Page 87 of Gunner
They kept changing the fucking rules!
Laughter behind me had me slowly turning to find Bailey sitting in a lawn chair, drinking a lemonade as she watched the standoff as if she were at a family fucking reunion.
“What the hell are you doing?” I asked gruffly. “Your man is across the street. My brother. Putting himself in harm’s way and you’re just gonna sit there like it’s a Sunday picnic?”
“King can take care of himself. I am, however, waiting for the fun to start.”
“What the hell are you talking about, woman?”
Bailey smiled sweetly up at me as she informed all of us around her. “Sarah isn’t alone. Scribe’s in there with her.”
Murmurs grew as that little bit of information spread like wildfire.
My head whipped to the drugstore as a big grin spread across my face. “Well, why didn’t ya say so in the first place?”
Without thinking, I scooped Bailey up out of the seat, plopped her ass in my lap, then snagged her lemonade from her hand and took a big gulp. “How long do you think before he blows?”
“Not sure. He did just get released from the hospital today. So he’s not in top fighting form.”
Nodding, I muttered. “True. He could be taking his time, building energy. You know if he’s got his knife with him?”
“I think so. He never goes anywhere without it.”
“True. True,” I agreed. “You know, if he saves the day, that means you have to be nice to him again.”
“Why?” Bailey asked, turning to look at me. “He stole my birth control pills! I don’t care if he saves the whole fucking town. His ass is still toast when he is back in true form.”
“Come on, Bailey. Give the man a break. You maimed him horribly and cost him weeks of pussy that he’s been trying to make up for. Then you dyed his hair pink. He just got paroled from the hospital after having one of the worst cases of food poisoning Claudia’s ever seen and now, he’s about to do this thing and save the day. Give the man a medal.”
Bailey huffed, turning back around, yanking the lemonade out of my hand. “Fine. I’ll back off, but if he starts anymore shit, it’s on like Donkey Kong.”
“Works for me,” I said as a loud roar ricocheted out of the drugstore for all of us to hear just as a gunshot rang out.
Bailey turned to me, and we both smiled. “Scribe.”
The drugstore doors flung open as Sugar, Morgan, Holly, the Pharmacist and his tech all ran for freedom.
But no Sarah or Scribe.
Bailey got up, allowing me to stand as I asked. “Where the fuck is she?”
“I don’t know,” Bailey whispered, reaching for my hand. “Where is Scribe?”
Before either of us could move, I watched as Sarah slowly walked out of the store with a gun to her head. Tears were streaming down her face as the young man behind her shouted. “Come any closer and I will kill this bitch!”
“Oh shit,” Pyro whispered. “That’s Carter Glover.”
I growled, moving to end the fucker as Bailey grabbed my arm. “Gunner, don’t. Look.” She whispered, pointing her finger at the young man holding my woman at gunpoint. “Look at his head.”
Doing as she said, I focused on the fucker’s head only to see a small red dot barely moving around. Quickly turning back to the coffee shop, I looked at the roof just as Mike grinned.
“Holy shit,” I muttered before yelling. “Everyone get down!”
Grabbing Bailey in my arms, I turned her away just as the retort of the rifle echoed all around. Looking over my shoulder, I watched as the man holding the gun on Sarah stared blankly before he slowly fell to the ground.
I didn’t think.
I ran towards her, gathering her in my arms, needing to know she was safe.