CHAPTER 22 #3
She’d never shot anyone before. Had never even considered it. But there was no hesitation. No doubt.
The bullet took Wade in the chest. He dropped like a stone, his grip on her arm going slack.
The other men were reaching for their weapons—
The basement door crashed open. SWAT poured in—black-clad officers with rifles and shields and flashlights cutting through the darkness.
“DOWN! GET DOWN! HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM!”
Everything descended into chaos—shouting, orders, men dropping weapons and hitting the floor.
Quinn stumbled toward Dax and Wheeler, still grappling on the ground, and saw blood—so much blood—couldn’t tell whose—
She raised her weapon, trying to get a clear shot at Wheeler, but they were too tangled together—
Then Dax’s hand found Wheeler’s throat. Squeezed. His face was contorted with rage and pain and something primal.
“You killed Leesa. You killed her father,” Dax ground out, his voice barely human. “You tried to kill her. You—”
“Dax!” Quinn dropped to her knees beside them. “Dax, stop—he’s not worth it—”
Dax’s eyes met hers. Wild. Lost. On the edge of something dark and irreversible.
“Please,” Quinn whispered, her hand on his arm. “Please don’t. Don’t give him this. Don’t become—” She couldn’t finish.
For a long moment, Dax didn’t move. His hand stayed tight on Wheeler’s throat, Wheeler’s face going purple, his eyes bulging.
Then—slowly—Dax’s grip loosened. Released.
Wheeler gasped, choking, as Dax collapsed sideways onto the floor.
SWAT officers swarmed them immediately. Pulling Wheeler away, cuffing him. Securing the scene.
Someone was pulling Quinn back, checking her for injuries, asking if she was hurt.
But all Quinn could see was Dax.
He was on his back on the concrete, not moving, his eyes closed, blood pooling beneath him in a dark, spreading lake.
“No—” Quinn tore away from the officer, dropped beside Dax, her hands on his face. “No no no—Dax, stay with me—”
His eyes fluttered open. Barely.
“Quinn—”
“I’m here, I’m right here—” Her tears fell onto his face. “Don’t you dare die on me. Do you hear me? After everything—after coming here—after saving me—you don’t get to die.”
“Love you,” he whispered. “So much. Should have—should have trusted you. Should have—”
“Shh, save your strength—” Quinn looked up wildly. “MEDIC! WE NEED A MEDIC!”
Footsteps running. Paramedics appearing with kits and a stretcher.
Quinn was pushed aside as they descended on Dax, their hands moving efficiently—cutting away his blood-soaked shirt, exposing the mangled shoulder, calling out vitals in calm, sharp voices.
“GSW to left shoulder—” “Arterial damage—” “Blood pressure dropping—” “We need to move now—”
They lifted Dax onto the stretcher. Quinn tried to follow but someone held her back.
“Ma’am, you need to be checked out too—”
“I’m fine—I need to—” Quinn struggled, watching as they carried Dax toward the stairs. “Dax!”
His hand lifted weakly from the stretcher, reaching for her.
Quinn broke free from whoever was holding her and ran to him, catching his hand in both of hers.
“I’m here,” she said, walking alongside the stretcher as they moved. “I’m not leaving you. Not now. Not ever.”
“Love you,” Dax said again, his grip weak but real. “Quinn—I’m sorry—for everything—”
“I love you too.” Quinn’s tears wouldn’t stop falling. “And you’re going to be fine. You have to be fine. Because I’m not done being mad at you yet.”
Despite everything, Dax offered a weak smile. “Stubborn.”
“Always.”
They reached the stairs. The paramedics started up, but one of them looked at Quinn.
“You can ride in the ambulance. Stay with him.”
Quinn nodded, not trusting her voice.
As they emerged from the basement into the cold night air, Quinn saw the full scope of the scene—police vehicles everywhere, lights flashing, officers securing Wheeler’s men, Captain Holloway barking orders.
And Wheeler himself, in handcuffs, being led to a patrol car. He looked diminished now. Old. Just a man, not a monster.
He saw Quinn and his eyes hardened.
“This isn’t over,” he called out. “I’ll bury you in court—”
“Save it for your lawyer,” Captain Holloway said, pushing Wheeler’s head down as he was loaded into the car.
The ambulance was waiting, back doors open. They loaded Dax inside and Quinn climbed in after him, never letting go of his hand.
The paramedics worked around her, starting IVs, monitoring vitals, radioing ahead to the hospital.
Quinn just held Dax’s hand and watched his face and prayed to whatever gods might be listening.
He’d come for her. Had thrown away his safety, had come alone into hell to save her.
And now she was going to make damn sure he survived to regret it.
The ambulance doors closed and they were moving, sirens wailing, racing through the night toward the hospital.
Toward hope.
Toward a future Quinn refused to let slip away.
“Stay with me,” she whispered, her lips close to Dax’s ear. “Stay with me, you stubborn, overprotective, beautiful idiot. Stay with me.”
His fingers tightened around hers—barely, but enough.
Enough to know he was still fighting.
Still here.
Still hers.