Save Me (38 page)
“He’s waiting out by the car. When I came in through the back, I told him I’d bring you out.”
“Wow. Hopefully, he’s taking what I said to heart.”
Nick shrugged. “Possibly. You ripped him pretty hard the other night. The guy’s just trying to do his job.”
I sighed. “I know, and I hate how I took my anger out on him and not my dad. Scott’s a good guy. I just wish the whole country didn’t think I got my career because of my dad and his money.”
“They don’t. Did you not hear the thousands of fans cheering for you tonight? You have an amazing voice. Money can’t buy what comes naturally. Besides, you know why your father’s so protective.”
I leaned into his shoulder, as memories of my mother came flooding back. It had only been two years since we’d lost her to cancer. The first song I ever wrote was about my parents’ love for each other; it was what skyrocketed my career. It didn’t help I looked exactly like her. My father couldn’t look at me without the pain showing on his face.
“I know,” I whispered, blinking back the tears.
Once we were out the back door, there were more security guards who flanked us as we walked toward the car. Up ahead, Scott straightened his suit jacket and opened the car door. He was in his early forties, with a closely shaved head and an athletic build. In New York, he didn’t have to worry about the paparazzi taking his picture. Now, he was all over the tabloids as one of the sexiest bodyguards alive.
“You did well tonight, Hadley,” he said.
“Thanks, Scott. I really appreciate that. But what I want to know is, how are you going to chase down the bad guys in a suit?” I winked and it made him smile. The last thing I wanted was tension between us when he was obviously going to be working for me long term.
“You’d be surprised what all I can do. But hopefully, we won’t have to find out. Get in.”
I slid into the car and Nick scooted in next, putting his arm around me as soon as he settled into the seat. Once Scott got in the front, we headed out for the thirty minute drive back to my home in Santa Monica.
“I take it you’re not mad at me anymore?” I asked Scott.
He chuckled. “It’s hard to stay mad at you, kid. You just need to understand, I have a job to do.”
“I know,” I said with a nod. “I’m sorry for being a bitch.”
His gaze met mine in the mirror. “You’re forgiven.” All too soon we arrived at the house and he parked the car. “You two have a good night. If you need me, you know where I’ll be.”
I nodded. “See you in the morning.” Nick opened the car door and helped me out.
Scott got out of the car and headed to his apartment over my garage. “Be ready by seven, Hadley. We don’t want to miss our flight.”
I saluted him. “Yes, sir.”
Grinning, he shook his head and disappeared into the garage.
Nick slid his arm over my shoulders and squeezed. “Babe, you ready?”
“Yeah, let me get my keys.” We started for the door while I dug in my purse, my heart thundering out of control. Was I ready to hear what he had to say? “So . . . what did you want to talk about?” I asked, voice shaking.
Chuckling, he stopped mid-step. “Nervous much? Surely you must already know.” His expression turned serious, his fingers made their way to my cheek.
I
was
nervous, but not in the way he assumed. “Please don’t do this, Nick. It’ll only complicate things.”
“How? When I’m not at my games, I’m with you. Everyone thinks we’re together. Why can’t we make this real?” Body tense, he stared at me with those blazing green eyes of his. “Is it really just an act with you?”
My heart ached but my decision was firm. I knew he had feelings for me, and I’d made damn sure I didn’t fall for him. “It’s not all an act, but you’re my friend. Being with me will only tear us apart. The media has already tried, you know that. We don’t need feelings clouding our judgment.”
He scoffed. “Speak for yourself.” I watched his jaw muscles clench; it was something he did when he was angry.
“Hey,” I murmured, “I
do
need you. But the last thing I want is to jeopardize what we already have.” He lowered his gaze at my words. “Now let’s go inside and eat some Ben & Jerry’s. It’ll help clear our minds.”
“You got anything for an aching heart? You’re killing me here.”
I shook my head. “I’m sure you’ll be just fine. Now, come on. There are countless girls who’d kill to be yours. It will be easy to forget about me.”
Sliding the key in the door, he mumbled under his breath, “Not going to happen,” but I pretended not to hear. My heart already hurt enough for him. Inside, the house was pitch black. That was strange. I always kept lights on. Sliding my hand against the wall, I found the switch and flipped it. Nothing.
“Is the power out? I don’t remember seeing the rest of the neighborhood this dark.”
Nick followed me into the house. “No, the other houses have their lights on,” he said, pointing to the neighbor’s house through the window. “Let me get a flashlight.” Shuffling through the kitchen, he pulled out our junk drawer and grabbed the flashlight we kept in there. He turned it on and brought it over to me. “Maybe the breaker tripped. Wanna check it out with me?”
“Sure,” I laughed. “I’m sure Scott will be busting through our door any second.” We started for the laundry room, but then a sound above caught my attention. “What was that?” Frozen in place, I kept my gaze on Nick. My heart pounded so hard, I felt sick.
Nick glanced up at the ceiling, eyes blazing. The footsteps were light, but audible as an intruder moved around. “Get out of here, now,” he hissed low. His fingers dug into my arm and he pushed me out the door.
I kept hold of his arms. “I’m not leaving you.”
He jerked out of my grasp and clutched my face, his grip firm. “Stop being so fucking stubborn. Go get Scott and call the police, now!”
Turning his back on me, I got one last look at him before he disappeared into the darkness. I ran out of the house, hands shaking as I tried to dig for my phone. It felt like I was running through quicksand, similar to that feeling you get when running away from someone in your dreams. You can never move fast enough.
“Hadley!” Scott shouted, rushing out of the garage. I ran to him and he pulled me to the side, shielding me.
“Someone’s in the house. Nick’s still in there,” I cried, my hands shaking out of control.
“Go next door and call the police. Don’t step out until I come for you.” Once I nodded, he took off inside the house.
Determined, I ran as fast as I could to my neighbor’s house. By the time I reached their door, I’d found my phone and called for help.
“911. What’s your emergency?”
“I’m Hadley Rivers and someone’s in my house. Please send help.” I gave the operator my address and hung up just as my neighbor, Gabriella Emerson, opened the door. She was dressed in her workout clothes with her midnight colored hair pulled high into a ponytail.
Her smile disappeared the second she looked at me. “Oh my God, Hadley, what’s going on?” she demanded. She quickly dragged me inside, and her husband, Paxton, hurried over. They were both MMA fighters and had seen their fair share of violence over the years. If anyone could help, it’d be them.
“Someone broke into my house. They’re still in there,” I shouted.
Gabriella grabbed my hands and squeezed. “Calm down, honey.”
“I can’t! Nick and Scott might be in trouble.”
Paxton started for the door. “I’m going over there.”
“Pax, wait!” Gabriella called. He took off and she huffed. “Dammit, why doesn’t he ever listen?” She rushed out after him and so did I.
Scott had told me not to leave their house, but I couldn’t listen. Again, it felt like everything moved in slow motion. I couldn’t get to them fast enough. Before we could reach the edge of my yard, a gunshot fired from within my house and I screamed, ducking down to the ground. Paxton and Gabriella did the same and crouched low. Dread settled into the pit of my stomach as another shot fired, and another.
I had to make sure they were okay. Charging toward my house, I didn’t get very far until Gabriella tackled me to the ground.
“Dammit Hadley, you’re not going in there.”
“Nick! Scott!”
I shouted.
I tried to fight her off, but there was nothing I could do against an MMA fighter. Paxton glanced back at Gabriella, a silent plea on his face; Gabriella nodded. “Go.”
“Nick doesn’t have a gun. What if he’s hurt?” I cried. Gabriella loosened her grip, but kept a vigilant watch of the house. I wished I was strong like her. I’d be able to take care of myself instead of having others do it.
“Don’t worry, everything’s going to be fine,” she said, but even I could hear the uncertainty in her voice.
“Gabby!” Paxton yelled from inside the house. “I need help in here.”
She jerked me to my feet and we both took off for the house. When I got inside, the smell of blood was overwhelming. Everything came crashing down the second I saw Scott and Nick on the floor, covered in blood. But it was Scott who was unmoving, lifeless, his unseeing eyes staring up at the ceiling.
“Scott!
”
I cried. Paxton rushed over and took his pulse. The pained look on his face was answer enough. I stumbled over and fell to my knees beside him. “He has to be alive.” But he wasn’t; he was gone.
“Hadley,” Nick croaked. Gasping, I crawled over to him and placed a hand over his. Blood oozed out of the wound in his gut. He glanced over at Scott’s still form and closed his eyes. “He . . . saved me.”
“Where did the shooter go?” Paxton demanded.
Nick swallowed hard. “Back door.” His eyes rolled into the back of his head and his body shook.
“Nick! Hang on,
please
,” I cried. Putting my hands over his wound, I attempted to stem the blood flow.
Sirens blared down the street, but they were going to be too late.
Growling, Paxton dashed toward the back door. “I’m going after the fucker.”
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I watched Nick’s life slowly slip away. Gabriella rummaged through my house and came back with a towel. I took it from her and placed it over the wound.
“Nick, stay with us,” Gabriella commanded, as I applied pressure to the wound. It seemed to help, but what did I know.
He turned to me, his sea green eyes glassy and full of tears. His body stopped convulsing, and was replaced with a sense of calm. “I wanted . . . to protect you.”
“Did you see who it was?” Gabriella asked softly.
He closed his eyes, his grip on my arm loosening.
“Nick?
Nick.
Don’t you dare die on me,” I shouted.
The police and paramedics burst into the room and rushed over. Gabriella put her arm around me and everything moved in slow motion. I subconsciously noted how Nick and Scott’s blood had soaked through my jeans, but I didn’t care. All I could do was sit there, realization staring me in the face. Scott was dead and Nick laid in a pool of his own blood . . . because of me. It was all my fault.
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Roped In
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SAVE ME
© 2016 HEIDI MCLAUGHLIN
The right of Heidi McLaughlin to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her under the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000. This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced, copied, scanned, stored in a retrieval system, recorded or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without prior written permission of the publisher. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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