Claim - Page 94

“Angel?”

She cupped my cheek. “I’m all right, Beau. He broke my fall.”

“Shit,” Dante muttered.

My brothers stood nearby, as always, having my back.

Still holding her tight, I turned to look.

Carr lay on the ground, moving weakly. He was covered in shards of glass and bleeding heavily. One large shard was lodged in his neck. He coughed and I saw blood on his lips.

Bell watched him impassively.

That’s when I heard the sirens. A moment later, blue and red lights lit up the cabin as several police cars pulled up.

Simon jogged over and saw Carr. “Hell.” He turned. “We need the paramedics.” Then the detective looked at me and the woman in my arms. “Is Bell okay?”

“I’m okay,” she replied.

“She went through the window with Carr. He took the brunt of it.” I held her tighter. It could have been a very different outcome.

“I wasn’t going to let him stab you,” she said.

“I would have dealt with him.”

Her gaze narrowed. “You can protect me, but I can’t protect you? No way. I wasn’t going to let that man hurt you.”

“Bell…” I just hugged her tighter and she buried her face in my neck.

“I need to take everyone’s statements,” Simon said.

I nodded, then moved over to the front steps. I sat down with Bell on my lap.

“You have glass in your cheek.”

“I don’t feel it.” She smiled. “He’s done. He can’t hurt anyone ever again.”

“Yeah, angel. He’s done. Because of you. Because you told me about the note he’d left you. Because we made a plan.”

I hadn’t loved the plan. It had required her to face Carr alone for a few minutes while my brothers and I had gotten into position, and that was a few minutes too long for me.

“We won.” She pulled me close and kissed me. “Thank you, Beauden Fury. For helping me, protecting me, and teaching me to stand on my own.”

“You were already doing that, you just needed someone at your back.”

“I’m glad it’s you.”

I held her close as the cops and paramedics bustled around. I wished I could have her back always.

But I already knew that the clock was ticking to the moment when she’d leave. She was finally free to live her life as she chose.

36

BELL

Ihummed as I washed the shampoo out of my hair. It was late and we were back at Beau’s place.

All I’d wanted was to wash Chandler William Carr off me, and out of my life.