Oranges & Roses

You Shot Me Down

Unedited.

Chapter Forty-Nine

There was a loud ringing in my ears as I came to. I was hoping I’d only blacked out for a second but I could hear gunshots…

I looked around and I was still sitting in the driver’s seat of the SUV. I was laying across the steering wheel and now I was wondering why the bag hadn’t gone off. My chest hurt as well as my head. I felt a trickling down the bridge of my nose that clearly told me I was bleeding from somewhere.

Very carefully, I felt for the door handle and when I found it, I opened it. I knew I would be unsteady on my feet but I managed to maneuver myself out of the car. Dizziness, nausea, pain, it all smacked me as my feet touched the pavement. I slumped against the side of the vehicle, stars and various black spots dancing before my eyes. The need to vomit was trying to claw its way out of me.

Right before my knees collapsed, someone caught me around my waist and a gunshot went off right next to my ear. That erased the ringing and I clapped a hand over the offended ear. Rey held me against his chest as he moved us back to where he was keeping cover with my brother. He let off one more shot before moving us both down to where my brother was crouching in front of the van.

I was instantly handed off to Vince who was automatically hugging me tightly.

“Elina…”

And it hurt. “Ow! Vince…”

He let me go only to look me over. “Are you ok? That was…”

“I have a boo-boo.” I touched my hand to my forehead and held out my blood soaked fingers. “See?”

“Yeah. You are definitely hurt. Rey!”

My very pretty… “What are we again?” I asked him when he squatted down next to my brother to look me over.

“Haven’t really established that yet, Oranges, and now isn’t the time to discuss it.” His eyes darted over my face to the graze on my arm and then to my chest.

I made a sound, snapped my fingers, and pointed at him. “Eyes up here, buddy.” Then I started to giggle which I never do.

“We need to get her to a doctor,” Vincent said. “How many are left?”

“Three. Rob and two of his guys. They’re secured behind the only SUV left operational and we both know they’re not leaving until she’s dead.”

“Oh! Just…give me a gun and I’ll take care of it.”

“You couldn’t shoot straight right now if you tried,” my brother quipped and pulled my hand down since I was still pointing at Rey. “Just stay down while we finish him.”

“Rob is like a cockroach, Vinny. He’ll survive anything even if you shoot him in the head and then in the balls. That man will get up…”

“Do you have a gun?” my brother asked.

“Yes.” His eyes widened for a second. “No, wait, it’s in the SUV.”

“Lovely.” He looked at Rey. “What now?”

“Call Houston,” I muttered. “He can ride in on his high horse like always and save the day.”

“I called him and he said he was on his way.”

“Then we wait it out.”

“It’s going to take him about fifteen minutes.”

I gapped at Rey. “Really? Are you sure you’re FBI?”