Page 186 of Burning Daylight

Lance grips Tyler’s hand and disarms him like it’s as easy for him as breathing, and he tosses the gun to the side so he can restrain him by the arms.

But Tyler’s not fighting them; he’s staring next to me with wide eyes like he can’t believe what he’s just done. His mouth opens and closes. “I didn’t, I don’t?—”

Merrick stumbles and falls, his hand gripping his side and blood pouring through his fingers.

“Jesus.” I jump forward, my hands replacing his, trying to stanch the bleeding. I drop to my knees as he falls to the ground.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

From my periphery, I see Frederick walk forward, bend over, and pick up the discarded weapon. He stares at it in his hands and then says something to Tyler, making Lance’s eyes grow wide. But I don’t know what. All I can hear is the panic whooshing in my ears, and all I can feel is Merrick’s blood soaking my fingers.

Benjamin is shell-shocked. He looks down, sees Merrick, and a calm fury replaces everything else on his face. Lance is talking to Tyler and trying to calm him down, and Rosalie is sobbing.

But all I can pay attention to is Merrick.

“Fuck,” he mutters, and then coughs.

“Merrick.” I don’t know what to do, how to stop the wound, or who to call. I want to reach for my phone to dial 911, but I don’t want to move my hands in case it makes him bleed out faster, or—I don’t know, but I need to do something.

“You’re okay, you’re okay,shit,” I manage.

“Just a scratch, sweetheart,” he forces out, silent tears tracking down his cheeks.

“Tyler, you absolute idiot.” Benjamin’s voice rings out sharp and sure, and my gaze snaps up to everyone, seeing Frederick step into the middle of the courtyard and face Tyler, the gun flat in his palms.

Lance is now comforting Rosalie, Tyler standing frozen still.

“Ro-Roman.”

I snap my gaze back down to Merrick.

“No—nothing good can come from you being here. The people…the people you think you can trust are not what they seem. So, if you love…” He pauses again, gritting his teeth. “Love her. Chooseher. These families are cursed.” He cries out in clear pain, and then his eyes focus on everyone else, and he tries to sit up. Somehow, he makes his voice strong. “Do you hear me? Aplagueon both your houses!”

He drops back to the ground, gasping, and then his body goes limp, and he slips from my grasp.

“Somebodydosomething!” I yell out. “Get over whatever bullshit this is and call for help.”

Benjamin unfreezes from where he’s staring at Merrick, his face ghostly white, and then he nods and spins around, running back inside the building.

If I wasn’t so focused on Merrick, maybe I could stop what happens next, but I don’t.

“Freddy, listen, you gotta understand.” Tyler’s voice is panicked.

“You hadonejob, Tyler. One thing I ask of you, and I’d let Benjamin give her back.”

What the fuck?

Frederick looks down at the gun and then back up to him. “But you’re always causing problems.”

Lance stiffens, and he bursts into movement, but it’s too late.

Frederick moves the gun. Aims it.

And shoots Tyler right in the chest.

The world freezes again.

And then Rosalie lets out a guttural scream.