“Since when?”
“Since I married you. Now hold still.” He pulled out a napkin from his jacket pocket, wiping off the blood from my neck.
“We don’t have time for this—”
BANG! The first shot seemed to echo throughout the whole building, followed by screams and even more gunshots.
“Called it.” I sighed, lifting up one of my guns for him.
He pulled out his instead, a standard black edition. A grin played on his lips as he said, “Drinks and cigars on the rooftop when we’re finished?”
“On account of my recent heart surgery, I think we should find a new tradition.” I smiled.
He struggled. “Smoothies, then? We’ll even be like those annoying girls at the mall and ask for extra kale.”
Before I could reply, both our heads snapped to the door when we heard a gun cock. We dove under the desk as the bullets came flying in.
“You don’t go to the mall, how do you know about these girls?” I yelled over the bullets.
He looked at me, stunned. “Really, you’re going to argue with my joke right now?”
When the bullets stopped, we both turned back around the desk and fired. I hit one of them in the chest and Liam hit the head of the other before we turned back inward.
“It was a simple question; why are you so defensive?”
He cracked his jaw to the side, about to say something, when we heard one of them step on the broken glass.
Liam looked through one of the bullet holes in the desk before nodding to me. Distracting him with a shot at his feet, I rose up, gun in both hands, firing back. When they all dropped, Liam rushed to their bodies and picked up the rifles.
“I’m getting too old for this shit!” he grumbled, throwing me one as I rushed to the door.
“Stay then, babe, have a tea party while you’re at it.”
“Melody, baby, do me a favor and cock it,” he snapped at me and I licked my lips for him, slowly stepping out of the door.
“Whenever you want—”
“Melody!” he screamed, rushing me just as I heard the soft beep. It was odd, I felt nothing for a good second before our bodies crashed into the wall, the painting of Abraham Lincoln shattering and falling on top of Liam’s back. Liam pushed it off, hovering over me.
“Are you okay?” I asked him.
“Fuck, I think my legs broke, but I’ll live. Declan’s taking his sweet ass time.”
“That’s good.”
“Mel?” He sat up, looking me over, his eyes widening at the shard of glass lodged in my stomach like a fashion accessory. “Melody!”
“I’m fine,” I lied, putting my hands around it. “Honest Abe here—ahh I got nothin’, sorry.”
“Melody, breathe. Baby, it’s okay. It’s not nothing, just a flesh wound.” He was lying too.
“I know.” I forced a smile. “Which is why it’s good you’re not too hurt…oh…cause…cause…”
“Melody!” He shook me. “Melody, keep your eyes open okay?”
“Liam, I’m fine, just sore.” Liar. Liar. Liar. “I…need…you to kick my brother’s ass, okay? I’m going to wait for you here.”
“Melody—”