Page 141 of Beautiful Revenge

I give Allen a shove, and he lands with his back to the wall. I scramble to my feet and go to Harlow.

Rage erupts within me when I see a gunshot wound and think about how much worse it could have been. She doesn’t move when I go to her and never drops the gun.

I’m about to put my hand to the weapon when three men burst through the door. It’s Dean and two of his deputies.

“For fuck’s sake.” Dean looks around before barking orders. “Take the gun and handcuff those two.”

I ignore him and slowly take Harlow’s hand in mine to pry her fingers from the weapon. “Baby, let go.”

Her eyes slowly shift to me. “I thought he was going to kill you.”

I slide my hand down her good arm. “I’m okay. Let go of the gun.”

She finally loosens her grip, and I pry her fingers away. I hand the firearm to Dean and pull Harlow into my arms. “She was hit. I need an ambulance.”

Harlow looks down at her arm in shock. “I was hit? I didn’t even know.”

I examine her arm. “It looks like a graze. You’re in shock. You might not feel it until later.”

I turn her good side to me and hold her tight against my chest. “It’s done, baby. It’s finally done.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

CUTER THAN A FROG

Harlow

When I open my eyes, there’s no question where I am or what I’ve been through.

I’m enveloped in a warm, strong body and have a dull ache in my shoulder.

Three little stitches is all it took. A bullet hit my body, and all I needed was a stitch-stitch-stitch. And here I thought I was lucky the last time I was shot at.

First a miss, then a graze. I cannot afford to come into contact with a bullet again. The odds aren’t looking good.

After a dramatic scene at Grandma’s house where Janie and Allen were taken into custody, I had to explain to my contractor that we’d have to reschedule when he showed up in the middle of it all. He didn’t look like he was horrified. He looked like he wanted to call his wife and tell her everything he just walked in on. I guess that’s how small towns work.

Then my adrenaline plummeted. I fell into Devon’s arms in a puddle of tears.

I had my moment, even though it didn’t last long, because Devon was right. It’s over.

Finally over.

Every person involved in the plot against my father, me,and keeping Jett Cross’s identity a secret is in custody. So are Victor Turner and Hugh Bancroft.

I had no idea what revenge would look like. The moment I realized what Albert had planned for me was the beginning of the end. My only goal was to stay one step ahead and do everything I could to make sure my father had the best care he could have. I knew something wasn’t right, but I had no idea how bad it was.

I never dreamed Dad would be on the road to recovery like he is, but I really never dreamed I’d end up with a brother and someone like Devon Donnelly at my back.

Literally, glued to my bare back.

Lips hit the skin where my neck and shoulder meet just inches away from my bandage-covered stitches. Instead of good morning, he kicks into caretaker all over again. “It’s time for your pain meds. Then I’ll order breakfast. You need to eat.”

I shift to my back so I can look up at him. He props his head up on one hand and slides the other across my abs and strokes the underside of my breast with his thumb. “Please don’t order breakfast. The need to be normal today is overwhelming. If I’m hungry, I’ll go down to the café. You’ve been babysitting me since we met. You should go to work and do whatever you need to do.”

Devon narrows his eyes, but he doesn’t stop stroking my breast. “Are you dumping me?”

“Hardly. I’m counting my lucky stars you haven’t kicked me out by now. At this point, I’m like a needy tree frog with those little suction feet—but not the poisonous kind. Like the cute ones with the long red fingers. I dare you to try and get rid of me.”