Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90433 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90433 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
None of it mattered.
Only one thing caused her distress now—Ty’s safety.
“Jinx, go.”
“My man has it under contr—"
The pop of the pistol made Kelsie jolt as though she’d been the one to take a bullet. Her world crashed in on itself as she watched Ty’s hands slip to the ground.
“No!” she wailed. She flung herself toward him, but Jinx caught her before she could scramble across the floor. “Let me go,” she screamed. Blood pooled around Ty, spreading wider with each passing second. He lay beneath Andrew, immobile and silent.
Jinx’s hold was unbreakable, but she thrashed and flailed against him—anything to break free and get to Ty. Tears and air caught in her throat, making her choke as she tried to breathe. “Ty!”
Someone shouted something in the distance, but she couldn’t find it. Her brain didn’t register the usual discomfort at having a man touch her. All she cared about was getting to Ty.
“Kelsie!” Jinx barked. He used his mass and strength to restrain her, wrapping her in a bear hug. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”
She struggled, wrenching right and left. One arm slipped from his hand and whacked him in the side of the head.
“Ow, fuck. Why are you so damn strong?”
“Please. Help him.”
“He’s okay, Kels,” Jinx spoke loud and against her ear. “Ty is okay. He wasn’t shot.”
“What?” She sagged, going completely limp in Jinx's arms.
“Listen.”
“Kels?” Ty’s voice filled the lobby.
“Oh my God.” Shivers raced along her arms and legs. Every ounce of energy she possessed fled, leaving her weak and trembling in Jinx’s arms.
“Jinx, is she okay?”
“She’s all right, brother. Just in shock, I think.”
“Help me get this motherfucker off me. He’s heavy, and the gun is digging into my chest.”
Jinx loosened his arms, and Kelsie immediately slipped away. Her arms and legs felt as though they weighed two hundred pounds each, but she found the strength to crawl across the floor. When she reached Ty, she kneeled at his head.
“Baby,” he said with a mountain of relief in his hold.
“I’m sorry.” Sobs burst forth.
Jinx grabbed the back of Andrew’s shirt and hauled his body off Ty with the ease of lifting a child. Blood darkened the material of Ty’s once-gray shirt. Kelsie gasped at the sight.
“Not a drop of it is mine,” Ty said as he climbed to his knees. “Fucking swear it.”
The need to bury herself against his chest and block out the world clawed at her, but they were both filthy with blood and grime.
Then Ty cocked his head as he looked her up and down. He tipped her chin with the most gentle touch imaginable, bringing fresh tears to her eyes. “He fucking hurt you.” His jaw ticked. “I’d give my left nut to resurrect that asshole and kill him all over again. Hell is too good for him. He needed to suffer more on Earth.”
Shaking her head, she grabbed his hands. “No. All that matters is he’s gone. Forever.”
“Yep.” They swiveled their heads in Jinx’s direction in time to see him nudge Andrew’s body with his foot—hard. The body shifted and then flopped back on the ground. “This fucker ain’t going nowhere but six feet under.”
Kelsie blew out a breath as she closed her eyes or eye. One had swollen shut a while ago.
“Fuck it,” Ty muttered. He spread his legs and pulled her into his arms, blood be damned.
At that point, she couldn’t be bothered to care either. Finally, after what felt like hours of terror, she knew safety again. Nothing could hurt her in Ty’s arms. He’d saved her yet again.
The bell over the door jangled, and booted footsteps sounded on the floor. If she’d had the energy, she’d have stiffened back up with fear.
“Oh, come on,” Spec spoke with genuine distress. “I rush here for a nine-one-one call, and I don’t even get to kill anyone? Buncha horse shit.”
Jinx snorted. “Sorry, brother. You are here in time for cleanup, though.”
“But that’s the worst part. I fucking hate cleanup.” He was one octave away from whining. “That’s why we have prospects. I’m the subject matter expert, and they’re the grunts.”
Kelsie lifted her head from Ty’s shoulder to spear Spec with an incredulous stare. “The subject being killing?”
“Yes. That’s exactly… oh, shit, hon, your face.” Spec stuck his head back outside. “Pulse, get your ass in here. Kelsie needs you to put her face back together. What? Nah, these greedy fuckers had all the fun without us.”
“For fuck’s sake,” Ty muttered.
A strangled snicker bubbled its way out of her gut. Another followed, and within seconds, Kelsie was laughing against Ty’s chest. Next to being with Ty, it was the best feeling. Today had been in the top five worst days of her life, and because of Ty and his crazy family, she was laughing instead of breaking down.
He’d given her the incredible gifts of strength, care, and acceptance. At some point, the days’ events would worm their way under her skin and take up residence. That’s when she’d come apart at the seams, but there wasn’t a doubt in her mind Ty would be there to put her back together.