Page 9 of Let Me Protect You

I’m officially going to hell.

A shot fires and something thuds outside. I whip around to look. Elias stands there with his Glock still out with only my “boyfriend” still standing. I scan the ground and find a body. A pool of blood forms around the man’s torso.

Is he … dead? Oh my God. Am I a part of a murder? Is it murder when they attacked us? No, I think it’s considered self-defense. Someone wants me gone so badly that they sent people to kill me and don’t care if their men are taken out in the process…

The other guy lunges for the gun next to his buddy’s body, but Elias kicks it away. It goes skidding across the pavement and disappears from my sight. In a rage, my “fake boyfriend” slashes out at Elias. I practically cling to the window, trying to see if Elias was hit. He’s hunched over with his free hand clutching his side.

Why hasn’t he shot the damn man?

“I’m going.” I crawl across the armrest and inch open the passenger door as my sister yells for me to stop. A ripping sound pierces the silence, but I don’t care. This gown can burn for all I care. Hugging my dress to my chest, I creep around the vehicle and pick up the dead man’s discarded gun. I’ve never held a firearm, never mind knowing how to shoot it. But I have to do something.

I sink back behind the SUV and poke my head out. The other guy’s back is to me, and I aim my gun. Is the safety on? Off? All I know is to point and pull the trigger. Elias shakes his head at me, and the man notices.

He turns and faces me, gesturing to himself. “Are you going to shoot your boyfriend?”

Will this guy ever drop the act?

Elias maneuvers his honed body silently over to this man. His deep blue suit jacket struggles not to rip as it clings to his lean muscles. Why isn’t he shooting the guy?

Our attacker is about to turn back to Elias, so I say, “Just let us go. I promise I won’t go to the police.”

“Lies. Every woman lies.”

Elias reaches the man, lifts his arms over his head, and brings down a powerful force, hitting the guy over the head with his gun. And the guy’s body hits the ground with a loud thud.

My knees buckle, and I collapse to the frozen ground. My torn dress poofs out around me, soaking instantly. The SUV door opens, and Serenity rushes out, but I don’t hear anything she says. A buzz overtakes my brain, and I fall over. Something soft slides under my head before I hit the ground, and the world goes black.

***

I crack open an eye and harsh sunlight glares through a nearby window. I slam my eyes shut again. The last thing I remember was Elias taking down those two men. So, where am I now? Forcing my eyes open again, I spy the culprit window. The sun beams in through the open blinds.

A gentle hand runs across my head in a soothing motion, and I jerk away.

“Are you awake?” Serenity asks when I adjust.

I take in my surroundings. The room is tiny. A tall, sturdy looking dresser sits on the far wall. And the only other piece of furniture in here is the bed I’m lying in.

Cars honk outside and I flinch. Every noise is like a new threat now. Is this how I’ll feel every day for the rest of my life?

Everything about the day comes crashing down around me. Almost marrying a billionaire? Check. Running away from the cameramen and Anita? Check. Getting attacked? Check. Elias getting stabbed…

“Is Elias okay?”

Serenity’s eyes darken to a more forest green. “Yes, he’s out in the living room with Sully.”

How is Sully here? I try to sit up but wince and fall back to the bed. Serenity reaches out to help me, but I swat her away.

“Whoa, take it easy,” she says in a gentle voice.

“I’m not injured.” How embarrassing is it that I passed out? “Elias had blood on him. Did someone check him out?”

Serenity nods. “I stitched him.” She must’ve noticed my bulging eyes because she said, “Don’t worry. He only needed three.”

I swallow down the bile that threatens to come out. Three stitches because of me. I took too big of a gamble when I thought they might let it slide that I refused to slander Victor on Everlasting Love. Why do I have to lie about a good man? Someone must be plotting something. Something big.

But now, I’m not the only one paying the price.

The only good thing is I’ll get to see Sully again after all these years of being gone at school. Whenever I wasn’t sure about something, his voice always popped into my mind. “Don’t get in cars with strangers.” I always laughed at that one because Uber and Lyft were how I traveled outside the city.