Too much blood. It’s not mine. I know I’m not hit. Why did I have to flip her on top of me?
“Lily? Angel? Stay with me.”
She doesn’t move or respond. I quickly go to the top contact on my phone. He answers before I hear it ring.
“Jay! My house is under fire!”
“Stay down!” Jay shouts back. “We’re coming through the trees now! We’ll get ‘em, cuz!”
“Jay! Jay!”
He’s already gone. I didn’t get to tell him Lily was shot. She’s dying. I know she’s dying. I pull up the keypad on my phone and dial the three numbers I never wanted to dial again.
“ 911. Where’s your emergency?”
“My house is under fire! My ole’ lady’s been shot. We need an ambulance!”
The dispatcher is quiet for a brief moment.
“Calls have already come from your location. Officers are arriving as we speak. The ambulance is three minutes out.”
My location? I didn’t give her my location. Her voice is familiar, but I don’t have time to figure it out.
“Thanks.” I end the call and let the phone drop to the floor.
I quickly lower my head over Lily’s when another round of shots starts. These don’t hit anything in my room.
“Lily, can you hear me?”
She doesn’t answer. I lay my hand on her chest. I can’t tell if the movement is her breathing or my hands shaking. I move my fingertips over her lips. Her breath is faint and too far apart, but she’s breathing.
“Stay with me, Lily. Don’t leave me, angel,” I cry.
I haven’t allowed tears to fall in years. I can’t stop them tonight. I squeeze my eyes shut and press my lips next to her ear. “I love you, Lily. I can’t lose you.”
The gunshots stop. Sirens pierce the air. Something breaks through my front door. The sound of heavy boots run through the house and up the stairs. I raise my head as my cousin destroys what’s left of my bedroom door. Jay’s a wild man, completely unhinged tonight.
“Jack.” Jay drops to the floor next to us.
“She’s hit. It’s bad, Jay.”
Jay and Rodeo pull me out of the way so the Sheriff and two paramedics can get to Lily.
“Her pulse is weak.”
“Blood pressure is dropping.”
“Bullet in the back.”
“We need to go now!”
I don’t know who says what. I’m stuck in some weird tunnel. It’s all faint and distant. A stretcher moves into the room, and my heart is lifted onto it. An oxygen mask covers Lily’s mouth and nose. Please, let it help.
“Come on, Jack. We’re following her to the hospital.”
That’s Jay. I’d know his voice anywhere. It’s the voice I latch onto and follow. My cousin becomes my strength and keeps me on my feet.
The Sheriff steps in front of me, blocking my view of the paramedics taking Lily from the room. I find the strength to push him aside and follow the stretcher down the stairs. Even without legs, I’d find a way to follow her.
“Jack.” The Sheriff catches up with me. “Are you hit, Jack? Do you need medical attention, too?”
He’s doing his job. He’s trying to help. I don’t see it that way right now. I spin around on him and point to the stretcher, moving across the living room.
“No! She needs it! Nothing else matters!” I jab the Sheriff in the chest. “You do your job and find them!”
“Let’s go, Jack. No time for this.” Jay pulls me out the front door.
“We’ll be at the hospital, Sheriff.” Rodeo follows us down the steps.
“Jack! Jack!” Mom runs across the front yard and launches into my arms.
“She was shot, Mom. I gotta go.” I watch the back doors of the ambulance close and lose my balance. Jay keeps me upright.
“Go, son. We’ll meet you at the hospital.” Dad pulls Mom back.
He points to the rest of our family clinging to each other across the yard. Firefighters hold everyone else back. They’re all here. Safe. Unharmed. Logan dips his chin, letting me know he’s taking care of them. Best nephew a man could ask for.
“Jack, get in.” Rodeo holds the passenger door of Jay’s truck open. It’s exactly like mine. I glance over to mine. It’s riddled with holes, and every window is shattered.
I get in. Rodeo gets in the backseat. Jays follows the ambulance out the gate. Lights flash. Sirens scream. The speed at which we travel isn’t anywhere close to legal. Jay stays within two car lengths behind the ambulance all the way to the hospital.
I drop my head into my hands. My body shakes as I fall apart even more. I know exactly how Dad feels now. I can’t lose her. I can’t bury anyone else.