Chapter 29 #3
But to her credit, his incredible six-year-old daughter didn’t budge.
She stood in the middle of the courtyard, stoic and determined, despite the ground around her being littered with bullets.
“You promised,” she accused, and Ned was suddenly airborne, just like Echo had been in front of Garrett’s house.
If that had startled or scared Ned in any way, he didn’t show it. “I promise that if you don’t put me down this instant and get over to my side right now, none of them will survive the night. How about that?” Ned glared at her. “You can either keep me up here or you can save them. Your choice.”
Violet shook her head and Tanner’s gut sank.
She was too exposed. If she stopped shielding herself, the guards could easily hit her, even if by accident.
His first instinct was to get her, but by exposing himself, he’d only be making himself an easier target, putting an even bigger strain on Violet who was determined to protect the people she loved.
“Violet, come back to where we can protect you,” Tanner pleaded.
“I won’t let you hurt Aunt April,” Violet screamed at Ned.
She was either the most stubborn kid in the world or she didn’t realize or care how much danger she was in at the moment.
“And I know you won’t hurt me. So, I don’t have to do what you say until I know Aunt April is safe.
Now, let her go!” Violet screamed at the top of her lungs, glaring up at the man who was levitating about ten feet above the ground.
Tanner had to hand it to his daughter. She was a force to be reckoned with, and he was damn proud of the way she was handling herself. If only she didn’t have a few dozen semi-automatic weapons pointed around her, he might even be able to take a deeper breath past the knots in his chest and throat.
“I have a better idea,” Ned said. “For every second you keep me up here and aren’t at my side, I’ll have my guards firing at your Aunt April and all her friends.
Let’s see how fast that gets you to do as I say.
” He gave his guards the signal and within seconds, the fountain wall collapsed in front of them as every gun was trained on it.
Tanner quickly moved April behind a column next to Blake, before lunging for Violet.
He fell short as a bullet tore through his calf.
Violet didn’t miss him going down and immediately let Ned fall to the ground, though he seemed to be unharmed.
Violet was once again keeping most of the bullets from hitting their targets, but she was fading fast. More and more bullets were destroying the surfaces his friends were using for cover.
Slowly, carefully, he dragged his injured leg as he pulled himself up on his good knee, determined to get to her.
Violet had likely used more energy than she could spare holding Ned suspended for as long as she had.
It was going to cost her, and Tanner wasn’t about to let her get hurt because she was trying to save him and his friends.
Violet could’ve easily killed Ned, letting him fall the wrong way and break his neck, or throwing him against a building, but his sweet little girl didn’t think like that.
Despite all the violence she’d endured, her heart was still good and pure, and Tanner would protect it no matter what.
Violet’s nose was now streaming blood down her face and dripping down her chin.
Her hair was soaking wet with sweat as her little hands fisted at her sides.
Several more shots rang out. Her legs wobbled.
Her face contorted, and she cried out. Whether in frustration or agony, Tanner wasn’t sure.
Then he watched in horror as her body finally gave out and she collapsed in the small puddle of her own blood.
“Violet!” Tanner cried out. He was still crawling to her when pain exploded in his side, stealing his breath.
She was just a few inches away from his reach.
But all he could do was lie there like a deflated balloon, staring at his unconscious daughter as bullets flew in all directions just inches from his face.
Nothing was stopping them from hitting their intended targets anymore. “Violet.” Tanner’s voice gurgled as he lay helpless to get to her. A large body fell over Violet then, blocking her from his view.
Someone else had been shot and fell over her, crushing her.
“No!” He cried. “Please, no. Violet!” His voice was barely a whisper now amidst the chaos.
He was desperately trying to ignore the searing pain in his leg and side, but it was getting nearly impossible to breathe, and his vision started to blur.
The lights in the courtyard were growing dimmer.
The sounds of gunfire were getting quieter.
“Violet,” he said again, but this time, he knew he wasn’t making a sound. Only his lips were moving.
Sirens, dozens of them, echoed in the distance.
Flashing lights reflected off the gray steel columns of the courtyard.
Uniformed police officers were storming in, firing their own weapons, and calling out orders.
They had to get to Violet. He had to tell them where she was.
But he couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. The pain was too much. He was too weak.
And then everything finally went black.