Hidden Barriers (42 page)

“Bitch, you will open your fuckin’ eyes and watch what I’m about to do to your lover boy over here!” Stone seethes and spits inches away from my face. He abruptly pushes me back against the bed as my legs try to spear him away, but that only provokes him further. “Because after I’m done with him, you and your little whore friend over there are next.”

Stone steps back to Josh, whose eyes remain focused on me. The physical and emotional pain shows across his face. Josh’s left arm wraps around his stomach, grimacing just before Stone walks behind him, pulling him to his feet.

The heartbreaking groan that erupts from Josh’s throat tells me he doesn’t have the strength to fight back. My vision blurs with tears as I watch Stone place the knife at Josh’s throat. I shake my head, trying to force the image out of my mind. “No! Please, don’t!” I plead through my tears. My stomach settles in my throat as Josh’s eyes fill with tears, and I can no longer form words.

“Sam, I love you. Always remember that, no matter what,” Josh says barely above a whisper. “You were the best part of my life.”

“Well, isn’t that fuckin’ sweet? Say goodnight, babe. Your man is going to sleep for good now.” Stone brings the knife closer against Josh’s throat, and I see the trickle of blood dripping down his neck.

Then, everything happens in a blur. One minute I’m watching Stone slice Josh’s throat, and the next, my door slams open, and Josh is on the floor just as bullets start flying across the room.

The minute the shooting subsides, my eyes stop on the figure lying motionless in front of me on the floor, and I can’t move fast enough to see if he’s dead or alive. I need to know, but the number of police storming into my room holds me back, and I mournfully cry as I see Nick standing in front of me. He’s talking, and I see his lips moving, but I can’t comprehend a single word he’s saying because the other officers and medics are working on everyone else in the room.

“Josh!” I cry out, hoping he can hear me.

Once Nick finishes untying the ropes around my wrists, I bolt from the bed, rushing to Josh’s side.

Please, just let him be all right. I can’t lose him, not now. We haven’t even started our future together. He’s my future. My everything. My life. Without him, my heart and soul die with him. My fire will have burned out for good.

The minute I notice the red laser pointer out of the corner of my eye, I drop to the ground. That red dot means the gun is targeting someone, and it definitely isn’t meant for me.

Once I hit the floor, I know a rib or something is cracked or broken. Either that or I have a punctured lung since my breathing becomes difficult as I continue lying face down on the floor. Voices and bodies surround me as the police storm the room, but I glance at just one person.

Stone.

My eyes slowly focus on the body that lies not even five feet from me. A single gunshot wound to the temple tells me whoever fired that shot, saved my life by taking his. His eyes still haunt, not blinking as blood filters from the bullet wound down the side of his face. The kitchen knife remains clutched in his hand. Then, I hear her painful cry behind me as the medical team enters the secure room and stops at my side to examine me.

“Josh!” Sam cries as Nick’s voice tries to calm her down. I’d roll over or say anything right now to let her know I’m alive, but until someone helps roll me over or tells me I can physically move, I’m staying where I am. I’d shout to her that I’m alive, but my chest hurts too much right now for me to even try it.

The minute I see her kneeling above my head and her red puffy eyes staring back at me, I know she’s all right. The police and medical team are asking questions about what hurts and if I can move certain places, but all I care about is Sam alive and well in front of me. Minutes pass before one of the two EMTs finally rolls me onto a hard board and the other straps me to the stretcher, but I’m still able to see Sam above me. Her eyes trail away to Stone’s lifeless body a short distance away from her before it all begins to process in her mind.

“Josh,” she whimpers as her fingers lightly run over my forehead and down my cheek.

“Shhh…it’s over now.” My raspy voice scratches through just barely above a whisper. Clearing my throat first, I try to speak louder even though the extra effort causes more pain in my chest. “You don’t have to worry about him anymore. Don’t worry about me. Are you okay?” I wince as I smile through the pain that shoots through my side. Sam closes her eyes as she nods that she’s unharmed.

Nick appears behind Sam as I notice another EMT working on Lucy. “Never say I’m a lousy shot again, but shit, if I’m not glad we got here when we did. A second later and it would have been lights out for you, dude,” Nick insinuates as he pats my shoulder.

I attempt to shimmy myself on the board, but I’m strapped in too tight. “Thanks, man, I owe you my life for that,” I say just as Sam starts sobbing again and gently grabs my hand at my side. “How’s Lucy?” I ask, wondering if her condition is worse off than I imagined before entering the room. Nick turns his head from where they continue to load her onto a stretcher.

“It appears she has a pretty bad concussion and a decent size gash on her neck, but she should be okay physically,” Nick confirms before excusing himself to go talk to another officer, probably to give his statement.

Seeing Stone’s body covered by a white sheet on the floor does nothing but bring me joy. He deserved exactly what he got after everything he did to Sam years ago and then again these past few months. Another officer walks over to Sam, asking her to step outside so she can be checked for injuries as well as be questioned about the events that occurred tonight. After she tells the officer she won’t be seeking medical attention and will give her statement once her father, her lawyer, is present, she returns to my side.

Sam continues to sob as she covers her mouth with her trembling hand. Her other hand cups the side of my face. While the medical team prepares Lucy for transport, I have a few
minutes alone with Sam. “Tell me he didn’t do anything else to hurt you. Please, tell me you’re all right,” I beg, knowing if he touched her or hurt her more than I can visibly see, I’ll blame myself for leaving her in the house to head back to my parents.

Shit. My parents.

Sam shakes her head, still not saying a word, which concerns me more than anything. Knowing Stone didn’t do any deeper damage to her, I now have to worry about getting in touch with our families. The EMTs return to my aid and begin raising my stretcher to wheel me out of the house. After a few more simple questions regarding my medical history, I call out for Nick until he appears over me. I attempt to turn my head to talk to him, but the EMT is busy placing the secure brace around my neck to prevent any further injuries.

“What’s up, Josh?” Nick asks.

“Can you take my cell phone from my car out front and get in touch with my parents, and then make sure Sam’s parents are aware of everything that happened? Her father will want to know, since he is her lawyer,” I explain, grimacing as the neck brace digs and pushes into my throat. They really ought to call this thing a torture device instead of a brace. Nothing about this setup is helping relieve any pain from my injuries. I try to search out Sam in the room, but this damn brace is only allowing me to stare at the ceiling. “Sam?” I call out, since I know she hasn’t gone far.

“Yeah, I’m here.” She sniffles as she scoots over beside my head.

“It’s not exactly the way I planned on spending our engagement night, but I swear I’ll make this night a distant memory and create a new memory ten times better,” I declare to her as her lips move slowly until they press against my forehead. When she pulls back her lips, her fingers tenderly brush over my mouth as my tongue slips out, licking one of them.

“Josh, I don’t need any new memories or a party to forget tonight. We have a lifetime ahead of us to wash away all of this. Let’s just get you and Lucy to the hospital, and then we can worry about everything else.” A soft, yet forced smile forms on her lips. I can sense her struggling to come to terms with the night’s outcome, let alone the past few months. Hell, the past few years have been causing her pain. I know she’ll need family and friends to help her get over everything that took place here tonight. It won’t be easy for any of us, but at least the future is a brighter place.

“I guess I owe you a candy buffet now, huh?” I ask as the EMTs start rolling me out of the room with Sam following close behind us.

“A candy buffet? Why would you owe me that?” Sam’s voice sounds more like her usual self as we leave the bedroom and head down the stairs, all while I’m staring at the ceiling until they load me into the ambulance. After the EMT asks her if she wants to ride along, she hops in without hesitation, shuffling her way down the bench to sit next to me. “So, why again do you owe me a candy buffet?” she asks again. I can barely hear her over the roar of the ambulance’s engine and sirens.

“Well, the night I asked you out on a date, things didn’t turn out so well with a simple bag of candy. I asked you to marry me, and all this happened with a simple s’more. I guess I have to go big to make sure everything goes right in a night,” I suggest as she begins to laugh. My own laughter follows hers until the pains in my side and ribs overwhelm me. Grimacing through the shooting pain, I hear the EMT tell me we’ll be at the emergency room within a matter of minutes.

Sam’s left hand reaches out to grab mine. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you laugh. We’re almost there.” Her thumb continuously strokes over my knuckles, but all I can feel is the cool metal on her ring finger.

“Hey,” I say, grabbing her attention. “If I could hold you right now and tell you how much I love you, I would. Look at how strong you’ve become. You survived and fought like a trooper tonight, no pun intended.” I chuckle again, wincing in pain as we come to a stop. “I’m so proud of you.”

Her hand squeezes mine a little tighter as a smile curls on her lips. “Yeah, well, some guy I know seems to have taught me that I have to fight for those I love instead of running from them,” Sam says as the doors to the ambulance are pulled open, and I’m slid out of the vehicle. I watch as the night sky above me turns into a white foam ceiling and then a swarm of voices surrounds me.

I can hear my mom calling out my name along with a commotion a few feet away. Sam runs to catch up to my side and surprises me when she doesn’t immediately rush to her brother. My mom steps into view and pulls Sam into a soft embrace before turning her attention to me. Tears pool in her eyes as she wipes at her nose with a tissue.

Sam’s parents appear at her side as I’m about to be admitted for my injuries. Just as the EMTs and nurses are about to wheel me through the doors to be examined, Sam yells from down the hall in a panting voice before standing next to me, “Wait! I need to go with him!” The doctors explain they are only taking me into X-ray, and then I will be placed in a room where she can see me.

“Sam, it’s okay. I’ll be fine. You need to talk to the police and your dad anyway. Nick or someone should be by to take your statement. Just explain everything as it happened to them, and there won’t be any issues,” I tell her through my scratchy voice. Between the neck brace and lack of fluids, my throat feels as though it’s being scrubbed with sandpaper.

She leans down until her lips barely skim my ear. “I love you, Josh. You better hurry up back there because we’ve got a wedding to plan and a lifetime to live, and it’s no good if you aren’t here with me to do it.”

“Sam, the minute I’m out of this hospital, I’ll be showing you exactly what a lifetime
with me will be like,” I whisper so only she can hear.

“Sounds like a deal,” she says before placing her soft, warm lips on mine.

A throat being cleared sounds behind her, interrupting our moment before I’m moving through the long, narrow hospital halls and thinking of the moment Sam walked into my life. The irony of the night. Once I knew I had to finally move on from my past, Sam came rolling right in and never stopped for a second to realize just how much she has impacted every second since.