Page 10 of Striker’s Foul (Shiver of Chaos #3)

I called a designer to come in and get the rooms partially set up. I want Amelia to handle the final designs. I want this place to feel like home for both of them. I don’t think I’m moving too fast because I’m sure where we stand and where I want us to go.

After clearing the air with her last night, I know our future was taken from us, and I want to get back what I lost because of Harold. Plus, I can always tell her I don’t want another child born without me.

It's been hours since I left her. I keep checking the time, wondering if it’s too soon to see them again. I want to know everything they’ve done over the last fifteen years. I want to help my son plan his future and be there when he makes it big, because he will.

I walk out of the house and head toward my bike when the sound of tires crunching on gravel catches my attention. Several neighbors have stopped by. The surgeon who saved Ridley’s husband, Leif, when he was shot lives across the street.

I look up and see an older SUV with blacked-out windows coming down the long driveway. I don’t recognize it, so I shift my body, making myself a smaller target, just in case.

The passenger window slides down, and a gun appears. I can’t see the shooter yet, but as the car turns to avoid coming further down the driveway toward the circle, I catch a glimpse of a man with scruffy hair and a leather vest.

Before I can react, gunfire erupts. I dive away as bullets tear past me. I’m hit in the leg and roll on the ground. I hear bullets striking my bike and a few hitting the house. Fuckers.

I roll again and take cover behind a cluster of trees in the center.

The SUV struggles to back out, stuck in the narrow driveway.

My gun is in my hand, and I’m returning fire.

The passenger keeps shooting. When the gunfire pauses, I move out from my position.

The passenger is in plain sight. I recognize him.

Taking aim, I shoot him in the head and watch it explode.

The driver screams, covered in brain matter.

I start running toward the vehicle, ignoring the pain from the gunshot wound to my leg.

The driver lifts a gun and points it at me.

I fire, not sure of my shot. Then I’m hit in the side.

I fall to the ground and crawl toward some trees for protection as the car finally gets turned around and speeds off.

I raise my gun and shoot at the back of the vehicle, shattering the window and peppering the rear with bullet holes.

As I hear footsteps approaching, I look up and take aim. It’s one of the neighbors. I don’t recognize him at first, but when he holds up his hands and starts talking, I lower my gun.

“I’m a doctor. Doctor Bleacher. You’re bleeding. Let me help you. I’ve called 911 already.” He drops beside me and starts tending to my wounds. I’m upset he called for an ambulance and police, but every shot I fired was in self-defense.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that the shooter I killed is the same man who attacked Amelia last night. How did he get out so soon? He should still be in jail.

I argue with the paramedics when they insist on putting me in the ambulance. But the doctor says I need to be seen. Once they load me up, I text Gambit and Julian to get eyes on my family and come meet me.

Now I’m sitting in the back of the ER, arguing with Dr. Roberts about whether I need stitches or not.

“Mr. Branch, your emergency contact and your wife are here.”

My head shoots up. “Wife.”

Gambit and Amelia step through the curtain and walk toward me. I raise an eyebrow and pinch my lips, silently asking Gambit what’s up. He just shakes his head. Amelia moves straight over to me, heading to the side Dr. Richards isn’t on.

“Are you okay? I was so worried,” she says.

I take her hand in mine and press a kiss to the back of it.

“Angel, I’m okay.”

She leans in close and whispers in my ear. “I told them I was your wife so they’d let me come back. Sorry.”

“Out,” I growl, and she starts to move. “Not you, angel.”

Dr. Richards stares me down.

“Out, I said.”

Gambit takes his arm and drags him out of the curtain.

I pull Amelia into my body, holding in the groan when she falls onto my chest and abdomen. “You will really be my wife soon enough, angel. Now kiss me,” I order, watching as she licks her lips and her pupils dilate.

When our lips touch, that explosion of feeling hits me again. My chest burns, not from almost being shot. My heart, which I swore was empty until she came back into my life, thumps hard against my chest.

She gasps and pulls away, her face flushed.

“Oh God,” she says and leans back into me.

This time, she opens so I can explore her mouth. I’m popping wood right here, and I’m in a hospital gown.

“Fuck, angel, we gotta stop,” I growl. “I’m about to roll you under me and take you right here.”

She looks down my body and giggles.

“None of that in here,” Dr. Roberts says from the other side of the curtain.

That’s all it takes to deflate my hard-on, knowing others could hear my sweet angel’s moans or see her.

“Okay, I’m ready,” I grumble as I take Amelia’s hand and hold her close to me.

When Gambit steps through the curtains, I look over at him.

“Where is my son?”

“Commander sent Rio to get him. He’s at Ridley’s place for now.”

“Any other news?” I don’t mention the shooter, but Gambit knows what I mean.

His eyes flick to Dr. Roberts. “I’ll give you a sitrep when you’re done here.”

“I want Commander and several of our guys to protect my family. I know this has something to do with them as much as me.”

Amelia looks down at me. “You think this has to do with us?”

“Angel, you were attacked last night, and the guy got bonded out today. That only happens when someone knows people high up. And it was the same guy who shot at me.”

“Oh my God. So do we think this has something to do with Harold?”

“We’ll discuss it later.” I pull her hand up and kiss the back of it again, then wait for Dr. Roberts to finish his exam.

He orders a nurse to bring a suture kit and stitches up the through-and-through on my thigh. No permanent damage was done. For my side, he uses bandages and a few sutures to close it up.

By the time we walk out of the ER, I’m on edge from the pain and the unknown.

We get into Gambit’s truck, and Commander follows us to Ridley’s place.

Everyone pulls into her garage, and I keep my arm around Amelia as we move to the elevator.

None of us say anything. All of us are in our own heads.

I know what we’re all thinking about, except for Amelia.