Page 84 of Justified Fear

She had to make sure to get out of there alive because, in this instant, she was starting to realize how unhinged Ray was.If she could get out to the common room, she could find Ryan, and then she would be safe.It hit her then that in the short time she had known Ryan, he had started to become the most important person in the world to her.Such a short time…but it was about the way he made her feel.Safe, loved…happy.Keely wanted to survive this so she could tell him.

She stepped forward as Ray reached for her.Maya wasn’t happy about the situation and lunged at Ray.Keely bumped the dog out of the way, but the gun went off.Keely felt something hot hit her shoulder, just as the door burst open.She fell to the ground, hitting her head on the table.

“Nooo!”Ray was screaming.“Keely is coming with me.She said so.We are going to go off together and be happy.”

The sound of flesh hitting flesh filled the room.“She is not fucking going with you anywhere.”

Keely tried to focus and pull herself up.Maya was licking her face.

“Ryan, he’s out,” someone said.A guy…she thought.Her head was spinning, her shoulder was on freaking fire, so she wasn’t thinking straight.“Take care of your woman.”

In the next second, she blinked, and Ryan was pushing Maya out of the way.“I’ve got her.Someone, get Elle up here!”

“I’m fine.”

“You were shot.”

“I was?I also hit my head again.”

“I’m here,” Elle said from somewhere.“You need to move, Ryan.”

He hesitated.

“You saved me.I’m fine.Also,” she said, licking her lips, as she tried to hold back the nausea, “I think I might love you.”

Then everything faded to black.

Seventeen

They were once again at the hospital, Tripler to be exact.Queens had a major call out for a multiple car accident, so they had rushed Keely to the army hospital.

Ryan was pacing the hallway outside of the operating room.He’d called Lulu Singh, and she said she would take care of the family.Still, it had been hours of waiting.Maya sat patiently watching his every move.He now knew that Keely had put herself at risk to make sure Maya didn’t get shot.

I think I might love you.

He didn’t get to tell her that he already knew he loved her.When they loaded her up in the ambulance, he’d insisted on going too.She hadn’t regained consciousness by the time they rolled her back into surgery.That had his fear spiraling, but her vitals had been strong.

He should have never left her alone.This was his fault, from beginning to end.How did he not see that Ray was a threat?

“You’re making my head hurt, Morrison,” Del said.

Ryan slanted a look at his commander.

“I get it.”

He had spent a little time with the top guy at TFH.Ryan had a lot of respect for him, but he did not want to deal with Del right now.He wanted to see Keely.Once he saw her, he would be fine.

“Listen, you need to control your freak out.She’s going to be fine, and everything will turn out okay.”

Another ding and the elevator revealed more TFH members.When one of them was hurt, they all showed up.Add in the multitude of Dillon Security, and it was getting damned crowded.

“I want to know how he got a gun in there.”

“A cop.We found the guy knocked out in one of the lobby offices.”

“Jesus.”

“You know he’s probably going to get off for insanity because he is still talking about marrying Keely.”