The door was busted open, pieces of wood flying all over the place. I didn’t even know what was going on, but a gun was suddenly placed beside my temple while people were yelling all around me. “Get fucking down!” the guy yelled from right beside me. I didn’t know what to do, I wasn’t given a choice when he shoved me down to the floor. “I said on the fucking ground,” he said again, his gun didn’t move from the side of my head. This had to be a nightmare, I thought to myself as I was shoved down, the man got on top of me. His gun moved away from my temple, but the feeling was still there. “Hands behind your back.” He pulled my hands behind my back, and the cold steel handcuffs were placed on me, and just like that, my life would never be the same.
“You need to let us help her.” I feel hands on me, and I want to yell out not to touch me. I want to hide in a corner and make sure no one touches me, but I can’t do anything. I can’t move anything. My head burns, and right when I think I’m going to open my eyes, I fade off again.
Chapter Four
Casey
With my gun drawn, I aim for his right shoulder and shoot as soon as he turns around. Before the guy knows what’s happening, he stumbles back, and the gun falls from his hand. I watch as he advances closer, blood running down his arm, and the sound of him yelling fills the room. Reaching for the loose gun beside him, I keep my gun aimed on him, and I spot Olivia behind him. She’s falling to the side, her head hitting the floor with the biggest bang I’ve ever heard. Her name rips through me. “Olivia!”
The front door opens. “Casey!” My father is yelling my name.
“Up here!” I say, looking down at the guy who has caused all this havoc. He rolls to the side with his left hand over his shoulder, blood leaking through his fingers. He looks like he is going to try something, so I make sure he knows I won’t think twice about ending his life.
“Don’t think I won’t put one between your eyes,” I hiss at him while he glares. The front door is smashed open again, and this time, it’s more than one person as I hear the boots on the stairs. Looking over my shoulder, I see my father holding his own shotgun as he takes in the scene, and fear rushes through him as he scans the man on the floor.
“I’m good.” He nods at me but doesn’t put his gun down when he walks in.
Jacob’s behind Dad with his gun drawn, wearing his bulletproof vest. Right behind him is Grady, his second in command. “Holy shit.” He looks over at Grady, who nods at him when he puts his gun down and talks into the radio on his shoulder. “We need medics over at Casey’s.”
“Roger that.” I hear as Grady walks over to the man who I refuse to let out of my sight. Even though my head is intent on getting to Olivia, my gun doesn’t move.
“Do you have him?” I ask Grady. When he nods, I rush over to Olivia, who is slumped over.
“Olivia.” I say her name softly while I take her in my arms. I hear her moan, but her eyes don’t open.
“Is she hit?” my father asks, bending down next to me. I look over at him, he just looks into my eyes, his own eyes filling with tears. I ignore the burn creeping into my eyes as I hold her in my arms.
“I don’t think so.” I look for blood on her body, but there is none. But when I feel her head, I find a huge bump in the back. “She’s got an egg-shaped bump on the back of her head,” I say, holding her in my arms as close to me as I can, feeling her heat rush through me. “Olivia, darlin’.” I say her name softly when I hear people coming up the stairs again. Two paramedics rush in, holding their medical bag.
“We have a gunshot wound on him,” Grady says, pointing at the asshole in front of him. “And an unconscious woman.” He points at Olivia, who is still in my arms.
One paramedic goes to the man, who is now sitting up with his hands cuffed behind his back. “You might have to take the cuffs off him.”
He looks at Grady, who just shakes his head. “I checked him before you guys got here. The bullet went right through, so you can cut the shirt off him.”
“That’s inhumane,” the man whines, and if I didn’t have Olivia in my arms right now, I would show him how inhumane I can be. My hands start to shake with anger and rage.
“Relax, son,” my father whispers from beside me, and I look at him. We share a look, and he nods. The second paramedic comes over.
“What do we have?” he asks, and I look at him.
“I think she hit her head, but I’m not sure.” I look back down at her, pushing her hair away from her face.
“You’re going to have to lay her down so I can check her out,” he says to me. I just look at him and then at Olivia in my arms. “I won’t hurt her. But I can’t do anything to help her if you don’t let me.” I place her down gently, hoping that she wakes up, but she doesn’t. She just lies there limp. When I hear more footsteps on the stairs, I look up at the ceiling. Kallie appears in the doorway with tears in her eyes when she sees Olivia lying there.
“Olivia,” she says, putting her hand to her mouth. The two of them have been best friends for a while, and they work together. She’s about to take a step into the room when Jacob stops her.
“Kallie,” Jacob says to her. “You shouldn’t be here. It’s a crime scene.” She glares at him. The two of them have loved each other for a long time, but eight years ago, she ran away after he got one of his best friends pregnant. She left town the day after she found out and has not been back nor has she spoken to him since then.
She finally came back to town with Olivia. Everyone knows how hard it was for them to be face-to-face again. They have worked so hard to get back together, and I just hope that this time it sticks.
“This is my brother’s property,” she says. Turning to look at me, she hesitates to come into the big media room. “Mom is fit to be tied.”
“I’ll go to her,” my father says, getting up and looking at me. He puts his hand on my shoulder, squeezing it. “She’s going to be okay, son,” he tells me, and I have nothing to say. I think I’m numb. I know I’m numb. I don’t move from Olivia’s side while the paramedic takes her vitals.
“We need to take her in,” he says when Kallie kneels beside me. Her hand reaches out to touch Olivia’s.
“Let’s get him up,” the other paramedic says. Grady leans down and pulls him up by his arm, making the guy wince. I watch him walk out of the room, not saying anything. My eyes stay fixated on the blood stain on the throw rug. I make a mental note to get it cleaned before Olivia comes home. Home. Is this even her home? This is only temporary, I know this. She is here only until it’s safe for her to go home.
“We are going to transport her via ambulance to the hospital. The other victim will be going with Jacob.”
“Victim?” I repeat the word. “He isn’t a victim,” I hiss, and Kallie puts her hand on my arm.
“Casey,” she says, “let them take care of her.”
“I can carry her out.” I bend down, putting one hand under her legs and one under her back. She lies there in my arms with her head against my chest, and I shield her as I walk out of the room with her.