Finding Him: Second Chance Billionaire Romance (Finding Love Book 1), page 20
Rage courses through my veins as my eyes meet his. If the others weren’t in the room, I wouldn’t hesitate to risk my own life, just so I could get my hands on him.
“What did you do to her?” I seethe through gritted teeth.
He releases a small laugh before replying. “It’s called karma. How does it feel to lose the one you love?” There’s a sadistic smile plastered on his face as he speaks, and I want to rip his damn head off.
“What did you do to her?” I repeat.
“I should kill you right now for what you’ve done.”
“What I’ve done?”
“You seduced my wife.”
“She’s not your fucking wife,” I scream.
I feel Mike’s hand come to rest on my arm. “Don’t,” he whispers.
“She is my wife. She’s fucking mine, not yours.” I know better, but I keep my mouth shut. His hands are trembling as he aims the gun at my head, and I doubt he could make a clear shot, but that’s a chance I’m not willing to take. “Did you sleep with her?” When I don’t answer, he takes a step closer. “Did you?”
“What has gone on between Brooke and me is none of your damn business.”
I may be playing with fire by antagonising him, but he doesn’t scare me. Any man who raises a hand to a woman is a coward, and I bet he wouldn’t feel so tough if he wasn’t holding a gun.
Something changes in his expression and my gut tells me this is it, but I stand tall. I’m prepared to take a bullet for my girl. At the very least, it may give Mike an opportunity to overpower Jake and get Brooke safely out of here.
His arm lowers slightly, moving the gun away from my face and further down my body. “A bullet to the head is too good for you, Cavanagh. I’m going to enjoy watching you suffer.”
I hold my breath waiting for him to fire, but before he does, I see movement out of the corner of my eye as my uncle rushes into the room. He lunges at Jake, just as the gun goes off. Mike doesn’t flinch, but I instinctively stumble backwards. The sound from the shot in this confined space is ear-piercing.
All the air leaves my body, as John falls to the ground with a thud. My eyes are fixed on Jake, and I notice all the colour drain from his face as he stares down at my uncle who’s now bleeding profusely from the abdomen. I side-eye Mike, and he too is focused on Jake. Maybe together we can overpower him. He can’t shoot us both at once.
My attention returns to Jake when he raises his weapon once more. His gaze has shifted back to me as he stares blankly into my eyes. I see a lone tear roll down his cheek … the gun is pointed at his own head when he pulls the trigger.
The moment he hits the floor, Mike rushes forward, retrieving the gun that’s still clutched in his hand. It’s unnecessary because logic tells me Jake’s not getting back up.
Chapter 33
Logan
My ears are still ringing as I fall to my knees beside Brooke. Untying her wrists and ankles, I scoop her into my arms and stand. Her body is limp as I gently lay her on the bed. Tears cloud my eyes as I stare down at her.
“Brooke,” I say. “Brooke, it’s me, Logan. Can you hear me, sweetheart?”
Mike is on the phone with triple zero as he tends to my uncle. Shrugging out of my suit jacket, I scrunch it into a ball and hold it against the gaping wound on the side of her head.
When there’s no response from Brooke, I reach down to the vial on the floor and read the label on the front. I see the word ketamine—not something I’m familiar with—but I’ll give it to the paramedics when they arrive, which will hopefully be soon. Seeing her like this brings back so many horrific memories of the first night we met.
“You’re safe now,” I whisper, running my free hand down the side of her face. “How’s John?” I ask Mike, glancing over my shoulder.
My uncle’s grey polo shirt is soaked with blood, and I feel awful for how I’ve treated him tonight. He put his life on the line to save not just me, but possibly all of us.
“Not great.”
I can’t bring myself to look at Jake, I’m pretty sure the things I witnessed tonight are going to haunt me for a long time to come. I hate him for everything he’s put Brooke through, but I can’t help but feel bad for how things ended for him.
An eternity seems to pass before help arrives. I give the paramedics a brief rundown on Brooke, and Mike does the same with the ones treating my uncle. We’re then ushered out of the room by a police officer, who immediately starts asking questions.
I’m grateful that Mike takes over, doing all the talking, as he fills him in on what went down here tonight. I didn’t want to leave Brooke’s side, but I understood I’d be in the way if I stayed. A part of me is grateful she’s unconscious and doesn’t have to witness the carnage that lies around her.
As soon as the police finish asking questions, I find myself pacing back and forth in the hallway. “You okay?” Mike asks, placing his hand on my shoulder. I shrug in reply. I’m too consumed with worry to even know how I’m feeling. “They’re in safe hands now.”
“I guess,” I say. “I know things didn’t work out how we planned but thank you for everything you did tonight. I doubt we would’ve been able to get to her as quickly as we did if it wasn’t for you.”
He blows out a long breath, and I know he’s disappointed in himself.
They wheel my uncle out first. “Hang in there,” I say, as they pass, but he no longer appears to be conscious. I clutch the sides of my head, my elbows spread wide, as they disappear down the hallway.
The paramedic pauses at the doorway to speak with one of the officers. “Can you radio ahead to the Royal Prince Alfred and let them know to be on standby. Tell them the patient has a critical gunshot wound to his abdomen?”
“I’ll go with John,” Mike says, lightly slapping my back. “I’ll keep you updated.”
“Please.”
Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I search for my mother’s number. I’m not even sure if my uncle would want to see my aunt, but she’s his wife; she has a right to know.
“Logan, is everything okay?” my mum asks the moment she answers. The late hour is probably what alerted her.
“No. John’s been shot and …” I feel myself getting choked up.
“What? Shot? How?”
“Long story. I’ll fill you in later. He’s on his way to the Royal Prince Alfred. Will you let Kathleen know?”
“Oh, my goodness. John’s been shot,” my mother says, and I know she’s relaying the news to my father. “I’m putting you on speaker.”
My father’s voice comes over the phone. “How bad is he?”
“He’s in a bad way. I’m not sure if he’s going to make it.”
“What in the hell happened?”
“Look, I can’t talk right now, Dad. The paramedics are getting ready to take Brooke to the hospital and I need to be with her.”
“Brooke’s been shot too?” my mother shrieks.
“No, but she’s unconscious. She has a nasty cut on the side of her head.”
“Oh, dear god.” I hear my mum start to cry, and I can’t deal with this shit right now.
“Mum, I’ve got to go.”
“Are you injured, Son?”
“No, I’m fine. I’ll see you at the hospital.”
I end the call before she gets a chance to interrogate me further. I’m already regretting calling her, but if my uncle doesn’t make it, they’d never forgive me for not telling them.
A soft moan falls from Brooke’s lips on the drive to the hospital. Although I’m beyond relieved, seeing her in this state is almost unbearable. “Logan,” she murmurs, and I can’t tell you how pleased I am to hear her say my name. Unbuckling my seatbelt, I lean forward, reaching for her hand.
“I’m here, baby,” I say, bringing her hand to my mouth and placing a soft kiss on her knuckles. A smile tugs on my lips when her eyelids flutter open and her big brown eyes meet mine.
“Jake,” she says, her eyes wide with fright.
God only knows what she had to endure at the hands of that man.
“You’re safe now. Everything is going to be okay.”
I don’t know how she’s going to take the news of his death when I eventually break it to her. Despite all she’s been through, I know the sweet and compassionate person she is, so I doubt she’ll take it well.
“I think I’m going to throw up,” she says, and the paramedic looking after her reaches for a white disposable vomit bag and places it near her mouth.
“Roll onto your side,” he says, helping her. “I don’t want you choking on your own vomit.”
“Is she okay?” I ask, panicked.
The paramedic flicks his head, gesturing for me to sit back in the seat so he can examine her further. “It’s normal,” he replies. “My guess is, she has a nasty concussion from her head wound.”
Leaning back into my chair, my hand scrubs over my face, as the worry I was feeling moments earlier, returns.
By the time we arrive at the hospital, Brooke’s fully conscious and answering all the questions she’s asked. I reach for her hand after she’s wheeled from the ambulance and through the glass doors into the emergency department.
“I’m going to have to ask you to wait out there,” the paramedic says, gesturing towards the waiting room. “Once the doctor has had a chance to examine her, you’ll be able to come back in.”
“Sure,” I reply. I don’t want to leave her, but I understand it’s for the best. I lean forward, brushing the hair from Brooke’s forehead. I try not to focus on the dried blood caked down one side of her face, or the dark bruise forming on her opposite cheek because it’s messing with my head. “I’ll be right outside.”
“Okay,” she says. As unwell as she looks, she still manages to give me a small smile.
Bending down, I brush my lips against hers. “I love you,” I whisper, and as I pull back, I see her smile grow.
I stand there frozen to the spot as they wheel her further down the corridor. It’s like déjà vu, only this time she’s not just a beautiful woman I met at a party, she’s my world.
Shoving my hands into my pockets, I head into the waiting room.
“Logan,” my mum calls out as soon as she spots me. Leaping from her chair, she rushes towards me and engulfs me in her arms. “Thank goodness you’re okay.”
She draws back, looking up at me. “How’s Brooke? Have you heard any news on John? We asked, but they haven’t told us anything.”
“Nothing yet.”
She clutches my face in her hands. “Oh, sweetheart.” My expression probably says it all. “What happened?” Her eyes move downwards, taking in my appearance. “Is that blood on your shirt?”
Following her line of sight, I see splatters of blood all over me. I’m not sure whose blood it is, but it’s enough to turn my stomach.
“Excuse me,” I say. “I need to use the bathroom.”
My movements are hurried as I rush down the corridor towards the men’s room. I just manage to make it into a stall before emptying the contents of my stomach.
As I splash water on my face at the basin, my eyes move up to the mirror before me. It’s not just blood on my white business shirt; I also see small chunks of flesh. Images of Jake lying in a crumpled heap on the floor flash through my mind. Bile rises to my throat as I use paper towels to rid myself of any remnants of him.
When I finally make my way back to the waiting room, I see Mike leaning up against the far wall. The sullen look on his face speaks volumes. Like him, I’m also burdened with guilt. I know time wasn’t on our side tonight, but I wish we’d thought things through a little better before going off half-cocked.
I head straight towards him. “Any news on John?”
“They’ve rushed him into surgery. I’ve just had a conversation with the investigating officers. We’ll need to make a full statement at some point soon.”
“Okay. I presumed that.”
“Listen,” he says, bowing his head. “I’m sorry for the way things turned out.”
“Don’t beat yourself up.” I place my hand on his shoulder because I’m not sure what else to do. “He’s going to pull through, and we got Brooke back safely. We couldn’t have asked for a better outcome than that.”
I’m unsure if I’m trying to convince him or myself, but my uncle has to survive—he just has to.
I’m jolted from my thoughts when I hear a raised voice in the background. “I demand you take me to see my husband this instance, do you hear me?”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I turn in that direction and witness the poor nurse behind the desk practically cowering back into her seat. My aunt has arrived, and I know all hell is about to be let loose. That woman is insufferable.
Chapter 34
Logan
It’s well after midnight, and I’m sitting in the waiting room with my mum, still with no news. The longer we wait, the more anxious I become.
I glance over at Mike who has fallen asleep on a chair in the corner. My father has taken my psychotic aunt for a walk to try and calm her down. She’s been on a rampage ever since she arrived, even going as far as screaming at me as I tried to explain what had happened tonight. Although I would’ve gotten great pleasure from telling her about her husband’s infidelities with Brooke’s mother, it wasn’t my place to say anything. I’d love to be a fly on the wall when the truth finally comes out, though.
“How are you coping, sweetheart?” my mother asks, placing her hand on my leg. I shrug instead of answering. I’m trying my best to keep it together. “Don’t listen to anything Kathleen says. That woman is a bitch! I only tolerate her because she’s your father’s sister.”
“I know. I can’t believe John’s put up with her for all these years.”
“John’s a sweet man, but you can’t choose your family, or so they say.” Her comment makes me chuckle. “Speaking of family, have you notified Brooke’s parents?”
“She has no family.”
“What do you mean she has no family?”
“Her mother has passed.”
“Oh, that poor girl. I didn’t know that. What about her father?”
I let out a long breath as I lean forward, burying my face in my hands. “There’s a part of the story I left out earlier.”
“What part?” she asks.
“That John is Brooke’s father. That’s how this mess started.”
“What?”
My eyes move to my mother, and I can see the shock on her face.
“Keep that between us for now. John hasn’t told Kathleen yet. Well, as far as I know, he hasn’t.”
“How is that even possible?”
“He had an affair with Brooke’s mother a long time ago when she was doing an internship with the company.”
“Our company?”
“Yes.”
“He never let on that he had a child. I know how much he wanted children; that’s why he spent so much time with you and your sister when you were young.”
“I don’t think he knew anything about Brooke until he saw her at Lara’s party.”
“You mean Brooke’s mother never told him about the baby.”
“Yeah, she did, but let’s just say John’s reaction to the news that day was less than honourable. He never saw her again after that, and I guess he wasn’t sure if she went through with the pregnancy.”
“Well, I never,” she says, placing her hand on her chest and sitting back in her seat. “How did Brooke take the news?”
“Not good. She took off,” I reply. “That’s how we ended up here. We knew her ex was after her, and I’ve been doing my best to keep her safe. That’s why she’s been staying with me.”
“And you didn’t try to stop her from leaving?”
“I wasn’t there.” I lean forward, resting my elbows on the knees of my spread legs as my gaze moves down to the laminate floor. “I would’ve stopped her if I’d been there.”
“She means a lot to you, doesn’t she, sweetheart?”
“She means the world to me, Mum. I love her.”
When I get no reaction, I glance over my shoulder and see tears welling in my mother’s eyes, but the huge smile on her face tells me that news makes her happy.
“You love her?”
“With everything I have.”
“Oh, Logan,” she says, affectionately rubbing my back. “Can I expect a wedding in the near future? I could help you pick out a ring? I’m going to get more grandbaby’s, right?”
“Mum—”
The awkward moment is broken when I hear the nurse call my name. An uneasiness settles in the pit of my stomach as I rise from the seat and head in her direction. I’m not sure if I can take any more bad news tonight.
“I’m Logan Cavanagh,” I say, coming to a stop in front of her.
“Your girlfriend is asking to see you.”
“How is she?”
“Doing well under the circumstances. You’re welcome to chat with her doctor when he’s free if you’d like more information.”
“That would be great, thank you.”
“Come, I’ll take you to her.”
“Is there any news on John?” my mother asks, coming to stand beside me.
“John?”
“Johnathan Sanders, they came in at the same time. He had a gunshot wound to his abdomen.”
“He’s in surgery I believe, but I can check and see if there’s an update.”
“I’d appreciate that,” my mum says before turning her attention to me. “Go see my future daughter-in-law. I’ll hang around until we get an update on John.”
I shake my head, already regretting my confession. I’m never going to hear the end of this. “Thanks, Mum.” Leaning forward, I place a kiss on her cheek.
“Send my love to Brooke.”
“I will.” I give her a hopeful smile before disappearing through the double doors.
