Page 234 of Midnight Curfew

“Family business,” my father replies.

I flit my eyes left and right, searching for any sign of Dallas. He’d try to help, but with Grady here, I don’t think I want him to try. Grady could see him as a threat.

After a moment, the cop squares his shoulders as he takes in the scene. “There are legal channels you can go through,” he says, deducing what’s happening. “I need you to put the firearm down.”

“Go back to your business.” My father’s tone is out of patience. “Everything’s fine here.”

“I’m going to ask you one last time.” Grady gently widens his stance and puts out his hand. “Give me the kids or the weapon.”

“And I’m going to ask you to head into the security office and erase the footage from tonight.”

I glance up at the security cameras in the hallway. One pointed in each direction and one dead center. The school put them up years ago in areas where most kids congregate—hallways, cafeteria, gymnasium, and athletic fields—to combat bullying.

“Mr. Ames?” Grady prompts once again.

Then…I see the cop start for his weapon, and I twist my head, noticing my father with his pointed up.

Fuck. He has no interest in killing us or Grady, but he’s letting him know he’s not standing down.

There’s a lot of things Grady will let the people in this town get away with and make favors to let their kids off the hook, but not when someone’s children are in danger.

And all at once, everyone whips into action as if in slow motion. I grab Anna-Katherine, pulling her toward the wall as Dallas steps out of his classroom, reaching my father in two strides. He shoves his hand up, the gun spilling from Garrett’s hand, and they struggle, Dallas gripping his neck as he punches him with his other hand.

Grady approaches, trying to kick the weapon out of the way, but just as Dallas plants his knee in my father’s stomach, Garrett slams his palm into Dallas’s gut.

Dallas sucks in a breath, the moment’s hesitation enough for my father to throw him into the wall.

The wind knocked out of him, Dallas struggles to catch his breath, but my father reaches for his weapon, Grady dives in, and my father knocks his head into the cement railing around the second floor.

Grady falls to the floor, knocked out, and my father reaches for his weapon.

I vault up. He’s going to shoot Dallas. “No!” I shout.

Before I can reach him, Anna-Katherine runs and shoves him with her whole body, and I watch, frozen, as he tumbles over the railing.

“Ah!” he cries, the gun spilling to the floor.

He flails, and then…

He’s gone.

Oh, my God.

We hear the thud as he lands, and I rush to the railing, next to my sister, and gaze down. My father lies in the grass, missing the large rock by inches. His legs are bent to the side, and his eyes are closed. He doesn’t move.

I can’t see any blood yet. It’s fifteen—maybe twenty—feet. He might be alive.

Turning, I run for Dallas, dropping to my knees at his side.

“Are you okay?” I scan his body, feeling his arms before I take in his face. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m okay,” he pants. “What happened?”

Dipping in, I kiss him, holding him close and just savoring his scent. That cheap bodywash he uses, but it’s fucking growing on me.

Dallas looks over. “Is he…?”

I follow his gaze, seeing Grady on the ground. Blood trickles from his temple, but his chest rises and falls.