Chapter 42
Chapter Forty-Two
Callum
I’m slammed to the ground by Oliver’s weight. The golden rod falls out of my hand, clanging on the slate next to me while the crown dislodges from my head, falling to the ground.
Oliver’s hot breaths puff against my ear as he shields me with his body. People are screaming, and a cacophony of chaos surrounds us.
But my focus boils down to Oliver pressed against me. The feel of his body and his scent are so familiar and right.
Until I realize that wetness is blooming between us.
I squirm to pull back from him, my hand instinctively reaching out to touch the moisture between us.
I stare at my hand.
It’s blood.
So much blood.
Oliver is bleeding. Oliver has been shot.
Panic surges through me, so strong it leaves me dizzy.
“Oliver.” The word leaves my lips like a prayer.
I maneuver so I’m hunched over him, tugging at his suit jacket. Blood pulses out from his chest.
His handsome face is pale, his eyes flickering as he struggles to stay conscious. His dark eyes meet mine.
“I—” he starts but doesn’t manage anything further before he loses consciousness.
“Help!” I scream.
I cradle him. “Help him, oh my god, help!”
Bodies are pressing in from all sides, and suddenly, there are arms prying me away from Oliver.
“I love you,” I say frantically, but Oliver can’t hear me.
The strong arms continue to rip me from Oliver, but I’m struggling against them, fighting them off to get back to Oliver.
“I love you!” My voice is ragged, desperate. As I’m dragged away, I continue to scream the words, trying to get Oliver to hear this fundamental truth that my life boils down to.
“I love you. I love you. I LOVE YOU.”
Because I can’t let him die without hearing those words from me.
I just can’t.
My security team continues to manhandle me away from the dais, but I fight them fiercely until someone literally picks me up and carries me toward the nearest tower, all while I’m struggling.
“Your Royal Highness, we need to get you to safety. There’s still a gunperson on the loose.” It’s Mateo’s voice in my ear, cutting through the noise I’m making.
I can’t take my eyes off the pandemonium on the dais.
Oliver’s protected by his own security people, and there are ambulance sirens shrieking in the background.
I’m sobbing, my chest heaving as my security team ushers me through a door into one of the castle towers.
There’s someone with a gun out there right now, but I don’t care. Nothing matters but Oliver.
My security team remains swarmed around me, and they are so close I can hear the messages coming through their headsets.
“The Rose is secure. The Thistle is secure. The Leek is secure.”
Vaguely I realize they are talking about Gran, Nicholas, and Amelia. And I know I should be relieved that my family is safe, but nothing can penetrate my fear for Oliver. It’s crushing my chest.
Two security people bar the door, but I’m not sure if it is to keep potential threats out or me in.
“I need to be with Oliver,” I try to bargain with Mateo.
“You can’t go anywhere until the threat is over.”
“I don’t care about the threat.”
Mateo fixes me with a hard look. “The prime minister just threw himself into the path of a bullet to save your life. Do you think he’d want you to risk it now?”
Mateo’s words sink in, and all fight goes out of me.
I slump against the wall, trying to calm my breathing.
Oliver.
Oliver.