Liability
Wyatt
The ambulance sirens sound too far away as we reach Tom and Sara.
My heart races seeing them both on the ground.
I can’t lose either of them. Voices shout in the background, but I can’t understand them.
It’s mass chaos. Tears stream down Sara’s face as she applies pressure with her shirt against Tom’s shoulder.
Her panicked eyes lift to mine as I kneel beside her and take over. She wants me to tell her it will be all right, but the words stick in my throat. For a moment, I’m a boy again, wanting to hold Sara as she realizes her father is gone but knowing I shouldn’t because it was my fault.
She has blood on her skin and her shirt is now in my hands. I push all the fear and memories to the background so I can focus.
“Check Sara for wounds. I’ve got Tom. Finn, make sure he’s not bleeding anywhere else.”
Dante gathers Sara against him. He and Drew look her over before Dante takes off his shirt and wraps it around Sara, drawing her into his chest while she sobs and shakes.
“Nothing else.” Finn meets my eyes and heads back toward the house.
Natasha rushes down the stairs. “Tom! Tom!”
Finn grabs her as she collapses, seeing Tom covered in blood. “It’s his shoulder. He’ll be fine.”
The ambulance stops in the street and the paramedics join me on the ground next to Tom. “You can let go now.”
I shake my head because everything in me is reliving that night when my father shot Tom’s dad. We ran. We had to, but maybe he would have lived if we stayed. If we could have held on to him. I can’t lose Tom.
Drew takes Sara while Dante comes over.
“They’re going to take care of him, Wyatt. You have to let go so they can do their work.”
I press my lips together. Logically it makes sense, but emotionally, I’m eleven years old again, about to lose the only father I ever knew because I made a stupid mistake. I should have been here. I should have come with.
“Hey.” Tom’s voice is weak.
I look down into his green eyes, clouded with pain.
“It’s okay, Wyatt.” He drags in a breath, searches my eyes, and groans.
“I’m not going to die. I’m not my father.
We didn’t know. We did everything we should have and he knew that.
It’s not your fault, Wyatt. I’m sorry I ever blamed you.
I was just so fucking lost.” He touches my arm with his other hand.
“They’ll take me to the hospital. I’m not going anywhere yet. ”
Rationally, I know all that, but somehow his words unlock my paralysis. When I nod, Dante helps me stand. Sara wraps her arms around my waist and rests her head against my chest, but I don’t put my hands on her because they’re covered in Tom’s blood. Her scent and warmth comfort me. She’s not hurt.
The rest of the scene moves by me in a haze. They load Tom into the ambulance and Natasha rides with them. We go inside and Sara and I wash our hands. She changes into fresh clothes and so do I. Finn stays with me. Going through the motions that need to happen to get to the hospital.
Dante texts the dog walker to come take care of Peabody and then we’re all on our way.
When we arrive at the hospital, we’re led to a waiting room with bad TV shows blaring in the corner and told they’re doing everything they can for Tom.
Drew and Finn walk off to find some coffee that doesn’t smell burned.
Dante and I sit on either side of Sara, holding her hands.
“It happened so fast,” she whispers. Her head pops up every time someone walks out of the emergency room doors. Her eyes widen. “My parents!”
“I called them, pip.” Dante strokes his thumb over her knuckles. “They’re on their way. Drew called in a favor with a friend who has a plane they can use. They’ll be here in ten hours or so.”
“How’s Max?” she asks. Her face is pale and her eyes are wide. The tears have stopped for now. She’s coming out of her shock and realizing everything that needs to be done. But we’ve got this.
“He just got grazed.” Dante drags in a breath. “He got lucky. The bullet hit a tree and ricocheted before hitting him.”
She nods like she understands, but we’ll probably have to tell her all this again. She’s still only half with us. The other half of her is probably still huddled under Tom on that sidewalk. I bring her hand to my lips and kiss her knuckles.
“Ms. Morris?”
We look up to see a couple of guys in suits heading our way.
“Yes?” Sara straightens.
“I’m Detective Bill Carr and this is my partner, Detective Robert Murphy.” He hands me his badge. Police. Maybe we should call our friends with the Feds. “We’d like to discuss what happened today with you.”
“Of course.”
Sara
After I got done talking with the detectives, the doctor came out with Natasha. They needed to take Tom into surgery to remove the bullet. Drew goes to get Natasha something to eat and calm her stomach.
We’re all just waiting now for Tom to come out of surgery okay. There’s not much I could tell the police. A flash of light against a black car. I didn’t see the driver or anyone else. It all happened so fast.
I rub at my hands, still watching Tom’s blood run down the drain with the water. I need to think of something else. Anything.
“Was this Alexander?” I ask quietly.
“It could be.” Natasha’s voice is small. She has her hand over her abdomen like she can protect Tom by protecting the life inside her.
“Is there any way to know?” I look at my guys.
Finn sighs. His green eyes meet mine. “I could check with my father. He usually knows who’s making what moves. If it was someone he knew about, he would have notified me. But who else would be coming after us?”
I nod. He’s right. There’s no doubt this wasn’t some random act of violence. Alexander could have found out Tom married Natasha. If he wants to marry Natasha, that means he’d need to get rid of Tom.
Drew sits across from me. I lift my gaze to his. “What about Noelle?”
In all the panic, I almost forgot we only have three days to find something that will save Natasha and get Noelle out of Alexander’s hands. We have a mission.
Dante runs a hand over his hair. “After the surgery, we can split up and work on finding out more.”
“I’m not leaving Tom’s side.” Natasha’s eyes are filled with determination. “As soon as he’s out of surgery, I’m going to be there for him.”
Wyatt leans forward with his elbows on his knees and looks up at her.
“I understand that you want to be with him. But you are the best person to locate your father’s accounts.
Sara can stay with Tom until her parents get here.
But the best way to help Tom is to get him out of Alexander’s crosshairs.
To do that, we need to stabilize Alexander’s claim to your father’s empire. ”
“My guys will protect you and the baby.” I reach over and take Natasha’s hand. “Tom would want you to do what you can. I wouldn’t want to leave my family either, but this is important. Until we neutralize Alexander, we’re all targets. Especially Tom.”
She takes in a shuddering breath and her eyes fill with tears. “I didn’t want this to happen.”
“I know.” I squeeze her hand. “But you can’t help who you fall in love with.”
We discuss the plan quietly while we wait for Tom to come out of surgery.
Dante will go with Natasha and meet Theo at one of her father’s properties.
Drew plans to go into the club and see what he can dig up on Alexander and Noelle.
Wyatt and Finn will go into the office and keep things running as usual while looking through the files Tom had.
And I’ll stay here with Tom until my parents get in.
I wish I’d talked to them.
“I didn’t tell them much, pip. Just that Tom is in the hospital and they should come home.” Dante rubs my back.
I blow out a breath. What am I going to tell them when they arrive? They’re going to have so many questions.
Dante tips my chin and his light blue eyes meet mine. “Call when they get here and I’ll come help you talk to them.”
I nod. I can do that. If I don’t break down in tears the second my mother walks into the room.
I didn’t know how much I’ve missed her until this moment.
Yes, I had other things on my mind. The guys and then Tom and Natasha, but somewhere, behind everything was the thought that if my mom were here everything would be okay.
That’s who my mom is to me. Yes, she’s pushy about dating, but honestly, she’d take on a bear for me if she had to. And that’s the type of energy I could use right now.
I sit in the chair in Tom’s room with my phone out, alternating playing games and reading, while he sleeps.
He woke for a few minutes, still obviously on the good stuff, and told Natasha he loved her.
Then told each of the guys, with the exception of Drew, in the same tone of voice that he loved them.
With Drew, he told him he’s an all right guy. And then he told me he loved me.
I hugged everyone before they went off on their missions. Drew promised to come back with lunch in an hour and he did. We chatted quietly while we ate, and then he headed back to work. That was a few hours ago.
The police positioned an officer outside of Tom’s room just in case.
I can’t seem to focus. Worried about where the guys are and what’s happening to them. What if Tom wasn’t the target? What if whoever shot him wanted one of my guys? I mean it’s kind of hard to miss that Tom is Tom with his red hair.
“Hey.” Tom’s voice is soft.
I set my phone down and stand to move next to his bed. “How do you feel?”
“Like someone shot me.” Tom gives me a half grin. “Is there some water?”
After helping him with the button to raise the head of the bed, I pour some from the pitcher into a cup and hold it so he can reach the straw with his lips. He takes a drink and looks around the room.
“Natasha?” His green eyes meet mine.
“With Dante looking for accounts.” I set the cup down and lean my hip against the side of his hospital bed. “Everyone else is following the plan. There’s a police officer outside the door just in case you’re still a target.”
He nods and closes his eyes. “Fuck. That shit was scary.”
I look down at my clean hands. My heart still races like we’re there in that moment. “Yeah.”
“I thought they were aiming for you.”
I lift my gaze to his. He’s looking at me like he always did when we were younger.
“I couldn’t let them take you from me.” His good hand reaches out to take mine.
“You’re my family, Sara. I know I’m making a new one with Natasha, but you’ll always be my family.
You mean everything to me. I wouldn’t have left you if I didn’t think you were safe.
Poor decision-making on my part aside, I’m glad you have the guys, because they’ll do anything for you. ”
I take a deep breath and release it. “We’re good, Tom.”
“Yeah?” He smirks. “I don’t have to continue to kiss up?”
“Well, I wouldn’t say that.” But I give him a smile.
He chuckles. “Maybe you can ask Wyatt to bring me my laptop so I can work.”
“You’re on drugs.” I shake my head. “That’s not a good idea.”
He shrugs. “I need to talk to Wyatt though. From what I remember, he was pretty shaken up.”
I swallow. I didn’t notice but I was in shock. “I’ll let him know.”