Chapter 1
I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight
AsIlockeyeswith the man holding me, the coppery scent of blood assaults my senses. “Jagger,” I scream, my voice raw with terror as I watch his eyes disappear into his head.
“I’m fine,” he murmurs, but his voice holds no power, not like it normally would. He’s not okay. The blood leaking all over my dress is coming from him. And there is a hell of a lot.
“Ash,” I whimper, looking over my shoulder for his help.
Asher is right there with me, his muscular arms rolling Jagger onto his back on the carpet so we can see the extent of the damage. I take off my cardigan to cradle his head, holding my stomach as I gag at the sight of all the blood gushing from his side and covering my dress. I’m the worst person in the world. I shouldn’t have told him I hate him. I don’t; I never could. It can’t be the last thing I say to him.
I quickly glance at Asher, fear coursing through me. “What do we do?”
Cruz comes striding back toward us, gun in hand. I hadn’t realized he wasn’t with us. “Two of them, both dead. We need a clean-up crew.” He looks pleased with himself until he spots his brother, then his face pales. “Shit.” He stumbles forward. “Jagger.”
“Get Ricky up here now,” Asher calls back to him as he rips his shirt off and tears the thing to shreds.
Cruz collects his phone. “Ricky, you home?” is all I hear him say as he walks away from us.
“Help me.” Asher takes my hand, positioning the shirt bandages in it.
Shakily I nod, the blood making my stomach roll, but I’m not letting Jagger die on me. Not now, he can’t.
Asher moves Jagger just a little so I can wrap the bandage around him. “Make it tight; we have to try and slow the bleeding,” he tells me like he’s been in this situation before. He holds his brother carefully, and his gaze stays fixed on me while subtly adjusting his position to help.
When I’m done wrapping it around, he takes my hands and places them over the wound. Warm fluid leaks through, painting my fingers. I want to cry, but I’m too filled with fear. Asher’s eyes lock with mine. “I know you’re not comfortable with blood, princess, but I need you to stay with me right now, okay? Jaggerneeds you and so do I.” He tries that charming smile of his, but it’s strained, and I know he might be trying to hold it together for me, but he’s freaking the hell out internally just as much as I am. This is his big brother, the boss, and he needs him just as much as I do.
I nod, trying to fake the confidence I don’t have. My head is light, and every so often, the wall frames around us spin, but there is no way I’m going to pass out and leave this mess to them alone. I’m stronger than that pathetic girl. This isn’t about me.
Seeing I have the situation under control, Asher stands and collects his phone. “Mal, send a clean-up crew to Jagger’s building. Get down here as well. Jagger’s been shot.”
“Flower,” Jagger mumbles his name for me.
“I’m right here. You’re going to be okay. Ricky is on his way.” I itch to reach for him; to intertwine our fingers so I can make him feel better, but my hands are doing a much more important job. I try not to look at the deep shade of crimson they’re turning.
Instinctively, Jagger reaches for me, his hand settling on my arm ever so lightly. It’s a comfort for me as much as him, even though it shouldn’t be.
“I’m so sorry, Jagger. Please be okay,” I whisper, my head dropping to his side. It’s so heavy it’s hard to keep upright.
“I’m sorry, flower.” Pleased I’m right here with him, he seems to pass out again. His breathing is so shallow it makes my heart race even faster.
He shouldn’t want me here when I’m a nobody to him. But deep down in the memories of our time together over the last few weeks, I know it’s not true, despite what my brother told me. I’m someone to him, and I know in my heart he’s more to me than I want him to be. I don’t understand why Dante would tell me I can’t trust them, but they all protected me tonight. The fear in their eyes was obvious, and I felt the desperation in theair when those men shot at us. There was no hesitation. I don’t think they would do that for a payday.
My head thumps like crazy, but I don’t dare move. The boys have this under control, their brother Mal will sort out the mess Cruz created taking care of the masked men who attacked us, and Ricky will save Jagger. He has to, because right now, as much as I want to run from them, I need him to be alive as well. My hands tremble terribly, but I keep them right where Asher showed me, applying pressure to keep the bleeding under control. From what I can tell, the bullet got him on the side just above his hip, but I have no clue what that means in terms of how bad the injury is. I glance back at his face, wishing he would just open his eyes and tell me this is all some big joke that Cruz set up or some shit. But he’s out of it, even passed out. His lips are downturned and his forehead creased. “Please be okay, Jagger. Please,” I pray because I don’t know what else to do. Time seems to stand still, and motion blurs around me, the boys moving about, I think.
I don’t know how long it is before Ricky arrives, but he runs in behind me, his doctor bag in hand. He kneels down beside me, looking Jagger over. “What happened?” He glances at the boys.
“Serpents,” Cruz growls, his distaste for them more than obvious. “Dead over that way.” He points over by the stairs.
“For fuck’s sake, you lot know how to get into some trouble.” Ricky’s eyes are on me now, with a hint of sympathy in them. “You okay, Daisy?” he asks, his voice soft and caring.
I shake my head, feeling weaker by the second.
“It’s okay, I’m going to take over now.” He looks up to the others. “Cruz, get her out of here,” he calls to him.
Warm hands land on me gently, pulling me away from Jagger, but I can’t move. My body goes floppy like a rag doll, and Cruz has to drag me off him and into his powerful arms. He holds me close as I bury my head in his chest. My throat tightenswith the emotion of seeing Jagger so helpless, but no tears leak from my eyes. I’m too overwhelmed with surging fear to fall apart.
“This is all my fault,” I whisper into his chest, his scent so damn comforting even though I know it shouldn’t be. If my plan had gone ahead, I would be out of this town. I would have left them all behind and done my best never to think of any of them again. Jagger is hurt because he jumped in front of me. They should have just let me go. Why didn’t they just let me go?
