I hit the ground pretty hard. Someone pushed me out of the way.
“Heather!” Several voices around me scream.
Heather pushed me out of the way, saving me from Morelli’s bike.
She got me out of harm’s way but was hit instead of me.
Her body is lying a few feet away, tossed around like a rag doll in the hands of a capricious child.
I never saw it with my own eyes, but that’s how everyone who was present describes it.
Mason Morelli swerves, jumping off the bike and running toward me with a handgun pointed at me. “You ruined all my plans, you fucking pig. You don’t get in my way and live to see another day.”
It seems like today is my last day on this earth. I wasn’t destined to be hit by Morelli’s bike, but there’s no way his gun is going to miss.
A shot is fired, but it doesn’t hurt.
Maybe dying isn’t so painful after all.
There are more screams around me when a second shot is fired and Morelli crumbles to the ground.
Sheriff Pullin’s service gun is in his hand, and he’s hit Mason twice; once in the chest and once in the center of his forehead.
“Sir, lower your gun.” Two of the cops who were here as extra security approach him cautiously with their own service weapons drawn. One of them is my former partner Olivia.
The sheriff drops the gun, his hands trembling. “He killed my little girl. That motherfucker killed my little girl.” Tears are streaming down his face. “Heather is dead. You can place me under arrest. I’m not going to resist.” He tells the other two cops.
Dad comes forward, clasping the sheriff’s shoulder. “No. There’s no need. I’ve called an ambulance, and rather than the police station, you should be taken to the hospital. You’re clearly in shock. You need to go with Heather.”
Sheriff Pullin shakes his head, confused. “I would like to, but I just killed a man.”
Dad’s determined tone is laced with sadness. “It was self-defense. He was going to kill Ares. I’ll call Lev’s mother, Rachel Reilly, as your legal counsel. This will be sorted out by the end of the day. Your wife and your daughter need you now. I’m sorry for your loss, and my family and I will be there for you and Diane, whatever you need.”
“How can you even look at me?” Kirk Pullin’s voice breaks. “My daughter killed your son. Heather killed Atlas.”
Dad nods. “Yes, she did. But it has nothing to do with you and Diane. You’ve always been good, loyal friends to me and my family. And you just saved Ares. Without you and Heather, I would be burying another son today.”
Sheriff Pullin’s eyes well with tears. “I… there’s going to be a lot of paperwork. I don’t know how Diane and I will be able to get through it. She’s at home, and if I go with Heather now, someone should tell her what happened… that Heather is dead.”
“I’ll go see Diane with Kelly as soon as you guys leave. I’m going to take care of everything. We’ll see you at the hospital.”
I don’t even see Zara coming close, I feel her arm wrapped around my waist and her warmth seep into me.
“Princess.” I murmur.
There’s no need for any more words. We stare at each other in silence, contemplating what we almost lost today.
Chance and Lev are by our sides in a matter of seconds, followed closely by Zara’s dad.
“Give me your keys,” John asks me once we reach the racers’ area in our paddock. “I don’t think any of you should drive right now. Let me take you home.”
Home is exactly where I want to be. My heart feels full and empty at the same time.
The first thing I do, as John insists that we need to eat something even if none of us is hungry, is call my therapist.
After what just happened today, I need all the help I can get. I hope Zara, Chance, and Lev are willing to talk to someone too. Atlas’s loss has taught me that we can’t overcome certain things alone and there’s no shame in it.
After that immense loss, I had let fear stop me from opening my heart to love. I was afraid of losing it again. But my brother wouldn’t have wanted that for me. Zara showed me that I have so much love to give and that I deserve to receive it too.
