“Weapon.” The word’s a reflex.
“Weapon!”Cammy’s voice blends with mine.
Kurt and the guys will be out here inseconds. Cammy’s in the van, still as a statue, and with my headlights in the guard’s eyes, I don’t think he’s even seen her. Instead, he’s focused on me.
The man takes a firing stance, legs braced, weapon aimed two-handed. “Security!” he shouts, voice high and tense. “Get off your bike, or I’ll shoot!”
The cops won’t fire without probable cause—in theory—but this guy is trembling, his weapon shaking. I could be dead in a second, assuming he could even hit me the way his gun is waving in the air.
I’m still rolling toward him, not even level with the van, coming up on my left, the rear of the shop on my right. What else is there to do?
His weapon discharges, the muzzle flashing bright, the bullet going God knows where.
“Jesus, Raven!”Cammy gasps over her mic.“Are you all right?”
I don’t know if he was trying to hit me, or if it wasjust a warning, but I’m fine… for now. That damn gun is making figure-eights in the air, and his eyes are so wide, their whites reflect in my headlights.
He fires again, and something skims my arm. A second later, there’s a burning, searing pain. There’s nothing I can do but duck low on my tank and hope.
Then Declan shoots past, engine revs high, taking the narrow gap between me and the van, accelerating hard. He jinks, putting himself between me and the security guard, and the man fires again. Andagain.Declan jerks in his seat then slams his front brakes on, pulling a stoppie, the rear coming up fast. But his bike’s at an angle, not straight, and the back tire swings around through the air, the wheel crunching into the man. He cries out, rebounding into the side of his car, then crumples to the ground. Declan’s tire lands, bike perfectly under his control, and only then does he wince, slumping in his seat.
“Declan…” The word’s torn from me.
“Holy fuck, Declan!”Cammy cries.“That wasawesome!”
Kurt and the others burst out a second later, taking the scene in at a glance.
Cole reaches Declan first. “Where are you hit?”
“Thigh,” he grunts out. “Side.”
“Turn the van,” Kurt tells Cammy over the mic, the security car blocking our exit. She starts backing up while Dario rushes me my bag. I strap it on without looking, eyes only for Declan.
“You’re hurt,” Dario says. He’s looking at my sleeve.
Declan’s head snaps up, visor fixed on me.
“Bullet skimmed me. Forget it.” I’m far more worried abouthim. A thigh wound… if it hit near the femoral artery… is he bleeding out?
He did thatfor me. He went past, putting himself in harm’s wayfor me.
I’ve spent two days trying to get away from this man. Now I can’t breathe until I know he’s all right.
“How bad?” Cole presses. “Bullets still in?”
“The one on my side went through,” Declan replies through clenched teeth, still focused on me. I can’t see his eyes, but I know where they’re looking. “The one in my thigh’s still there. Lateral aspect.”
“Can you ride?”
“He can’t fucking ride!” I say. “Put him in the van!”
“I can ride,” Declan replies, ignoring me.
Kurt looks at me. “No blood in the van.”
I glare at him with his stupid rules. “He’sbeen shot.”
“And I can ride,” Declan argues. “Let’s get going, because I’m bleeding and it fucking hurts.”
