“What’s going on?” I heard Mac ask Henry outside the bathroom door.
“I don’t know. I think she might be sick.”
“She can’t be sick.” Mac sounded horrified. “I just got off the phone with Gary. They’re doing video footage of Jamieson live at the White Demon tonight.”
My stomach pitched terribly at that unfortunate piece of second hand news, and I pulled myself up from my wedged position in the bathtub to retch violently in the toilet again.
“What’s going on?” Cooper asked from the hallway.
I flushed the toilet and sank back down into the bathtub.
“Maybe she’s pregnant?” Mac sounded hopeful.
“Bugger off,” I moaned.
“Evie, are you okay?” Frog asked.
The doorknob rattled.
“Is it locked?” Jake whispered.
Was the entire world coming over to see me brought low?
* * *
Later that day I ended up at the doctors getting an anti-nausea injection. Halfway through our set at the White Demon found me fading fast, and with one song left to go, I was hanging onto the ledge of what felt like a fifty foot drop below. Unfortunately, the day wasn’t yet done with kicking me in the ass.
“One last song for tonight, beautiful people,” I said into the microphone and winked to Mac and Jared as they stood by the edges of the crowd and watched on with concern.
Suddenly a sharp, searing pain contracted my stomach, and as I doubled over in agony, a loud shot rang out, cutting through the hush of the crowd.
Everyone froze, then someone screamed. “He’s got a gun!”
“Fuck!” I heard Jake yell out, and before I even had time to blink, I found myself tackled to the floor under a huge, sweaty mound of muscled man. Any other time I might have appreciated the situation, but unfortunately it was Jake I found myself pinned under, not Jared. Not to mention the pressing concern of a gunman on the loose who had been, as I started to lift my head, apparently aiming in our direction.
“Stay down,” he ordered furiously. “Son of a fucking bitch shot out my goddamn bass drum.”
Somewhere to my right, I heard Coby yelling and risked a peek to see Henry, Frog, and Cooper being hustled off the stage.
The chaotic crowd rushed towards the exits at the right of the building, and I managed to see Jared pushing through them, heading for the front of the stage.
“Are you shot?” I thought I heard him say.
I blinked.
He managed to get closer, and I flinched at the fury on his face. “Are you shot?” he yelled at me.
I shook my head. “No.”
He started to reach for me when Travis let out a shout.
“Jared, to your right, three o’clock!”
All eyes swivelled to the direction of the street. A tall blond man pushed through the side exit and shoved a gun in the back of his pants.
“Fuck!” Jared yelled. “Go that way, Travis!” he indicated to the other side of the crowd with his arm. Reaching around his back, he pulled a handgun from the waist of his jeans, engaged the slide, and checked the safety.
“Jake,” he barked. “Get Evie to the back room. Now.”
“Wait,” Jake yelled as I started sliding off the front the stage. “Where’s Mac?”
“She was headed for the back room with Coby,” Jared said over his shoulder as he took off in a sprint towards the exit, all long muscled legs and furious intent. Pulling out his phone and dialling, I watched him close the distance like he was flying.
I evaded Jake’s grasp and ran after him to the street to watch the scene unfold before me.
Jared was sprinting hard and fast down the slope of the street, phone gripped to his ear as he shouted into it. The blonde gunman was losing ground, but not easily and my eyes caught Travis running equally hard down the opposite side of the street.
“Should we take a shot?” Travis yelled to Jared.
“No,” Jared yelled back, dodging two drunk pedestrians weaving about the street in obvious search for a cab.
I cringed, seeing a red hatchback fly out of a laneway which stopped the gunman in his tracks. Jared and Travis gained on him, and he flew around the back of the car and into the middle of the road. I almost died a little as he pulled out his gun and aimed it at Jared.
“Back the fuck off, man,” he yelled and Jared ducked behind the nearest car as the man wildly pinged off a shot.
It was like something out of The Bourne Identity, and I watched in disbelief as a drunken pedestrian stopped to snap a photo on his phone.
“Evie. Fuck.” Jake grabbed my arm and yanked hard. “Get inside.”
I shrugged off his arm as Travis stopped, lifted his gun, and aimed for the blond man’s leg, firing off a shot and missing as the man started to run down the side of the road.
“Holy shit!” Jake stopped yanking on my arm to watch the scene unfold. We had to squint just to make it out because they were now at the very end of the street.
The gunman was heading for the busy intersection. People on the corner started screaming and scattering as he ran through them, waving his gun and shouting for everyone to move. Travis cut through the intersection and four lanes of traffic, sliding off a small, compact car and hitting the ground hard.
Jared sprinted on as Travis scrambled to his feet to catch up. He was yelling something, but he was too far away to hear.
The blond gunman was obviously tiring. He started an awkward sprint across the road, trying to dodge a hooning taxi that was flashing its lights. Jake and I watched in stunned silence as the taxi screeched to a stop, and the gunman went sprawling across the hood in a flurry of arms and legs and off the other side.
Onlookers screamed and Jared flew across the road, tackling the man to the ground as he tried to get to his feet.
We could see the taxi man railing his fist out the window as Jared rolled the gunman over, cocked back his fist, and smashed it in the man’s face. The gun in his hand went flying, and Travis picked it up as he reached them, flicking on the safety and tucking it in the back of his pants.
Jared stood up, shoving the man to his feet and yanking his arms behind his back. He was frogmarched off the street into a side alley, Travis following close behind as pedestrians looked on with shocked bewilderment.
A dark blue sedan screeched to a halt at the front of the alley, police lights flashing from the front and rear windows. Mitch and Tate exited the vehicle and rapidly disappeared into the alley.
We waited, our eyes peeled to the alley entrance, and five minutes later a black Subaru squealed up to the side street and Casey subsequently got out of the car and disappeared into the alley.
Finally reaching breaking point, I turned and promptly lost the two crackers and glass of ginger ale I’d forced down before the show in the street.
* * *
Changed into a white tank top, cotton shorts, and hair still dripping wet from a shower, I paced the lounge room back and forth like an OCD sufferer in the throes of a meltdown. Water droplets flung from the dripping strands at each turn, showering those who couldn’t be bothered to move from my path.
I stopped suddenly when Coby hung up the phone. “Well?”
He stood up and tossed his phone on the dining table where the Rice Bubbles were playing cards. I felt like picking up the deck and flinging it in a wild hissy fit because Jared was out there and they were playing poker.
“They have the shooter in holding,” he reassured me.
“Thank fuck,” Henry muttered from his prone position on the floor.
Sprawled out like a starfish on the couch, Mac lifted her head. “And?”
“Everyone is fine.”
Mac seemed to sag in relief and closed her eyes, but unlike her, I knew there was more.
I folded my arms. “And?”
“It wasn’t Jimmy.” He began checking the locks on the windows and the front door, and I heard him say something about a perimeter check under his breath.
r />
“What?” I asked loudly.
“Nothing. Everyone should get to bed. Evie, honey, I’m gonna stay here the night, okay? Just throw some blankets and pillows on the floor of your bedroom.”
I pointed my chicken flavoured rice cracker at him. “It wasn’t just some random crazy assclown, was it? It does have something to do with Jimmy, and he had someone aiming for me.”
Henry stopped his lunatic channel flicking, the Rice Bubbles put down their cards, and Mac opened her eyes until we were all eyeing Coby silently.
Coby put his hands on his hips, looking annoyed. “Okay, yes. Jimmy wasn’t the shooter, but he was the one who arranged it.”
I flopped my backside on the couch at Coby’s confession, landing on one of Mac’s legs. “Bloody hell.”
“Christ!” Henry yelled, tossing the remote at the wall. “The bastard is still in the picture, and he’s shooting at her now? This shit is getting so much worse. That asshole needs to be found.”
Coby nodded. “You don’t need to tell us that. Jared, Travis, and Casey are out there right now along with the police, and we’ll have everyone working around the clock until Jimmy is picked up. Everyone please just go to bed, okay? We’ll know more in the morning.”
I was sitting a set of sheets and blankets on the bedside table when Coby came in and sat on the edge of the bed wearing a pair of Henry’s sleep pants.
“How are you feeling?”
While I didn’t feel like I would be eating properly any time soon, the nausea which I’d sworn felt like it would hang around until the end of time was gone.
“Better. Thanks, Coby.”
“Maybe we need to send you away until Jimmy is off the streets.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
I shook out the fitted sheet and tucked it over the air mattress Jake had set up on the floor while Coby was in the shower.
“No, I’m not kidding.”
He picked up a sheet and started helping me.
“Coby we have a shot at reaching everything we’ve ever dreamed of, and if you think I’m going to bugger off to some warm tropical island and drink piña fucking colada’s all day, then you’ve got a screw loose.”
“I don’t know, I think it sounds kinda nice right about now.”
“Coby!”
He grabbed my arm from where it was busily stuffing a pillow into a pillowcase. “Stop. Just fucking stop.” He shoved me over until I was sitting on the bed, and then stood back to rake a hand through his hair. “If you think I’m going to sit by and leave you as a target, then you’re the one with loose screws. Dammit, honey, I almost lost you twice. I can’t take that shit again. I’m scared okay? Fucking scared and I’m not the only who feels that way.” He blew out a shaky breath. “I won’t lose you.”
“Coby, I understand your reasons, I really do, but I’m not going to give up everything I’ve ever worked for because of some assclown lunatic. I’m sorry, I just can’t and I won’t.”
I finished tucking the pillowcase on and chucked the pillow onto the makeshift bed.
“Do you have some grand plan to go out in a blaze of glory? Because this isn’t the movies, Evie, and you don’t come back from a bullet in the head.”
Tears threatened to strangle me, and I choked them back but when I spoke my voice trembled. “You’re my brother, Coby, and I love you so much, but you put yourself in danger for your job every day and not once have I ever told you to give that up. Please don’t ask me to give up my dream.”
He pulled me to my feet and wrapped me in hug so warm and so comforting, the tears I’d been swallowing down reached my eyes. I squeezed back as hard as I could, but I felt one spill over.
“Okay,” he agreed, “but I know you. Just please promise me you’ll be safe. No reckless moves, no silly risks.” He pulled back and held his hands tight on my shoulders as he looked at me intently. “If this is what you really want, I’ll beef up security. No going anywhere without either, Jared, Casey, Travis, Mitch, or me attached to you like fucking velcro. Velcro, okay?”
I nodded. “Okay.”
He sat down on the air mattress and climbed under the sheet. “Now turn off the light and get into bed.”
I did both, all the while hearing him grumble under his breath about not knowing how I managed to talk him into this shit.
Coby’s phone buzzed, and after a pause, he called out softly from the floor. “Evie?”
“Yeah?” I mumbled from under the white fluffy covers that were smothering me in a soothing, comfortable way.
“I’ll be gone by the time you wake up in the morning, but Jared will be here, okay?”
“Okay, thanks, Coby. I appreciate you all taking such good care of me.”
It was silent for a few moments.
“Coby?”
“Yeah?”
“Be safe.”
“Always.”
Chapter Sixteen
I woke the next morning feeling like an old, wrung out dishrag. My head was fuzzy, and my stomach, having finished eradicating whatever bug invaded my system, churned with anxiety. It let out a feeble grumble for food, but the events of last night rushed my head, leaving me shaky and not in any rush to move, let alone get up and make breakfast.
Peeking over the edge of my bed, I found Coby gone. I felt equal parts relief, because I wasn’t up for a rehash of last nights chat, and worry, because a shooting had now entered the equation. Seeing it all from this perspective made it that much harder knowing that Coby and Jared were out there dealing with this type of thing every day.
Voices could be heard from downstairs, but oddly enough, I hadn’t been disturbed. The bedroom door suddenly opened, and Jared’s head poked through. Seeing me awake, he came in and shut the door behind him, the door clicking shut. He still looked tired, and I couldn't remember a time where he hadn’t looked tired since the whole Jimmy thing began.
He started slowly peeling off his t-shirt and jeans as he stalked towards the bed, and I sat up on my elbows to watch the unwrapping.
“Feeling better?”
I nodded silently because now that Jared was here it was as though the sun had broken through the gloomy clouds hovering above. My tummy, sensing the rapid transformation, began to grumble in earnest, so I promised it good tidings if it would just shut up and let me enjoy the moment.
Clad now in nothing but a pair of black boxer-briefs, he knelt on the end of the bed and playfully tracked his way up on all fours until he was hovering above me.
His eyes locked on mine, turning hard and sombre, and I wondered what was swirling behind their green depths. Not leaving me hanging, he gently brushed the hair off my face with one hand. “I would never forgive myself if something happened to you.”
“I’m okay.” He didn’t look reassured, so I leaned up and kissed his lips softly. “Really.” I placed a hand on his shoulder and let it trail down his bicep, revelling in the feel of his hard body. “You didn’t message me last night. I was worried.”
He took in my reproachful frown with a pleased expression. “You were worried about me?” A cheeky grin lit his eyes and getting off the bed, he rummaged in his jeans, pulled out his phone, and pressed a few buttons as he stood by the bed.
“What are you doing?”
He shrugged innocently as my phone buzzed.
I gave him what I liked to think was an intimidating glare and picked it up.
J: Baby, I am ok and wishing I was in bed with you right now.
My eyes whipped up to his, the glare rapidly shifting to desire, and I smiled slowly as I began pressing buttons.
E: Thanks for letting me know. I wish you were too, but alas you aren’t, so I will have to begin without you.
The playful smile died upon his lips as he read my message. He lifted his eyes to mine, and I sucked in a breath as their heat damned near singed my skin off. He threw his phone over his shoulder and pounced.
I giggled as his mouth swooped down on mine, smothering my laughter as he
kissed me thoroughly. He pulled back, slightly breathless, and did a quick check of the time.
“We’ve only got ten minutes.”
“Seriously?”
I sighed as his lips travelled down my neck and his hand skimmed around my hip, trailing down until his fingers slid inside my knickers. “I don’t have anything scheduled. We have all day.”
He shifted and pulled my shorts off impatiently. “You’ve got shit to do today.”
“I do?”
He nodded and kissed me quickly, pulling back to remove his own underwear.
As his lips found mine, I ran my hands up and down the smooth skin of his back, bringing them around to push at his chest until I’d managed to roll him over and straddle his lap.
“Fine,” I growled, peeling off my top as he grabbed my hips, fingers digging in when bare skin was revealed. “But I’m in charge.”
He grinned wickedly, pulled me down, and rolled me back over. “Sometimes, I let you think you’re in charge, but there’s no time for pretending this morning, baby.”
I should have pushed him off the bed, but in one fell swoop, he hooked his arm under the knee of my right leg, lifting it over his hip, and I sucked in a breath as he slid inside. After our allotted time was up, Jared collapsed his weight on top of me and rolled us back over. “Now you can be in charge.”
I wanted to laugh at his antics, but as I put my hands on his chest and looked in his eyes, I felt my heart pound fearfully knowing that I was slowly falling in love with him. The fear must have left me looking pale because Jared gave me a quizzical look.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
I let my breath out in a slow whoosh. “Yeah.”
He moved one of his hands from my hip to rub gently across my belly, his eyes tracking the movement before they met mine. “Baby, you’re not pregnant, are you?”
I held my breath at his soft words and the care he took in touching me. I shook my head and when he swallowed and looked away I could have sworn it was disappointment I saw on his face. “Just a tummy bug, so no cause for alarm.”
In light of last night’s chat with Coby, I changed the subject by taking a pre-emptive strike about being told to pack my bags for safer ground.