His features harden. “I’m afraid we have no choice, Ella. Carter agrees.”
The nerve of these people, making decisions for me behind my back. I don’t get to give him the loud, crystal clear refusal he deserves. I’m cut short by the thundering sound of a gunshot and then a second shot, so close together to the first they kind of blend into one fading echo.
I’m shocked into complete silence as Jax jumps on me, knocking me flat against the sparse grass to cover me with his heavy body.
The horses make uneasy sounds trying to escape their bonds. The guards draw their guns as they crawl their way to us.
“Is she all right?” one of them growls at Jax.
“She’s fine,” Jax says.
“The shots came from the farm,” the other guard says.
Jax nods, scanning the area like a hawk. “We’re clear,” he says, rolling off me and helping me to my feet. He pushes me behind him so that he stands between me and the farm.
Another shot rings in the distance and then another and another. I realize that Jax is right. Whoever’s shooting isn’t gunning for us. Not yet.
“Stay put,” the guard says. “We’ll investigate.”
“A gun,” Jax says.
The guards look at him, their faces completely emotionless.
“Don’t fucking stare at me like morons. Just give me a gun,” Jax insists, growing more and more impatient.
“It’s okay,” one of the guards says, motioning to the second one who reaches down to his ankle to produce a gun that he hands to Jax.
When they leave, Jax kisses my forehead three times. “They’ll have to go through me to touch you. That’s not happening.”
I focus on his hand that holds the gun. It’s a steady and confident grip. There are no signs of hesitation or uncertainty. If anything his face is calmer than usual. This man who moments ago almost fell apart at the thought of losing my love has now gone cold as stone. It would be terrifying if it wasn’t so fucking sexy. Another echoing shot brings back the terror.
I find his free hand and hold it. I don’t care anymore what he’s done or hasn’t done. I press myself against his back. His warmth reassures me.
*
It takes an eternity before a jeep arrives to pick us up. At the same time I realize it’s only been a few minutes. I’m in the spinning vacuum of their dark and sinister world now. Time expands and contracts in hellish ways.
Back at the main house, Jax storms in what must be an office to find Carter. I follow as fast as I can. It takes me a moment to catch up on the fact Jax is still holding the gun which he raises as soon as we enter the office.
He trains the gun on Carter, grasping lethally with both hands.
“What the fuck was that?” he says. “You told me Ella was safe.”
“She is,” Carter says, seemingly unfazed.
“You call that safe? There was a shootout for fuck’s sake.”
“Yeah, I’m aware.” Carter’s cool demeanor shifts to anger. “Though it was hardly a shootout.”
“Who was doing the shooting?” Jax says.
“That I can only presume,” Carter answers. “They fired on the horses in the stables and then drove off before we could get to them.”
They killed the horses. Of all the things he could have said, this is the most devastating. I feel the need to sit down.
“I don’t think this was about Ella,” Carter continues. “Killing horses is not Bronson’s style. He owns a few himself.”
“Just how many killers out there want you dead, Carter?” Jax says, losing patience completely. “What the hell have you been doing all these years?”
“Would you mind lowering that gun?” Carter says, then turns a sideway glance at me. “You’re pale,” he tells me. “Drink some water.”
He reaches for a bottle of mineral water on the desk and hands it to me. Jax lowers the gun slowly as I start to drink. I don’t feel thirsty, I just do as I’m told. The stress is getting to be too much for my nerves. I wish I could be anywhere but here. I wish I could go back somehow and start again. Who would have thought I’d miss the days when I first started work at the Daily Scandal.
“That settles it,” Carter says. He takes a step closer and I think he’s going to hug me but he changes his mind and pats my left hand instead. “You have to go to Lucius. Now. I’ll get your car and escort ready.”
This time, I have no argument.
—four—
Jaxson
It feels good to have a gun in my back pocket. To know I’m not defenseless beats the alternative. I left my own piece in a drawer at my place because it made Ella uncomfortable. Not having it made me uncomfortable, but now, after what she’s seen and heard, I’m hearing no more objections.