My heart thunders.
She swings the hammer down. Hard and fast.
Steel cracks against skull—louder than you’d expect with all the commotion.
The shooter crumples to the floor.
“That’s my girl!” I explode out of my spot, yanking Teller along with me.
The shooter’s out. Blood pools around his head, soaking into the planks of the dirty, old, wood floor.
Fuck, maybe she killed him.
Remy and Griff snatch the guy off the floor, kick him a few times and drag him behind the bar. I assume to tie him up and question him later. If he lives.
Heidi stares at me in wide-eyed shock. The hammer falls from her hand, hitting the floor with a thud when I reach her. I yank her into my arms, pressing her against me, shielding her from any more mayhem with my body.
“Why did you do that?” I mumble against her hair. My hands are everywhere checking to make sure she’s not hurt. Even though the danger’s over, my heart won’t stop pounding.
Her arms circle my neck, clinging to me, and I pick her up. “I was so scared,” she whispers against my ear. “I got your text. But the shots kept coming. I was so scared one of you were hit.” She pulls away and turns, seeking her brother. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, little sister,” Teller answers, patting her back. “That’s some arm you have there.”
He appears calm. But I can tell from the way he keeps staring at Heidi, he’s as shaken as I am about the crazy stunt she pulled. Shockingly, he keeps his mouth shut. He doesn’t scold her or punch me for putting her in danger either.
Heidi clings to me for a second longer then reaches for Teller. “Are you okay?” she asks again.
“I’m fine.” He forces a smile. “I’ve got the most badass little sister around.”
She lets out some nervous laughter and lets him pick her up in a quick hug.
Charlotte races over and tackles both of them. “Your sister is insane.”
Teller grabs her and whispers something against her ear. “I told her not to,” Charlotte protests.
I wrap Heidi up in my arms again. “You shouldn’t have done that.” Yeah, I’m proud of my girl, but I can’t stop thinking about all the ways her plan could’ve gone horribly wrong.
“I couldn’t let him keep shooting at you.” She waves her hand at her brother. “He’s taken enough bullets this year.”
“Amen to that,” Teller mutters.
I tip my head at him in an don’t-encourage-her way.
Remy limps over a lot less cocky then he was earlier. “Fuck, I’m sorry, man. Never saw that coming.”
“You all right?” I ask.
He brushes his hands through his hair and glass tinkles to the floor. “Some scratches. I’ll live.”
The door swings open, and everyone tenses up.
Wrath, Z, and Jake storm in with the wind.
“What the fuck happened?” Wrath bellows.
I don’t think the yelling dad approach is going to work with Remy or Griff, so I step in between them and Wrath. “Not sure yet. It just ended.”
“Murphy’s girl hammered him.” Griff laughs and shakes his head. “Never seen anything like it.”
Wrath settles his frosty glare on me. “She did what?” The why didn’t you protect your girl better tone in his voice is clear.
Heidi leans over and picks up her hammer, casually tucking it into her pocket. “Murphy gave it to me for protection. So I used it, Uncle Wrath.” She stares down at the bit of blood-splatter on her hand. “Guess I’ll have to bleach it or burn it now.”
Wrath shakes his head and glares at me.
“Good job, Heidi-girl,” Z congratulates her.
“One of my students,” Jake announces.
“Whatever.” I shove him backwards. “My girl was a badass long before she took your one class.”
Z slips behind the bar and toes the unconscious shooter. “Who is he?”
“Anyone call the cops?” Wrath asks.
“No one here woulda called,” Remy assures him. He glances around the mostly empty bar. “They know better.”
“Anyone else hurt?”
“Uh, yeah.” Hudson raises his hand. His face screws into a mask of agony.
“Oh my God, what did you do?” Charlotte asks, rushing over to help him out.
“Aged me about ten years,” Whisper says, coming over to shake Wrath’s hand.
“How you been, brother?” Wrath asks far more cordially than I would expect.
“They can fill you in. I’ve had enough excitement for the night.” He slaps my shoulder, then Teller’s. He jerks his head toward Hudson. “Help me get him up?”
While they tend to Hudson, Teller and I join Remy behind the bar. “He still breathing?”
“For now,” Remy answers.
All of us stare down at the shooter.
“You recognize him?” Teller asks.
“Maybe.” Remy’s answer is a little more evasive than I care for, considering we just got shot at and my ol’ lady saved his ass.
“Murphy.” Jake touches my shoulder. “You want me to take the girls home?”
I glance over at them. Z’s got one arm around Heidi and one around Charlotte, keeping them close and calming them down with his usual wisecracks. While I appreciate his efforts, they really should get out of here in case the cops show up. I won’t let anyone question Heidi, and Charlotte doesn’t need the hassle.
“Do you mind?”
“Not at all.”
“Thanks,” Teller says.
“I’ll keep her name out of anything that comes up,” Remy promises me.
“Wouldn’t want anyone to know a little girl saved your ass, right, bro?” Jake sneers.
Remy huffs out a pained laugh and leans against the bar. “Hell no. Heidi drinks and eats for free here for life. She’s my damn hero.” He gestures toward the end of the bar. “I don’t know if I would’ve made it to the shotgun in time.”
I’m proud of Heidi. No doubt. Still can’t help feeling like I put her in danger for no reason. And now I’m supposed to send her home, so I can deal with the aftermath? It doesn’t feel like something a good husband does.
Teller senses my inner conflict and pats my shoulder. “Come on, let’s send the girls home, so we can sort through this mess.” In a lower voice, he adds, “VP.”
Yup, this is exactly what a Vice P
resident has to do.
Twenty-Eight
Heidi
I’ve seen lots of patients in shock. Still, I have a hard time recognizing it in myself.
Did I really rush a guy shooting a gun with nothing more than a stubby little hammer?
Am I out of my mind? I’m a mother for fuck’s sake.
I’m also an old lady and a sister. Knowing Blake and Marcel were in danger, shut down my logic and left me acting on pure instinct to protect them.
The moment when I stepped into the long, dark hallway and saw the shooter was focused on the part of the bar I couldn’t see replays over and over in my head.
Had Marcel been hit? Had Blake?
Even now that I know they’re safe, I can’t stop thinking about it.
Jake drops us off at Teller and Charlotte’s house. “Do you need me to stay?” His voice breaks me out of the horrifying loop in my head.
“My brother’s here,” Charlotte answers. “We’ll be okay.”
He waits until we’re inside before driving away.
“Are you all right, Heidi?”
“I think so.” I drop down onto her couch and close my eyes. My hammer hand throbs. “I may have sprained my hand or something. It hurts like hell.”
“Let me get you ice.”
A few seconds later, something cool settles against my skin.
“That was one way to end date night.” Charlotte flops down next to me. “I’ve seen some crazy stuff, Heidi, but you were one badass ol’ lady tonight.”
I hum to acknowledge her compliment, but I’m not feeling very badass at the moment. “This has been the worst day.”
“Besides the shooting?”
“It’s been a relentless storm of shit and puke since I woke up.”
I don’t have a chance to elaborate because someone knocks on the front door. The alarm beeps, and the door creaks. “It’s me, Charlotte,” Carter says. “Don’t shoot.”
“Knock it off.”
“Hey, Carter,” I call out.
“Why are you back so early? And by yourselves?”