Jeremy gritted his teeth, growling as the bullets whizzed over his head, somehow miraculously avoiding them. One second, he’d been in heaven in Chelsea’s arms, and the next, the threat of danger became all too real. He’d let his guard down, forgotten for a split second that he was supposed to be keeping her safe, and look what had happened. She’d almost been killed.
The second the bullets stopped, he was on his feet. They might just be pausing to reload, but he didn’t give a damn. With Chelsea in danger, he wouldn’t stand here waiting to find out and not fight back. “Stay down. Got it?”
She nodded, eyes wide, opening her mouth. She had small cuts on her cheeks and arms from the glass but otherwise looked fine. He didn’t wait for her to speak. Instead, he took off out the front, taking the gun that she’d stowed in the table by the door. He didn’t bother to look back when she gasped. There wasn’t time. He had to catch those assholes who dared to shoot at his girl, damaging what she was trying to fix. Hell, he had to save her life, so she could be his girl, and so this place could become an inn again.
He bolted onto the porch, leaping off and raising the gun at eye level.
A dented black Cadillac screeched around the corner, out of shooting range. His finger tightened on the trigger. He ached to put a few holes in those sons of bitches, but he didn’t have the shot. “Shit.” Lowering the gun, he pulled his phone out, sent off a quick text, and headed back inside the inn.
Chelsea stood shakily, pressing a hand to her stomach. Her face was pale and she looked seconds from falling over, so he shoved the gun back in the drawer and rushed to her side, running his hands over her in case he’d somehow missed an injury besides her superficial wounds. “What’s wrong?”
Shaking her head, she pressed her lips into a thin line and gripped his bicep, holding on to it tightly. She choked on a laugh. “Everything’s wrong. Someone just shot up my home and tried to kill us.”
“Yeah. They did. But they failed.” Jeremy took a deep breath and pulled her into his arms, curling his hand behind her head and cradling it protectively. She was so brave and so strong that sometimes he forgot she wasn’t in this line of work. Or at least she wasn’t supposed to be. “I’ve got you, Chels. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“That’s sweet.” She buried her face in his chest, breathing deeply, and for the first time since she came back, she leaned on him. “But it’s a foolish thing to say. You have no idea what’s going on.”
He held her close, preparing for the worst. “So tell me.”
“There’s nothing to tell.” She pushed off his chest, but her hands lingered. “The decisions I made, the messes I created, they’re mine. I don’t need anyone trying to fix them for me. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stop trying. You’ve seen what happens when people try to help me. From here on out, I go it alone.”
He caught her hand, refusing to let her go. “Tell me what you’re planning to do.”
“What makes you think I’m planning anything at all?” Chelsea crossed her arms defensively.
It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her the truth, but he didn’t say a damn word. Sirens sounded outside. “I—”
“Shit.” She pushed her hair out of her face, going even paler than before. “Someone called the cops?”
“There was a bunch of gunfire. Of course someone called the cops. Do you have a reason to hide this from them?” he asked slowly, locking eyes with her. “Is there something you want to tell me before they get here?”
“I…” She opened her mouth, closed it, and then shook her head. Disappointment hit him in the chest like a lingering bullet. “Nope. Nothing.”
“Okay.” Clenching his jaw, he headed for the door. “Stay in here. I’ll take care of this and send them on their way.” As he walked out the door, he shut it behind him, heading for the closest car. The red-and-blue lights blinded him as Larry stepped out of the driver’s seat. “What happened here, Jeremy?”
He sighed, pulling his wallet out of his pocket. Larry’s gaze dipped down, then shot back up immediately. “I’ll tell you everything you need to know, but then you need to get the hell out of here.”