Noah launched himself between the weapon and the people he loved.
The gun exploded.
A scream carried from far, far away.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Everything happened in slow motion.
Violet turned, aiming.
Delaney shifted to cover Charlotte.
Noah jumped in front of Violet.
The gun went off, a deafening crack.
Somebody screamed. Maybe it was Delaney.
She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think—could only watch in frozen horror as Noah collided with Violet, driving her to the ground with a sickening thud.
Jasper flew toward them. He grabbed Violet’s wrist, pinning it to the floor while Noah slid off her thrashing body.
Charlotte lunged forward. “Daddy!”
“No!” Delaney held the child tightly, wrapping her arms around her and turning her away from the struggle. “Don’t look, sweetie. Don’t look.”
She pressed Charlotte’s head against her shoulder, murmuring soothing nonsense that came automatically, flowing from some deep maternal instinct, while her mind screamed a different refrain.
Noah. Noah. Noah.
Was he hit? She couldn’t see past the tangle of bodies. She couldn’t tell.
Charlotte sobbed against her neck, tiny fingers digging into Delaney’s arms.
“Shh, it’s fine, sweetheart. It’s going to be okay.”
Please, God. Please let him be okay.
Jasper disarmed Violet and sent the gun skidding across the warped floorboards, spinning to a stop near the wall.
Delaney kicked it into the kitchen, far from the fray.
Blood spread across the floor in a widening pool, dark and glossy in the dim light.
Noah’s. It had to be.
“I’ve got her,” Jasper shouted, holding Violet’s thrashing body down with a knee between her shoulder blades. “Noah! Noah, come on! Be okay.” His words broke on the plea. “Please, be okay.”
Delaney started toward him, but Jasper shouted, “No. Don’t let her see.”
Right. Charlotte. But Noah was bleeding to death, all alone.
And then, he groaned and shifted. He turned over, slowly pushed himself up, then scooted back to lean against the wall.
Blood poured from a wound on his head.
Delaney set Charlotte down. “Stay here, sweetie. Uncle Noah’s hurt. I’m going to help him, okay? Just sit here.” Without waiting for a reply, Delaney crossed the room and dropped to her knees.
