Chapter Forty-Three
Fallon
No.
No, no, no!
This can't be happening. Not again. Life has only just returned to normal after what happened to Maya. I scoot back as quickly as possible, flattening my back against the closest wall, my palms clammy as I try to right myself. I know I should run, but I can’t. How could I? The bang sounded like a gunshot, but I'm more scared for Luke than myself.
The way I fell left me just outside the doorframe, hiding the scene on the other side, just out of view. All it would take is for me to move a few inches to the side and I will know what’s going on out there. The scary thing right now though, is that I can’t hear a single thing other than the screaming party guests.
My limbs tremble as I pull my skirt up high and start to crawl on my hands and knees, edgingcloser to the scene. I need to see what's going on out there. My head is still pulsing from the bang and the impact of hitting the floor.
The moment I'm close enough, I slowly pop my head around the open doors, my mouth dropping open. The sight in front of me is one I never expected to see. Luke is straddling John, pinning him to the ground with the help of three men and one woman. Some of the guests are rushing towards their cars, others towards the gates, but most are lingering, unsure of what to do next.
Snapping myself into action, I rush to join them.
“We need to call the police,” I bark out to anyone who will hear me.
“I’ve got them on the phone now,” an older gentleman says, standing beside Luke.
“The ambulance will be here in a few minutes,” I hear someone else say.
Spinning, I take in a lady who has tears shimmering in her eyes. An ambulance? Is Luke hurt? Stepping closer to him, I survey him for injuries. He doesn’t look up at me, his jaw is clenched tightly and his eyes are dark as they stay fixed on the man beneath him. There is no sign of blood to be seen on him, or John, for that matter. But… who needs an ambulance?
My eyes scan the gardens surrounding us, and only a few feet away, I see his mother. She's on the ground, her shoulders shaking as shesobs.
“Geoff?” She shudders out the words, and my back stiffens. “I’m here, darling. Help is on the way. You’re going to be just fine.”
Although she's trying to hide it, the pain in her voice is heart-wrenching. Oh God. How did this even happen? Was he there the whole time?
“Fallon?” Luke grits out, his muscles straining as he holds on to the fucker. “Will you check on my dad? Stay with him, please.”
The last word comes out more choked than the rest. Fuck. He saw it all happen. My voice doesn’t work to reply, so I nod in agreement and rush to his parents' side. I drop down to the floor beside his mum, and she jerks at the intrusion.
“Fallon. Thank God you're okay! I have been so worried,” she rushes out.
“Luke pushed me out of the way. I don’t know what's going on,” I admit. My mind is so hazy, it’s like I'm sleepwalking right now.
“I was there… when that awful man threatened you,” his dad drawls out. “When you were out of the way, I…” he coughs, “I hit him over the head with a vase.”
“You foolish thing,” she chides, stroking the hair from his face.
“It was either my boy or me.”
“Did he… shoot you?” I whisper. I haven’t seen any blood, but it's dark, or it could be from behind.
“Only a graze. I hit my head pretty hardwhen I fell back though,” he chuckles humourlessly. “I can't wait to tell everyone I was shot and lived to see another day.”
“Geoffory!” She scolds. “Now isn't the time. You scared to bloody life out of me.”
Blue lights come into view before he can come back with another snide remark. He’s hurt, but he seems to be okay, thankfully. Tonight could have been so, so much worse. Three police cars and one police van enter the grounds first. All of them are driving straight through the flowers and over the grass to where we are. The second they pull to a stop, they all jump out and run over in unison, surveying the area. They’re all dressed in black uniforms and what seems to be bulletproof vests. But the most daunting thing about them is the heavy looking guns they have trained on us. Fucking hell.
“He’s here,” Luke barks out, immediately getting the attention of the closest officers.
“Is he armed?” One officer screams out, his gun now trained on Luke.
I have never felt so scared, and trust me, in my life, I have had multiple reasons to be. Yet seeing a gun aimed at the man I love is quite possibly the scariest thing I have ever witnessed.
