Jeremy’s grip didn’t loosen. My hands clawed at his. I couldn’t breathe. Even after all these years, he was still too strong.I slammed my hand down on his and twisted my body the way Tyrone had drilled into me. He let go.
The officers dragged him off.
I rolled onto my side, coughing, gasping, clutching my throat.It’s over. It’s finally over.All the years of abuse and torture, both physical and mental, he’d subjected me to were finally finished, and he was going to face the full force of the law. I would get the justice I deserved. I would stand in court as the judge executed his sentence. I hoped he would be put away for life without parole. I prayed for it.
Alex knelt beside me, checking me quickly, helping me up.“The children?” I asked.
“They’re fine,” he said. “In the ambulance, being examined as we speak.”
With his help, I limped toward them.
And then I saw Caleb.
He ran to me.
He had followed me.
For me.
For his nieces.
He was here because he didn’t want me to be alone.
This changed my entire perspective on what had happened with Caroline and him.Maybe it was just a one-night thing.Ihad made a mistake, and he forgave me. Icould do the same. We could work through this. I didn't want to give up on us, not after everything wehad been through together. I leapt with joy inside my head, thrilled to have a second chance with him. Hope surged.
Then screams.
Jeremy grabbed an officer’s gun and pointed it at Caleb.
“EVERYONE DOWN!”
I ran and jumped on Caleb. “NO!!!”
I heard the gunshot.
We hit the ground—me on top of him.
Multiple shots were fired then.
Silence.
I felt the heat of the setting sun on my neck. Goosebumps prickled across my skin.
“HE’S DOWN!”
I rolled off Caleb. Scared and baffled, I saw he was conscious and blinking. I checked to make sure he was fine. Then I saw the blood on his right shoulder and realized he had been shot.
“I need help here. He’s been shot!” I yelled.
I looked up.
The children were fine.
I turned around.
Jeremy lay on the ground, riddled with bullets, completely still.
As much as I hated him, this wasn’t how I wanted him to die.
