Luna Tick: A Sunshine Novel (12 page)

"STOP! Stop or I'll shoot!" I warned, but she didn't listen. "Michelle, stop!" I screamed again. She stopped long enough to turn and point her gun at me. She fired wildly, as did I. Her bullet grazed my shoulder. Mine hit her right in the chest. She fell to the ground, the gun falling from her hand. I ran to Dade, who was lying face down. "DADE! Wake up, bro," I yelled.

He turned over and looked at me. "She dead?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, bro, she's dead. You okay?" I sat back on my feet, relief washed over me.

"Yeah, she hit the vest. It was a hard hit, knocked me down. I was counting on you to put a bullet in her."

"Yeah well, you can always count on me. Can you get up? We need to check on Trish and Ronin." He stood up slowly and went to his sister, me to Ronin. Dade lifted his sister into his arms, carrying her to the car. Ronin was lying on his back, blood rushing pretty quickly from his torso. Fuck. "Dade, help me get him to the car. We need to get him to the hospital." Together we lifted him, carefully carrying him back to the car. "Lonnie, put Sunshine in the front seat and sit up there with her. Dade, you sit back here with Trish and Ronin. Keep pressure on that wound," I ordered, panic setting in. Trish's injuries were not visible. I wasn't sure if she was okay or not, but I knew that if we didn't get Ronin to the ER fast he'd bleed out.

"I got this covered, bro, just get us back to town." Dade's voice was laced with worry for his sister and brother in law. His hand covered the wound, blood seeping through his fingers. Once behind the wheel I started the car and hauled ass back to town. Lonnie ripped his shirt off and threw it back to Dade. "Here, man, use this to apply pressure. Might seal the wound better than your hand."

"Yeah, thanks, man." Dade continued applying pressure while I hauled ass off of that mountain, desperately trying to get within cell service.

Lonnie sat still in the front seat, periodically checking his phone. "I have service now. I'm gonna call this in," he said to me, his anxiety clear in his voice. With shaky hands he dialed the number. He quickly told them about Nick and Michelle, directions to the cabin, requested fire and police to be dispatched to put out the fire and collect evidence before requesting life flight. The moment the call ended he gave me directions to a parking lot near a lake where the chopper would meet us and transport Ronin to the hospital.

"Lonnie, I just want to say thanks man. I was a dick and you really pulled through. We might not be walking out of this alive if you hadn't gone inside that house. So, seriously, thank you," I said the words sincerely hoping he believed them.

"It was the least I could do. Let's just get them medical attention. It's over now." I nodded in response, returning my attention to the highway, praying we made it in time.

"Matt, is it really you?" Sunshine's voice penetrated my thoughts.

"Yeah, it's me, baby. You're safe now." I gently rubbed her head, careful not to touch the cheek that was swelling more by the minute. She sat up, confused, but conscious. She looked around the car and saw Trish and Ronin.

"Oh, my God, what happened?" She turned in her seat to Dade, not giving a second glance to the man sitting beside her. I noticed Lonnie had covered her bare chest up with a jacket, one more thing I'd have to thank him for later.

"Baby, sit down. We're on the way to meet a medical chopper that’s going to transport Ronin to the hospital. Dade's taking care of them," I tried. She didn't listen.

"I'm fine, Matt. I'll be fine. What happened?" Her words were frantic as she looked at her best friend. I know how she felt. I felt it when I saw Dade go down.

"There was an explosion. They made it out but it looks like Ronin landed on something sharp. I think Trish is okay," Dade informed her.

"Trish, wake up. Trish, come on baby girl, wake up," Sunshine tried, needing to know that Trish would be okay.

After a few minutes Trish opened her eyes. "Hey, Sunshine. We're a hot mess aren't we?" she said, with a weak giggle.

"Yes, girl, we are but we're all going to be okay. You're going to be okay."

"I know. We will be okay," Trish said before closing her eyes again. A few minutes later we were waiting in the empty parking lot, waiting for the chopper. Not much time passed before they arrived and loaded our friend inside. An EMT did a quick check of both Sunshine and Trish before flying off towards town. Sunshine crawled in back, between Dade and Trish and held her best friend as we shot out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell.

After the longest drive of my life, we pulled up in front of the hospital where they were waiting for us. The doctors and nurses quickly got both Sunshine and Trish on a hospital bed and wheeled them in. Dade and I were both checked and bandaged up while the girls saw the doctor. Dade and I said a final thank you to Lonnie before he went his own way. I truly hoped the man would be able to move past this and find happiness.

We were waiting in the waiting room when she finally walked out in a hospital gown and slipper socks. They'd cleaned her up. The traces of blood were gone, but her face was still swollen and turning a horrible shade of purple, but I didn't care. The relief of her being alive washed over me when I saw her. I stood up, allowing her to walk straight into my arms.

"Are you okay?" I asked carefully, still not sure the extent of what Nick had done to her.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Mostly just surface injuries. I don’t want to talk about my injuries right now," she exclaimed through tears. "You got there just in time, Matt. Thank you for saving me." She broke down sobbing, my good arm holding her close to my body.

"I'm sorry I didn't get there sooner, baby. I'm so sorry he laid even one finger on you." My own tears were falling as waves of emotions washed over me. Relief. Guilt. Regret.

"You found me, that's all that matters."

"I would have died myself if I lost you. I'm so fucking happy you're safe." I kissed her head over and over allowing relief to be the one emotion that took precedence.

"Is it really over? For good?" she asked, pulling away from me slightly.

"Yes, it's over. It's really over for good."

Epilogue

One year later

Matt

At times it seems like just yesterday and yet at other times so long ago when I think about Nick. After Trish and Ronin were released from the hospital and given permission to travel, we came home and I went to tell Nick's mother the news. I held the woman as she cried although she'd known long ago that her son was gone. She was a kind woman who didn't deserve heartbreak like that. I was happy for her when Child Protective Services placed Nick's daughter in her care after Michelle's parents refused to raise her. She's a wonderful little girl who's given Nick's mom another chance at happiness.

Sunshine and I struggled for a while when we got home. She went through a dark time where she wouldn't talk about what happened and wouldn't let me touch her. She spent most of her days in bed refusing to let me help her. My heart crumbled seeing my vibrant and feisty wife so destroyed. I didn't know how to reach her. Being loving and kind wasn't working. She kept pushing me away. Months went by and we hadn't made love or even really touched when we had an explosive fight. The kids were with her parents and I'd made her a nice dinner in hopes of getting her to open up to me. She refused to come down the stairs.

"Dammit, Sunshine. You can't stay in this bedroom forever, and you can't keep pushing me away. Let me help you," I said, more harshly than I realized. Sunshine and I had been through a lot together. Infidelity. Murders. Her nearly being murdered. Even when I was the dick that broke her heart, she let me in enough to tell me what bothered her. She’d never shut me out the way she shut me out after Nick had her at that fucking cabin.

Fire shot from her eyes when she looked at me. Rage painted her face in a way I’d never seen before. She flew out of her bed, charging at me and flinging her arms wildly trying to hurt me. "Fuck you, Matt! You have no idea what they did to me! You can't even begin to imagine so leave me the fuck alone!" she screamed.

After a little bit of a struggle I restrained her, tears smeared all over her face. "You're right. I don't know what they did to you because you won’t fucking talk to me. I've tried to help you, but I don't know what to say or do anymore." I held her tightly, forcing her to meet my gaze. Something had to give. She couldn’t wither away in our bedroom. Our kids were worried about her. Her parents called to check on her every day because she refused to see them, or anyone.

"Just leave me alone. Go away. Find someone else that isn't broken," she cried.

"If you think I'm leaving you, you're out of your damn mind. You are my Sunshine, my one and only Sunshine, and nobody is taking my Sunshine away, not even Sunshine herself," I said the words over and over until they crashed through her hysteria. I watched as the rage faded away, replaced by unmistakable anguish. Feeling defeated she let my arms wrap around her, holding her while she sobbed for hours. I just held her, letting her cry it all out. After the tears dried up she told me what they'd done to her. She was worried I'd be disgusted by her because she was disgusted with herself. We sat up that night and talked for hours, both of us crying for what happened to her and the time lost. Thankfully, she allowed me to hold her that night as she fell asleep. It took time and some therapy but she came around. Soon after that night she was almost back to herself, promising not to let the darkness overcome her again because in doing so, Nick, even in death, would win. She swore never to let that happen.

Life has returned to normal now, and with any luck it will stay that way.

The End

Acknowledgement

I have so many people in my life that help make this writing thing a possibility. From my family that puts up with me having my head stuck in a computer or fantasy world to my friends who beta read for me and cheer me on to my editors that make my stories read better to my street team, bloggers, and PA that help me get books in front of readers and readers….readers make this all possible. I am thankful to each and every one of you.

Until next time…..love always!