Page 61
“It seems our truce was short lived. However, I’m so glad I entertain you,” Rafe growled as he rubbed the juice off his face, sending her into a whole new fit of laughter.
She wasn’t sure if she would’ve continued laughing until the hospital staff took mercy on her and knocked her out, but a splintering sound echoing through the halls quieted her up pretty fast.
Several loud explosions filled the air, followed by voices screaming. Rafe was on his feet in seconds, then pulling Ari along with him.
“What was that?”
“Someone has a gun!” a woman shouted as she ran into the room, then went flying forward as red began spreading across her shoulder.
Just as Rafe was lifting Ari into his arms, a large man carrying a semi-automatic weapon stepped through the cafeteria doors. Ari’s frightened eyes met his, before he turned the gun in her direction. He pulled the trigger as Rafe swore and tried to shield her body, but it was too late.
Ari felt like she was punched in the chest, thinking maybe Rafe had dropped her. She looked down at herself and was fascinated as she saw red begin to spread out across her t-shirt.
“That’s too bad. This was my favorite shirt,” she gargled before the world went black.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Fury engulfed Rafe as Ari’s blood spread, soaking her soft cotton tee. Gently setting Ari down, he flew through the cafeteria. He felt a punch in his arm, but nothing was going to stop him from killing the man who’d dared to shoot Ari.
The guy pulled the trigger as Rafe rushed toward him, but he was either out of bullets or his weapon was jammed. Either way, he had about two seconds before Rafe took him down.
The man’s eyes widened as Rafe flew into the air and came barreling down. He tried pulling out another weapon from his belt, but he didn’t have time as Rafe’s body connected with his.
The man gasped as Rafe’s fist found his jaw and dislocated it with one punch. The next hit sent blood spurting from the guy’s nose as a satisfying crunch echoed through the room of screaming people.
Rafe swung again, intent on killing the man. The worthless scum wasn’t worthy of living any longer, not after what he’d done – shooting people down in cold blood.
“Mr. Palazzo, we have him. Mr. Palazzo, you can stop. Stop now or you’ll kill him!”
“I intend to,” Rafe shouted as his fist flew downward again.
He was lifted from the guy as a couple of men grabbed him and hauled him backward. He turned, intent on beating the men who dared to interfere, then he felt a pinch in his arm and everything became instantly fuzzy.
“No…” he called out before he faded.
When Rafe came to, it took a moment for him to remember what had happened. He heard monitors start sounding off as his heart picked up speed.
“Ari,” he called.
“Mr. Palazzo, I’m Dr. Bruce. Everything is going to be alright. You were shot in your left shoulder, but we successfully removed the bullet and you’ll recover quickly. ”
“I don’t give a damn who you are. Where’s Ari?”
“The woman in the cafeteria was shot in the chest. It was dangerously close to her heart, and surgery was touch and go for a while, but she made it through. The next forty-eight hours are critical. She has a fifty percent chance of survival at this point. ”
Rafe sat up in the bed and started ripping out the lines attached to his arm. There was no way in hell he was lying in this cold hospital bed while Ari was somewhere else fighting for her life.
“Mr. Palazzo, I highly recommend you stop now. There’s still a chance of infection setting in if you don’t stay here to be monitored. ”
“I don’t give a damn about infection. Take me to Arianna Harlow this instant or I’ll make sure you never work another day as a doctor in this town or anywhere else,” Rafe shouted.
The doctor looked at him for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders as if to say ‘it was Rafe’s funeral’.
“Fine. Follow me. ”
Rafe rose from the bed and had to pause for a moment as the room started spinning. The doctor didn’t dare advise him on his weak condition, and just stood in the doorway waiting for Rafe to orient himself.
When the world stopped spinning, he took one slow step in front of the other. He wasn’t happy at all with the hospital gown they’d placed him in.
“Once you get me to her, have a nurse fetch my clothes,” he commanded. The doctor simply nodded.
They walked down the hallway and reached the elevators. Once inside, the doctor pushed the button for the fifth floor, and the rising car made Rafe nauseous. He fought it down, but felt relief when the car stopped moving and he was able to step out on an unmoving floor again.