Page 12 of Conquered Betrayal
“How do you know?” I asked without looking at him.
He didn’t answer. I should have known better than to let my guard down. His hand snaked out to grab my wrist. Pain shot through the skin where a bruise faded from days before. I flinched from the anger in his gaze.
But his eyes weren’t on me, they were on Mother. “One of these days, I’ll find out who did this to her.”
I yanked my arm out of his, twisting it even more, and returned to my task, my hand shaking. “The police don’t know who hit her. I don’t think they’ll ever find out. That’s what Dad said.”
“Dad’s too busy to care. It’s my job to figure it out.”
“They think she hit an animal because of the scratches. It was an accident.” It didn’t make me feel any better to say it, but there was no one to blame for her condition.
“It doesn’t feel like an accident.”
* * *
Titty fucker.He’d been shot. I don’t even know if Landon realized what happened.Please let it not have hit something vital.I couldn’t stop to check. Not when I’d be killed execution style as soon as I parked the car.
These were some of Emerson’s best, the ones he sent to do all his dirty work, and if I slowed down, gave them an opening, we’d both be dead.
“Okay, we’re almost to you,” Marley said in my ear.
“Hurry. Landon’s been hit.”
“Shit. Okay. Let’s take care of the bad guys, then we can take care of him.”
I bit my lip and concentrated on not putting us in a roll. My breakneck speed might be the end of us both. At least Alina’s Fiat knew how to take a few hits and high-speed corners.
The sight of Landon’s slumped form squeezed the band around my chest. It was my fault he’d gotten shot. I glanced in my rearview mirror, and noted the gray Mercedes van barreling up behind the SUVs. Relieved, I slowed a little for Marley to catch up, then watched as Alina leaned out the passenger side window, brown hair billowing out behind her, an assault rifle in her hands.
My breath caught in my throat as she balanced her hip and steadied her aim. Time seemed to speed up and slow down at the same time.Bang bang.Two shots and she hit the rear tire of the SUV closest to her. The vehicle swerved, then skidded, heading to the shoulder, out of control at the speed and trying not to flip.
“One down, one to go,” I murmured under my breath. My gaze skipped from the rearview mirror to my unconscious passenger, worry making my stomach drop. There wasn’t a puddle of blood on the floor; I didn’t think a major artery had been hit. It looked like the injury was near his shoulder, but any gunshot wound could be fatal if not treated.
Bang.Another shot and Alina had the second vehicle incapacitated. I watched as she disappeared inside the van.
“Good shooting,” I said into the comm. Alina really was the best. “Thanks for the help.”
“Always,” she responded.
“According to radio chatter, cops are two minutes out,” Marley cut in. “We need to get off the freeway before we’re spotted.”
“Taking the next exit.” I changed lanes and got off the freeway, heading into a residential area. I didn’t keep to the main road even though it slowed my progress. Getting arrested by Detroit PD would slow it more.
I kept an eye on the gray van until they turned off on a different street. We were well out of Metro Detroit now, and would need to circle back to our renovated warehouse.
“I’m going to stop for a minute to check Landon’s wound,” I said, searching for a safe place to park.
“Be quick, then drop him off at the closest hospital so you can get your butt home.”
“No.” The refusal was out before I could think better of it. “Emerson could get to him at a hospital. Landon has no idea what kind of trouble he’s in right now.” My stomach dropped further into my toes. In searching me out, he’d put himself at risk—another sin to add to my growing list against him.
Neither of my friends replied. I pulled up to the curb behind a sedan and jumped out, circling the front of the car to open the passenger door. Landon nearly fell out he was so slumped over. Thanks to his seatbelt, I was able to prop him up to check his pulse and examine the wound.
Blood coated his shoulder. Under my fingers, his pulse remained strong, rapid even. I couldn’t see where the bullet went in, but I needed to stop the bleeding. I peeled off my suit jacket and wrapped the sleeves around the fleshy part of his biceps, my best guess at the location of the wound. That was good.It meant the bullet probably hit muscle instead of something important. But it didn’t explain why he’d passed out. Could be shock, could be the sight of blood. I quickly checked him over for more holes, hands skimming over ribs and hips, and found none.
“Landon?” I patted his cheek softly, the light bristle of his facial hair tickling my palm. Even passed out and bloody, he remained the most handsome man I’d ever laid eyes on.
“What’s happening with you, Jolyn?” Marley asked after a long minute.
