Page 80 of No Rules
His hand moved upward, and Ryan’s breath hitched in his lungs. Now. He nodded at Alex.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Three shots were fired in rapid succession, and Ryan dove for Sam, dragging him out of harm’s way. They fell onto the floor, Ryan’s elbow taking the brunt, and he grunted in pain. Marilyn screamed, the cry mingling with a shout from Sam and a dull, loud thud as Jeffries’s heavy body hit the floor.
Silence. The acrid scent of gunpowder lingered, and Ryan’s ears rang.
Ryan looked up, straight into the lifeless eyes of Jeffries. Alex had taken him out with clean shots. It was over.
“Sam!” Marilyn sagged onto the floor, and Ryan let go of Sam, who crawled over to Marilyn. They sat on the floor, awkwardly leaning into each other with their hands still bound, crying. Ryan scrambled to his feet. Jesus, his elbow hurt. But if that was the worst…
Alex stormed into the room, gun still in hand. “He’s dead,” Ryan said, his voice flat.
Alex put his gun away, wrapped his arms around Ryan, and hugged him. “I was so scared,” he whispered.
“I wasn’t. I knew you’d make the shot.” Still, Ryan clung to him, taking a couple of deep breaths as his adrenaline came down.
He let go and kissed Alex hard. “You saved lives today, baby boy. You did good. You made me so proud.”
He used his pocketknife to cut the ties around Marilyn’s hands, then freed Sam. They fell into each other’s arms, tears still flowing freely. No wonder. That had been an awfully close call.
Tires crunched on the gravel. The cops were here. “Let’s step outside and, to be sure, keep our hands up. We don’t know if these cops will recognize us as the good guys right away.”
They didn’t, and honestly, Ryan was glad. He’d seen cops get killed for making the wrong judgment in similar situations. The cops handcuffed them, but when Marilyn and Sam came out and explained, the cops released them, apologizing.
“All good.” Ryan shook the deputy’s hand. “Glad you guys took this seriously.”
The cops headed inside, and Ryan and Alex stayed outside with Marilyn and Sam. Tears streamed down Marilyn’s cheeks, and her voice was shaky as she spoke. “Thank you, both of you. I don’t know what would’ve happened if you hadn’t shown up when you did.”
Sam, his arm protectively around Marilyn’s shoulders, nodded in agreement as his eyes welled with tears as well. “You two are heroes.”
“We’re grateful we were here in time to prevent a tragedy,” Alex said, and Ryan couldn’t have put it better himself.
It took a while for the cops to take their statements, collect evidence, and announce they were free to go. By that time, Ryan was drained, and Alex looked like he could keel over any minute.
“Let’s go home,” Ryan said, and Alex nodded.
Home. When had Jesse’s house become a home for Ryan?
25
When they got back to Jesse’s house, Alex went to his room and took a long, hot shower. He needed to wash off the grime, even though he wasn’t that dirty. Maybe it would help him relax a bit because his mind was in turmoil.
He couldn’t believe he’d shot a man. He’d killed a human being. Not that he regretted it, but it felt strange that he’d ended a life today. Jeffries had deserved it, and Alex had no doubt that if he hadn’t taken Jeffries out, the man would’ve killed Marilyn, Sam, and maybe even Ryan. So yes, he had the moral conviction he’d done the right thing. But still.
The shower did little to wash away his anxiety.
“It sounds like you two had an eventful day,” Wander said as they all sat together for dinner. Ryan had given them a recap of what had happened, and everyone had listened in rapt attention.
“How are you feeling, kid?” Wander asked him, and Alex blinked.
“Strange.”
“You did the right thing.”
“I know, but…” He shrugged. “It feels strange.”
“Taking someone’s life isn’t easy,” Ryan said softly, reaching for Alex’s hand and threading their fingers. “No matter how justified it is.”