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If that were true, there wouldn’t be blood all over the ground. But even losing that amount wouldn’t stop him from killing other people.
“I’m insulted. I don’t miss.”
“Well, you did this time.”
I snorted loudly. “I doubt that. There’s no way I missed. I’m that good.”
“Sorry to inform you that you’re not that good.”
There was a second door in front of the alcove he was hiding in. When the handle turned, I immediately split my focus between the man behind the wall and whoever was about to come out of that door. To my surprise, a janitor poked his head out, carrying a mop in his hand. We exchanged glances and I sent him a warning look, telling him to wait.
“Then show me,” I taunted, watching as the janitor came forward, hiding on the opposite wall of the shooter. “I’ll even put down my gun.”
I slowly lowered it to the floor, but pulled my shirt out of the way at the small of my back, freeing the gun I kept there. He stuck his head out around the edge, just enough to see that I was telling the truth. I just needed to draw him out a little more.
“Come on. I put down my gun. Now show me.”
I held my hand high as I waited. Seconds passed until finally, he hobbled out around the corner.
“Aw, shit,” I muttered. “I only got your leg?”
“I told you,” he smirked, but as soon as he stepped forward, the janitor slammed his mop into the man’s legs, making him trip and fall. I snatched the gun from my back and only took a second to aim. He looked up at me, reaching for his gun just as I lodged a bullet in the center of his forehead.
40
LAURA
These damn kidswere making it impossible for me to see the one person I wanted desperately. But as a teacher, I had to make sure their safety came first. Once they were all outside with their parents, I turned and scanned the growing crowd for Dash. I started pushing people aside as the madness inside me grew. I wouldn’t be okay until I saw that he was uninjured.
“Dash!” I shouted, frantically searching for him.
I couldn’t find him, and the more time that passed, the more I panicked. I spun in a circle, certain I was losing my mind. I heard about what he did, how he lured the shooter out and then killed him. Despite knowing all this, my heart pounded in my chest, threatening to split me in two. How could he do that? How could he put himself in danger before I even got to kiss him?
I shoved two people out of my way, tears spilling down my cheeks as I frantically searched for him. I spun one last time, calling out his name. The crowd parted and there he was. Everything slowed around me as our eyes met. And then he turned to face me, just a small smile lifting his lips as he took one step in my direction.
I didn’t need any more encouragement. I took off, running in my heels across the campus toward him. I could barely see him throughthe tears filling my eyes. I leapt into his arms, smashing my lips against his as he lifted me in the air, spinning me around once before setting me back on my feet. But I didn’t pay attention to anything other than the way his lips moved across mine in a harsh, demanding way that promised he would never let me go.
His tongue slipped inside my mouth as he cupped my cheek and held me to him, promising to never let me go. Now that I finally had him, I could breathe again.
Faintly, I heard the sound of cheering in the distance, but it wasn’t until Dash broke the kiss that I realized they were cheering for us. Embarrassed, I crushed my head to Dash’s chest, hiding myself in his embrace. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my own students laughing and cheering for me. God, that was mortifying, but after the day I had, I found I didn’t care as much as I thought I would. I just didn’t like the added attention.
Dash’s fingers prodded at my chin, forcing me to look up into his eyes. “Are you okay?”
I nodded. “You?”
“Piece of cake,” he grinned.
“Yeah, we’re going to have a talk about the fact that you’re not actually a construction worker.”
He winced, running his hand up and down my arm. “Would it help if I told you that no one in town knows? I mean, aside from Duke. And the police force. And that woman who cuts hair in town.”
I pressed my hand to his mouth before he could list anyone else. “I don’t want to know everyone who was aware of your true profession before me.” But as I glanced around, I realized his secret wasn’t as safe as he hoped. “It looks like your secret might be out in the open.”
“Yeah, but that was always a risk. We just hoped to stay quiet for as long as possible.”
I ran my finger over the neckline of his shirt, then looked up into his eyes. “I have to say, I sort of liked the idea that you were in construction.”
“Yeah?” he grinned down at me.