“No!” Jordan shouted trying to get between him and Mel, but he wasn’t fast enough, and he shouted in horror at the sound of the gun going off. “Mel!”
Mel opened her eyes wondering why it didn’t hurt and saw Kevin crumple to the floor. She whipped her head to the other side of the room and saw Devon drop his hand, the gun sliding from it as his eyes closed again.
“Mel, baby,” Jordan said racing towards her.
“Check Tate,” she told him shaking her head watching Kevin closely.
“I’m fine Mel,” Tate groaned getting up slowly and crossing over to Kevin. He reached down and picked up the gun.
“Don’t you all ever watch horror movies?” he stated. “You never leave a weapon with the homicidal maniac.”
Jordan dropped down beside her and silently sent prayers of thanks to anyone listening.
“Baby,” he said cradling her face in his hands.
She saw movement in the doorway and gasped before she recognized them as the police.
“Nice move there boys,” Captain Riley stated holding up the phone. “Should have told us where you were going when the place turned up empty.”
“Wasn’t time,” Tate said handing the gun over and taking the knife the officer brought out seeing the ropes. He hurried back to Mel’s side as two officers came into the room and cleared the gun away from Devon before checking on his vitals and the other checked on Kevin.
Mel cried as the rope fell from her arm and she used it to hug Tate as he passed the knife to Jordan to undo the other rope. The officer who’d checked on Kevin took the knife as he finished with it and then Jordan gently lifted her from the chair carrying her outside to the waiting medics.
“I’m okay,” she told him as he sat her down on the gurney.
“Mel, baby,” he said letting out the terror he’d felt since finding her gone. “Please, just let them make sure for me, please, I can’t breathe at the thought of losing you now.”
She nodded watching as another set pushed Devon out of the house and into the waiting ambulance.
“We’ve got room for one,” the medic stated as they lifted her in.
“Go Jordan,” Tate said. “I’ll be right behind you in the car.”
Jordan nodded hugging Tate. “Thank you.”
“She’s my girl too but she loves you in a completely different way,” Tate told him before running over to the car. “Think I can get away with breaking the speed limit Captain?”
“I think we can overlook it this time,” he agreed making a quick phone call to Ford. “She’s safe, they’re headed to the hospital to check her out.”
He heard Ford relay the message and hung up smiling as the sounds of relieved cries overwhelmed his hearing.
Jordan rested his forehead against Mel’s as he held her hand refusing to let her go. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her, but he couldn’t do it in front of the medic sitting with them. They were ushered into an empty room off the ER, and he glared at the doctor who suggested he wait outside. The door opened and Tate came in ignoring the statements from the doctor and nurses that he couldn’t be there.
“They’re not going to leave her,” Caleb cautioned his colleagues from the door. “I’ll take it from here,”
“Won’t argue about that,” the ER doctor stated shaking his head in disbelief at them all.
“Truth time Mel,” Caleb said as he cleared the room of the excess nurses, keeping only one he knew wouldn’t talk to anyone outside the family.
“No,” she stated knowing the biggest question they had seeing the tears in her clothes.
“Thank god,” Jordan whispered against her temple before cursing when she winced. “I’m sorry baby.”
“Why don’t you let me take a look at that?” Caleb offered moving around his brother-in-law. He pushed her hair back from the side of her face and held in his own curse. “How’d this happen?”
“Kevin hit me with the gun when Devon…” She paused, closing her eyes against the pain that shot through her head as he lightly manipulated the area around it. “When Devon wouldn’t let him…”
“Got it,” Caleb said not wanting to cause her any more pain. “I’m going to order a CT. You really think anyone in this family will let you get away with not doing it Mel?” he asked when she tried to argue. “Any pain in your arms, numbness in your hands or fingers?” he continued checking on the bruising from the ropes.
