She had to be here somewhere. I staggered to the end of my SUV then leaned against it to catch my breath.
“Duke.” Joy rushed to my side. “You’re losing a lot of blood. You’ve been shot twice. You need to sit down and wait for help to come.”
Lots of voices shouted nearby, saying things like “Put your guns down” and “I don’t want to shoot you.”
I winced, rounding on Joy, swaying. “Help. You want to help? What? By sending my ass to prison? I thought you were the one. I was about to give you my heart.” Her pretty face was blurring in and out. “My sister adores you. My brothers too. Stay away from me. I don’t need you or your help.”
Headlights shone my way, car doors opened, and Denim and Dillon shouted at me.
“Holy shit” dropped from Denim’s mouth.
“Motherfucker” came out of Dillon’s.
“Find Grace,” I said to them. “She has to be here somewhere.”
“Bro, you’re losing a lot of blood,” Denim said.
“So I’ve been told. It’s nothing,” I assured them despite the excruciating pain clutching my body and how I felt colder by the minute. “Find—” I pressed my hand into my chest, wincing again, dizzy.
Then I heard Ted’s command. “Round them up.”
“We need the paramedics,” Joy said.
“I’m going to look for Grace. Dillon, stay with him,” Denim ordered as if he were in charge.
“I’ll help.” Joy took off with Denim.
I slid down to the ground and popped my head against the bumper. Darkness encroached on my peripheral vision as I tried to focus on Dillon. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save Grace.” The words came out garbled.
“Hang with me, man.” He slapped my face.
“I want you to know that I love you. I only pushed you guys away to keep you safe. I should’ve gotten out when Grace came home all those years ago.”
He tore off his shirt. “You’re losing a lot of blood.” He pressed the fabric to my chest. “Ted, we need an ambulance.”
“One is on the way.” I barely heard Ted as Dillon’s face faded.
Then blackness took me under.
30
FALLYN
Iran around the junkyard with Denim, looking for Grace, my mind reeling that Duke had thrown himself in front of a bullet that had my name on it. The man had saved me, yet I shot him. He’d taken one bullet from me and the other from Mateo.
If the adrenaline wasn’t keeping me on my toes, I probably would’ve puked my guts out by now from the look of betrayal on Duke’s face.
If Duke died, I would be responsible for his death. I shouldn’t have been on-site. I’d disobeyed protocol and hadn’t waited for backup, but I couldn’t. By the time Gwen and the team arrived, the meeting would’ve been over.
Even now as I scanned the yard, I didn’t see Gwen or any members of my ATF team.
Gustavo walked up to Denim. “I’ve been searching for your sister. I can’t find her.”
“Have you checked the building?” Denim asked Gustavo.
I hadn’t seen Grace inside on the ground level, although if she had been on the second floor, then Duke wouldn’t have run outside to look for her.
“Joy, why are you here?” Denim asked. “Duke would never bring someone he was in love with to a fight.”
