After she pulls me toward one of the buffets, I tell her, "Thank you for saving me. I was about to set fire to one of them, who was explaining why white tulips would've worked better on the tables."
"Let's not summon the fire department today," Luna replies with a laugh, and I see how instinctively she searches for Roman with her eyes. He's talking with my brand-new husband.
Probably sensing my stare, Damien turns toward me and those damned dimples make an appearance.Why does he have to be so adorable?
"Follow your heart, Roxy," Luna whispers. "It's the same advice you gave me, and I know how hard it is to let that wall down after everything you've been through in other relationships, but I truly believe Damien is different."
"Definitely. How many of my exes knew how to skin someone alive? Or run a criminal organization? Or exasperate me with their sex jokes?"
"Or who are capable of putting all their power into protecting you from some bastard who's stalking you?" she counters. "Or who threatened the florist that for every wilted flower, he'd rip out a fingernail?" She bursts into laughter.
I bite my lower lip because I can absolutely hear him making that threat.
From behind Damien, I see a man in a suit striding purposefully toward them, and something bothers me about his outfit. All our servers have a vest with a single pocket at the top. His has two pockets at the bottom, and then my eyes narrow on his hand, which is behind his pants.
I don't realize when I start running, or how I shove through the crowd on the dance floor to reach him, but when the gunflashes in the individual's hand, I scream Damien's name and throw myself over him.
The sound of the weapon rings in my ears as chaos erupts around us.
I hear a groan coming from Damien, and when I lift myself slightly, I see red spreading across my abdomen. His eyes fly open and fix on my hands and my dress, now soaked with blood. Blood I know isn't mine because I don't feel any pain.
I frantically search for the wound when I spot his white shirt soaking with blood on the side.
No, no, no, I repeat like a mantra.
Not him. My heart squeezes painfully and my lungs seem to have forgotten how to function.
Why do you take everyone who cares about me? What did I do to you that was so terrible?
"Damien, talk to me."
His gaze starts losing focus, and my heart shatters into a thousand pieces.
"You got blood on your dress," he murmurs, and I feel the urge to smack him because right now the dress is the last thing on my mind.
"I promise to let you buy me another one if you keep your eyes open for me, baby," I tell him, trying to smile.
His fingers rise toward my face, but halfway there a grimace of pain crosses his features, so I grab his hand in mine and bring it to my cheek.
"Promise?" He tries to smile, but his eyes lose the battle and close.
Hands lift me and I realize it's Maksim, whom I shove violently.
"Let me go!" I scream almost hysterically, my gaze fixed on Damien, collapsed on the floor.
"Take him to the basement," Vasili's order rings out, and when I look in their direction, I see several soldiers restraining the man who shot my husband.
His gaze is full of fury and hatred, and I know the bullet was meant to kill, not wound.
"The doctor will be here in five minutes," Roman tells me, trying again to pull me away from Damien.
Why does everyone keep insisting on separating me from him?
I whirl toward Roman and tell him sharply, "I want everyone out. NOW!"
I know he sees in my eyes that I'm capable of personally evacuating every soul in this room that's stealing his oxygen, so he nods curtly and, together with Maksim and the other soldiers, begins escorting guests out.
Somewhere in the distance I hear Roman's voice, feel Luna's hands squeezing my shoulders gently, and I think I see Julia taking her gun out and threatening a lady to move, but my eyes return to his face, unable to look anywhere else.
