“We can work this out,” Rizzo says with a sharp, nervous laugh. “Damien no longer wants her since you’ve fucked her and taken her virginity.”
Now my girl scowls, and it almost makes me laugh.
Almost.
“I wasn’t a virgin when I ran away,” she says, and Rizzo’s face reddens.
“You’re a fucking whore,” he growls in her ear, and while he’s distracted, Eloise flies into action. She stomps his instep and reaches up with her good hand to poke him in the eye and doesn’t miss.
Rizzo howls in pain.
“Down,” I shout as I raise my gun and shoot her father right between the eyes.
He falls over Loveland, and I sprint to Eloise, who’s trying to crawl away from him.
“Come here, baby.”
“It hurts so fucking bad,” she says, crying out when I tug her into my arms.
“I’m taking you to the hospital. Where are you bleeding?”
Christ, there’s so much blood.
“Did he shoot you?”
Julian, Mateo, and Luke rush in, and Luke immediately helps me look her over. She’s crying too hard to answer me.
“She’s not hit,” Luke says, shaking his head.
“Landed on me,” she says between sobs and looks down at Loveland.
“It’s her blood?” I ask her and feel relief flood me when she nods.
“Thank God. I’m going to carry you, baby.”
“No.” She shakes her head. “I have to walk. You’ll jostle me too much.”
“We have a car right outside,” Julian says. “All of Rizzo’s men are dead. We need to clear out before the cops get here.”
“Wait.” Eloise tugs on my shirt, and I lean down, pressing my cheek to hers.
“What is it, firefly?”
“I love you. I didn’t think I’d get to tell you again because he was going to k-k-kill me, and oh God?—”
“I love you, too. I’m right here. You’re safe, my love.”
I have so many questions, but the answers will have to wait because I need to get my girl looked at.
“No hospital,” Luke says as we rush out to the car. “I have Dr. Asgood waiting at the infirmary with a full staff.”
I nod and help Eloise into the car. She winces and cries out as I try to get the seat belt on her, and every moment of her agony is a wound to my soul.
“I wish I could take this away for you,” I murmur as I lean in to press my lips to her head. “I wish it was me, firefly.”
“I’m alive, and I’m with you. I’ll be fine.”
Luke turns a corner and hits a pothole, and Eloise gasps and then loses consciousness.
