That instant pull?
I had never had that with Jesse.
Not once.
And standing there, looking at Jude just inside the door, I knew without a doubt I had been right.
Jesse had never been it for me.
Jude took one step inside.
And then a loud bang cracked through the air.
Everything froze and Jude dropped instantly.
“Down!”he shouted.
I didn’t even think.
I dove behind the counter, my heart slamming against my ribs so hard it hurt.
“What the fuck is going on?”Lark whispered beside me, her voice shaking.
I didn’t answer because I had zero clue.
“Oh, Ever…” a voice sang from the front of the shop.
My blood went cold.
“Come out, come out wherever you are.”
Jesse.
“Stay down!”Jude barked.
“I wouldn’t listen to him if I were you,” Jesse said lightly.“If you do, he’s going to have a few more holes in him.”
Lark’s eyes went huge.“You go from no boyfriend for years to this?”she whisper-yelled.
I barely heard her because I heard something else.
The click of the gun as Jesse cocked it.
My stomach dropped.“I’m going to stand up,” I called, my voice sounding steadier than I felt.
“Slowly,” Jesse said.
I raised my hands over my head and pushed up to my feet.Every movement felt like it took forever.Like time had slowed just to torture me.
When I stood fully, I saw it.
Jude was on the floor with Jesse’s boot pressed into his chest and a gun aimed straight at me.
“Good girl,” Jesse said.
My throat tightened.“Please don’t hurt us,” I said quickly.“I don’t know what you want—”
“Shut up!”he snapped.
