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My second thought is a note.
So what? It’s not like I haven’t gotten a bunch of those already.
“Come on, Hannah. Not like it can get any worse.”
So, carefully, I pull the tape off, opening the box expecting to find a whole lot of nothing, only . . . there’s a card, nestled in a velvet wrapping.
Horror washes through me as I read the sprawling cursive, noted elegantly on a bold embroidered card.
DON’T FORGET TO SMILE.
My stomach drops to my toes, but it’s when I flip the card over and see the photograph nestled there, that I let out a scream.
And that’s when the first shot goes off.
Tap tap tap.
Bullets ricochet around the room and there are shouts, but I can’t tell where they’re coming from. Seconds later, Mason bursts through the door and jumps at me, his body landing over mine against the wall. He clutches me to his chest, shrinking around me while the sounds of warfare ring out all around us.
The front window shatters and I hear a bullet sing as it barrels past us and into the wall, directly above our heads.
The shop window is blown to pieces next and little shards of glass rain down on us as Mason’s grip around me only tightens.
And then . . .
Everything stops, as quickly as it had started.
“Fuck,” Mason grits, his hands roaming my body. “Are you okay?”
“I’m . . . okay,” I breathe, my voice locked in my throat as my entire body shakes.
Someone just shot up the shop.
Someone tried to kill us.
“Please tell me everyone’s alive.”
It’s Ian, his voice choked and panicked.
Footsteps scramble behind us and then a quietshitsounds out from one of the men as they reach us.
“You’re hit,” Puke curses, but not to me.
I follow his line of gaze to the dark red blood pouring from Mason’s arm.
And then I really start to panic.
“Mason?”
I’m up on shaky knees before I can take another breath. I reach for him, but he stops me, a hand on my cheek and his eyes stern.
“I’m fine, little doe.” His voice is rough when it reaches my ears. “It’s just a scratch.”
His blood seeps through the wound, coating my fingers and I barely register the sounds of police sirens as my eyes lock with his hurricane gaze.
Someone tried to kill him.
Because of me.
