Page 78 of Brazen Obsession

There’s blood on my shirt. But I don’t feel any pain. I pull my shirt out of my skirt and check my skin underneath it, but there’s no wound.

“I’m fine. There’s nothing.” My eyes land on Tom’s shoulder and the blood still coming out of it. “Tom!”

His eyes go to his shoulder. He’s pale and must be in shock as he collapses to the ground. “Must have nicked me.”

I take off my shirt and press it to the blood flowing out of his shoulder. My heartbeat throbs in my ears. “It’s not a nick.”

“I’m just going to lie down.” Tom lowers to the sidewalk. Peabody comes over and licks at his face with a whine as I press down on the wound. Pressure. Keep pressure on the wound.

I glance up and Max is on the phone, leaning against a tree. He’s holding on to his arm.

We’re a couple houses down from our place, but I see the door burst open.

“Sara?” Tom says. “I think I’ve been shot.”

I turn to Tom’s voice. His eyes close. Fuck!

Chapter 26

Liability

Wyatt

The ambulance sirens sound too far away as we reach Tom and Sara. My heart races seeing them both on the ground. I can’t lose either of them. Voices shout in the background, but I can’t understand them. It’s mass chaos. Tears stream down Sara’s face as she applies pressure with her shirt against Tom’s shoulder.

Her panicked eyes lift to mine as I kneel beside her and take over. She wants me to tell her it will be all right, but the words stick in my throat. For a moment, I’m a boy again, wanting to hold Sara as she realizes her father is gone but knowing I shouldn’t because it was my fault.

She has blood on her skin and her shirt is now in my hands. I push all the fear and memories to the background so I can focus.

“Check Sara for wounds. I’ve got Tom. Finn, make sure he’s not bleeding anywhere else.”

Dante gathers Sara against him. He and Drew look her over before Dante takes off his shirt and wraps it around Sara, drawing her into his chest while she sobs and shakes.

“Nothing else.” Finn meets my eyes and heads back toward the house.

Natasha rushes down the stairs. “Tom! Tom!”

Finn grabs her as she collapses, seeing Tom covered in blood. “It’s his shoulder. He’ll be fine.”

The ambulance stops in the street and the paramedics join me on the ground next to Tom. “You can let go now.”

I shake my head because everything in me is reliving that night when my father shot Tom’s dad. We ran. We had to, but maybe he would have lived if we stayed. If we could have held on to him. I can’t lose Tom.

Drew takes Sara while Dante comes over.

“They’re going to take care of him, Wyatt. You have to let go so they can do their work.”

I press my lips together. Logically it makes sense, but emotionally, I’m eleven years old again, about to lose the only father I ever knew because I made a stupid mistake. I should have been here. I should have come with.

“Hey.” Tom’s voice is weak.

I look down into his green eyes, clouded with pain.

“It’s okay, Wyatt.” He drags in a breath, searches my eyes, and groans. “I’m not going to die. I’m not my father. We didn’t know. We did everything we should have and he knew that. It’s not your fault, Wyatt. I’m sorry I ever blamed you. I was just so fucking lost.” He touches my arm with his other hand. “They’ll take me to the hospital. I’m not going anywhere yet.”

Rationally, I know all that, but somehow his words unlock my paralysis. When I nod, Dante helps me stand. Sara wraps her arms around my waist and rests her head against my chest, but I don’t put my hands on her because they’re covered in Tom’s blood. Her scent and warmth comfort me. She’s not hurt.

The rest of the scene moves by me in a haze. They load Tom into the ambulance and Natasha rides with them. We go inside and Sara and I wash our hands. She changes into fresh clothes and so do I. Finn stays with me. Going through the motions that need to happen to get to the hospital.