Rusty stared over his shoulder at me and Lark.I forced myself to stay focused on him because I’d noticed Killian inching closer to Ivy.No way did I want to inadvertently communicate that to these two.My brother wasn’t directly behind her, rather he was two feet away and off to the side just a touch.
“They’ll suffer either way,” Rusty muttered.
I expected him to shoot me, but he twisted and without taking aim, he fired at Ivy.
The blast of his gun was loud.The boom of Lark’s rifle was even louder.
My ears were ringing.I saw Ivy jerk and twist to one side before she slumped to the ground holding her shoulder.
As I rushed to her, the scene came clearer.The bullet went through Ivy and hit Killian.
I heard someone roaring, “No.”
That someone was me.
Sig lunged toward me holding a hunting knife.I veered to the left and vaguely registered the sound of Lark cocking the rifle again.
Another blast cracked the air and Sig went down.
I didn’t know who to run to first.I tore my shirt over my head, balled it up and put it on Ivy’s wound.
She was still conscious.
I grabbed her hand and put it over the shirt.“Hold that there for me.Can you do that, baby?”
“Yeah,” she whispered.
Mickayla was crouched next to Killian with her phone in her hand.“He’s been shot in the chest.The bullet went through someone else first.”
Adam came out with a stack of t-shirts we usually sold at the front of the store.He put two shirts on Killian’s chest.
I grabbed one from him and placed it behind Ivy’s shoulder.The faint sound of a siren could be heard.Lark tucked his phone away and set the rifle on the ground near the place where we’d been standing earlier.
He came to me.“Keep applying pressure.Club lawyer’s on the way.If the police want to question you, make sure a lawyer is present.”
A fire truck and an ambulance pulled to a stop in the parking lot.Two EMTs rushed out from the front of the ambulance, moments later another two came out from the back pushing a stretcher.
“Sir, we’ll take it from here,” one of them said.
I stood, but kept eye contact with my woman.“I love you, Ivy.”
Her lips curled just a little.“I love you, too, Ry.”
A Jacksonville Sheriff’s officer sped down the side street and came to an abrupt halt in front of the scene.
I twisted toward Killian.Rescue workers were moving him to the stretcher.Mickayla had tears streaming down her cheeks.She rushed to me and I wrapped my arms around her.
“He’s my triplet, and she’s my girlfriend.Where are you going to take them?”I asked, my voice raw.
“The trauma center downtown for both of them,” one of the firefighters said.
Another JSO cruiser had parked along the street, and the first deputy was taping off the area.
“Ryan, tell me he’s gonna be okay,” Mickayla whispered.
I gave her a squeeze.“He’s gonna be okay,” I muttered, but it sounded hollow.
“We gotta call Mom,” Mick said.
