Unleash Me, Vol. 2 (Unleash Me, Annihilate Me Series) (32 page)

Read Unleash Me, Vol. 2 (Unleash Me, Annihilate Me Series) Online

Authors: Christina Ross

BOOK: Unleash Me, Vol. 2 (Unleash Me, Annihilate Me Series)

3.18Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

“
I feel it in my core.
”

He
held out his hand to me and I took it in mine.

“
May I put the ring on your finger?
”
he asked.

“
Do you really need to ask a willing girl such a question?
”

He smiled at me, and then opened the small black velvet box
he was holding in his right hand.

Inside, was something I never could have imagined
—
an
emerald-cut diamond that must have been at least five carats.

Probably more.

It must have cost him a fortune.

I just stared at it for a moment, and
then I looked at him.

“
Tank,
”
I said.

“
It
’
s
beautiful, but
—”

“
But nothing,
”
he said.

“
You
only get married once
—
at least where I come from.

So, let
’
s enjoy it.
”

He removed the ring from the box and
held it out to me.

“
What
do you say?
”

“
It
’
s too much.
”

“
It
’
s never too much,
”
Blackwell said.

“
Have you learned nothing from
me?

God!

And it
’
s gorgeous.

Take it.

For God
’
s sake, just put it on
your damned finger and seal the deal.

We all love him.

We all love
you two together.

He
’
s
obviously the one.
”

“
Am I?
”
I asked him.

“
More than you know.
”

I held out my left hand to him.

He put the ring on my ring finger, and
then stood to kiss me as those around us erupted into cheers and applause.

When our lips parted, he said,
“
So,
I guess we
’
re getting married now.
”

“
So, I guess we are,
”
I said.

I
lowered my voice so only he could hear it.

“
How about if tonight we celebrate properly at your place?
”

“
Consider it done.
”

*

*

*

When we left the Frick and stepped out into the chilly
night air, my heart still pounded from the shock of what had just happened.

I
’
m engaged
, I
thought.

Before long, I
’
ll
be married
…
.

It seemed unreal to me.

My hand was in Tank
’
s,
and I could feel the beat of his heart against my palm.

Could he feel mine?

Could he sense my excitement and my love
for him?

When he gave my hand a
squeeze, I felt that he could.

I
hoped that he could.

Ahead of us were two limousines
—
Alex
must have called ahead for a car for Tank and me so we could go home alone
together.

The other was for
Jennifer, Blackwell, and him.

I glanced around and took in Manhattan at night.

Light reflected off glass.

To my right, traffic roared down
Fifth.

On the sidewalk, pedestrians
either strolled or walked past us at a swift clip.

It was just after eleven, but in New
York, it might as well have been seven.

This was a busy residential area.

Some people were going home while others were off to work the late
shift.

I saw Cutter standing beside
our car
’
s rear door, which he held open for us.

Max stood between the two cars and
observed the area around us.

We were saying our farewells to everyone when a gunshot rang out, and,
behind me, there was a loud crack as the bullet struck the Frick
’
s facade.

The next few moments passed in a blur.

People on the sidewalk screamed.

One of the screams came from Jennifer, whose distinctive voice called
out my name in panic and worry.

Cutter shouted,
“
Get
down!
”

But it was too late
—
the
shooter was across the street.

I could
just make him out in the shadows.

His arm was raised and pointed directly at me.

Tank must also have seen him, because he
immediately stepped in front of me to protect me just as the gun went off
again.

Only this time something went terribly wrong.

Something connected with Tank
’
s
chest.

I heard a rush of air escape
his lips and I knew, even before he collapsed to the ground and struck his head
on the sidewalk, that he
’
d
just taken a bullet for me
…
.

Before I could bend to help him, another gunshot was fired.

More people screamed, and as if in slow
motion, I watched the shooter crumple to his knees as Max ran across the street
and shot him again.

Traffic snarled to a stop on Seventieth.

Brakes screeched.

Chaos had found its place here, and it
had rooted itself so deeply into the asphalt that its dark bloom opened wide to
cast its rotten spray of terror.

Instinct kicked in.

I bent
down to help Tank, who wasn
’
t
moving.

“
No,
”
I said as I gripped one of his shoulders and tried to turn him
over.

“
No, no, no, no, no.
”

But he was
too heavy
—
I
couldn
’
t move him
alone.

“
Please!
”
I shouted.

“
Somebody help me!

Please!
”

Frantically, I looked around me just as Jennifer
’
s limousine cut away from the curb and bolted down
Seventieth.

She and Blackwell were
gone, but Alex had stayed behind.

He ran over to me at the same moment that Cutter reached us.

“
He
’
s been shot,
”
I said to them.

“
He
’
s bleeding

Look at the blood
—
it
’
s
pooling around him.

There
’
s so much of it.

He
’
s going to die if we don
’
t do something now!
”

Cutter put the side of his ear to Tank
’
s back and listened.

“
He
’
s alive, but his heart
rate is failing.

Open the limousine
’
s rear door as wide as you
can,
”
Cutter said to
me.

“
I don
’
t want to leave him.
”

“
Do it!
”

In a blind haze, I stood, went to the door, and opened it fully.

Alex and Cutter were strong, but time
was running out.

When they rolled
Tank onto his back and I saw that the front of his shirt was soaked in blood,
and that his face was spattered with it, I covered my mouth with my hand.

His eyes were closed.

His skin was pale and it looked clammy
to me.

Where had he been shot?

Obviously, in the chest.

But near his heart?

Was I going to lose him?

That was something I couldn
’
t fathom.

I am not going to lose him!

With an effort, Cutter and Alex lifted him up, and Tank
’
s head fell back as if
disjointed from the rest of his body.

He was unconscious.

They
hurried him into the back of the car at the very moment that I heard the faint
sound of police sirens coming our way.

Alex got in the back with me.

He removed his jacket and used it to apply pressure to the wound, which
was just above Tank
’
s
right pectoral muscle.

Just over
his heart.

I heard Cutter shout
across the street to Max who stood by the fallen shooter,
“
Is he dead?
”

“
He
’
s dead.
”

“
Stay with him
until the police arrive.

We
’
ll be at Lenox Hill.

Call me with any details.
”

Lenox Hill was about seven blocks away, which gave me hope.

I reached for Tank
’
s hand and told him to
hang on.

I begged him not to leave
me.

I pleaded for him to stay with
me.

“
Keep talking
to him,
”
Alex
said.

“
Make sure that he hears your voice.

It
’
s critical that he hears you now, Lisa.

In fact, he must hear you.

Talk to him.

Come on.

For God
’
s sake, talk to him.
”

I did.

I told him how much I
loved him.

I told him how much he
meant to me.

I said that I wanted
to be his wife and bear his children.

I was crying while I said all of it, but not to the point that Tank
—
if he could even
hear me
—
would
misunderstand any of it.

Cutter got into the car and started the engine.

And with Tank
’
s life literally on the line, I pressed my hand against
his bloody face and kept talking to him as we sped away into the night.

#

#

#