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She stretched herself and brushed the weapon with her fingers while fighting against her attacker. She surged forward and grabbed it. She’d only ever held a gun a couple of times in her life. Her father had wanted her to know how to protect herself when she moved out on her own.
She cried out as she was dragged from the car. She had to protect herself. If they took her, there was no telling what would happen to herself.
Take the safety off.
She remembered that and flipped it. Wrapped both hands firmly around the handle. Her body hit the ground once he’d hauled her completely from the car. She turned and aimed at his chest and pulled the trigger. Her arms jolted from the force of the weapon.
His body jerked, and he took a step back. His eyes were filled with shock. His mouth flopped open a few times before he crumpled to the ground. With the sound of the gunshot and the echo of sirens making their way to them, curses lined the air.
She stood and aimed the weapon at the frozen men who’d attacked Declan, who was out of her sight.
“Get away from him!” she shouted. Her heart raced, and her hands shook. She didn’t think she had it in her to shoot someone else and hit them. Her aim was faltering, but the men apparently didn’t want to take a chance with her.
“Let’s get out of here. Cops are coming!” one of the men snapped.
“Grab Diesel!”
They began to scramble, and she made her way around the car with the gun still aimed at the men. She caught sight of Declan lying on the ground, and her heart seemed to jump into her throat. The sounds of the sirens grew closer.
“Leave him! We have to go!” the leader spat.
“Declan!” she cried out, flying to his side.
He sat up, his eyes wide and frantic. His face was bruised, and blood trickled from a cut on his forehead and the corner of his mouth. He relaxed when his eyes connected with hers.
“Aspen.” He grimaced.
She knelt by him, her lip trembling from trying to hold back her tears. She couldn’t let loose now.
A mixture of unmarked cars and police blue-and-white cruisers flew up and parked near them, surrounding the area.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. Her heart pounded away at the sight of his injuries.
Shouting filled the air as law enforcement swarmed the parking lot.
“There’s nothing for you to be sorry for.” He pushed himself up to a standing position. He swayed on his feet, and she stood to help him. “I’ll take that.” He reached for his gun.
She gladly handed it over, unable to believe she’d shot someone. Just the thought that she may have taken a life nauseated her. She couldn’t bring herself to look to where the man had fallen. Declan wiped the gun with his top then pulled her near him while he reached in his back pocket.
Uniformed officers approached them, guns pointed at them. Aspen gasped, pressing closer to Declan. His grip tightened on her while he held up his badge.
“Sergeant Declan Owen. SWAT,” he announced.
Two officers stood near them, lowering their weapons.
Aspen took in the scene surrounding them. Police and investigators converged on the area. It was like a scene from a movie playing out in front of her. A few uniforms were over on the other side of the car where the man she shot lay. They called out for the EMTs to come to them.
“I’m Officer Cruz.” He was tall and of muscular build. His hair was kept clipped short. His eyes moved back and forth between Declan and Aspen.
She noted that he still kept his weapon in his hands but now it was trained on the ground.
“I’m Officer Reeves,” the shorter one said. He, too, kept his weapon in his hands.
Aspen, not feeling too keen on them, stayed by Declan’s side.
“We received reports of an attack on one white male and one black female here in the parking lot along with gunshots fired.”
“That would be correct,” Declan snapped. He looked around as if seeing the chaos for the first time. “We’re the victims. Now are you going to take our statements or are you going to stand there with your gun in your hands?”
