Then he appeared over me.
“Grace,” I gasped at him. My lungs felt crushed and I could hear the ragged breaths escaping my lips.
He looked up quickly and then back down. “She’s fine.”
I nodded because that was all I could manage to do. Everything else felt impossible. Kelly’s face swam in front of me as he ran his hands down my chest, checking the bullet entry points. I stared for a moment, finally getting to see the man my brother had become. He looked just like me and my gut clenched with grief, not because I didn’t know him, but because I wasn’t sure I wanted to.
“Why?”
Kelly’s jaw quivered and he clenched it hard. “Because you left me,” he choked out, “and I’ve hated you ever since.”
“I’m sorry,” I managed, his words a punch to the gut. I was his big brother. I was supposed to protect him from anything that would hurt him. And I’d failed. But what he’d done today? No apology could fix the man he’d become. I didn’t know if I could save him from himself. And the thought broke my heart.
“Casey!”
Hearing Grace cry my name was the best thing I’d ever heard in my life. I tilted my head forward and tried to tell her I was okay, but I couldn’t get the words past my lips. Her eyes held mine while Travis cut her free. Travis loved Grace because I loved her, and when I hurt for Grace, he did too. I could see it in his eyes as he untied her with so much care, checking for injuries while she slapped at his hands, impatient to get to me. When the last bit of tape was removed, she was suddenly on me.
Kelly shifted out of the way and stood. Straddling my lap, Grace began patting at my chest where the bullets hit.
“Casey,” she sobbed. “Where are you hit?”
“Fine,” I breathed, my head falling back with relief. “I’m fine.”
Her hands shoved my hoodie up and over my chest where she encountered the bulletproof vest beneath it. “Oh thank God!” she cried. Her arms wrapped around me and she buried her face in my neck. I could feel her tears on my skin, her delicate frame shaking with sobs as she draped her body over mine, unwilling to let go. My arms came up around her, happy to keep her there.
“Casey, you came for me.” Grace pulled back, taking my face in her hands. I covered her hands with mine. I looked at her until she blurred in front of me and I knew I’d never find a feeling like this with anyone else. Ever. “You came for me.”
“Remember when you told me you loved me that first time?”
Grace nodded, swallowing as she straddled over me, my face still in her hands.
“And when you said that some people leave you in the blink of an eye, and some are with you for years?” She nodded again. “I promise you, Grace, no matter what happens, you’ll be with me forever, because you’re in my heart, and I won’t let you leave.”
Her bottom lip trembled. “I don’t want to be anywhere else, Casey.”
I dragged her face down until my lips met hers. The kiss was fast and hard because it wasn’t the time or the place. I just needed to taste her before I had to deal with my brother.
After nipping lightly at Grace’s bottom lip, I let her go and Travis loomed over me. “You pussy.” He held out his palm to Grace. She took it in his and he helped her to her feet. “Lying down on the job.”
“Don’t mind me,” I said, wincing as I stood without assistance.
Travis raised his brows. “Last time I saw, you didn’t have a vagina. You can get yourself to your feet.”
I dragged my hoodie over my head and in that split second of inattention, Grace—having decided I was fine—charged towards Morgan. Gabriella had Morgan’s front pressed against the wall as she slapped on a pair of handcuffs. Mitch stood by, holding onto a similarly handcuffed Bingo. Grace obviously didn’t care. She launched herself without the slightest hesitation and all three girls went down in a pile of body parts. Limbs stuck out everywhere as I tossed my hoodie aside, unstrapped the vest, and waded into the fray with Travis.
“You shot my boyfriend!” came a shriek from the pile.
“Calma el fuck abajo!” was yelled from somewhere and I had no clue what it meant. It sounded harsh though.
Then came the unmistakable sound of a fist cracking someone in the face.
“You bitch!” came another shriek, this one muffled and agonised and sounding a lot like Morgan. “You broke my fucking nose!”
“Come here,” was the answering growl. “I’ll break your whole fucking face and I’ll laugh while I’m doing it.”
“Your woman’s feisty,” Kelly told me as if I didn’t already know.