Riskier Business (Crossing the Line 0.5)(32)

“I love you, too.” Tears streaming down her cheeks, she ripped off her shirt and pressed it against his wound. Troy was wrong. She had done this. From the moment they met, he’d been doomed to this fate simply by associating himself with her. No, no, please don’t let him die because of me. She started praying under her breath, promising to whoever was listening that if Troy made it through this alive, she would leave him alone, exactly like she should have done in the first place. Once he was free of her, he would be safe. Far away from her past where it couldn’t reach out and hurt him. “You’re going to be okay. You have to. Please, Troy.”

Over Troy’s shoulder, she watched in slow motion as her mother took advantage of Jim’s momentary distraction by hurtling herself into his body and knocking the gun free. It landed on the carpet inches from Ruby’s leg, firing a wild shot into the wall just behind her, sending plaster flying everywhere. Pamela struggled with Jim to keep him from reaching the weapon, spurring Ruby into action. She picked the gun up and pointed it at Jim from her position on the floor, keeping the pressure on Troy’s wound with her other hand. Her father froze, raising his hands toward the ceiling. Based on his cautious expression, Ruby knew her face betrayed the crazed anguish pummeling her insides.

“Call the police,” she half sobbed, half shouted at Pamela. “Tell them to send an ambulance. Right now. Tell them Troy’s a police officer.” Anything to get them there faster. Have to save him.

She kept the gun trained on Jim as Pamela rushed to make the call, pulse jumping in alarm when Troy slumped over, appearing on the verge of unconsciousness. Her throat was on fire, a piercing buzz taking up residence in her skull. This couldn’t be happening. When Pamela hung up, a tense silence hung in the room.

Jim took a step forward. “Ruby—”

“Why?” She cocked the gun with her thumb. “Why did you have to come back? Either of you.”

Both of them stared at her in silence.

“Did you not do enough damage before? You had to come back and finish me off?” Her voice had risen to a shrill scream, but she didn’t care. The love of her life was dying beside her on the floor. On some level, she knew she would die right along with him. “I was happy. We were happy. Why couldn’t you just leave me alone?”

“I’m sorry,” Pamela whispered. Jim looked away. For a split second, Ruby even saw regret coast over his features, but she hardened herself against it.

Sirens pierced the air. Ruby judged them to be about half a mile away. Come on. Hurry.

“Ruby, I’m not going to jail.” Her father turned slowly and picked up the leather knapsack. “I’m walking out that door. You can either shoot me or let me go.”

Her hand shook under the weight of the gun, so she added her other hand for support. “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t pull the trigger.”

Jim started to talk, but his gaze was drawn by Troy’s hand on her arm. “Don’t do it,” he wheezed. “You’re better than him, Ruby.”

A sob ripped from her throat when she saw how gray his complexion had turned. “If I’m better, it’s only because of you.”

Troy shook his head, then slowly his eyelids drooped as he lost consciousness. Ruby shouted an intelligible curse at the ceiling, saved from complete insanity by the sirens drawing closer. She turned back to her father in time to see his shock, seemingly over witnessing her so distraught. As if he hadn’t realized how deeply her feelings ran for Troy.

You have no idea. You don’t know how to feel.

The rational part of her knew Troy was right, but she felt anything but rational at that moment. As her father backed toward the door, she wanted to pull the trigger. Desperately. Just to end it. Make sure he couldn’t cause any more pain. But something held her back. “If he dies,” she grated, “I will find you.”

Something unnamed but poignant passed between them.

Jim nodded once, hefting the knapsack onto his shoulder. Then he was gone.





Chapter Eleven


Ruby’s voice echoed in Troy’s head, fervent prayers being delivered in frantic, pleading whispers. His body felt like it was floating, his senses dull. Nothing seemed to be working apart from his memory, which wouldn’t leave him alone. Or was Ruby saying these words in the present and he simply couldn’t open his eyes to see her? With an iron will, he lifted his hand, reaching for her, but it only landed on a cold sheet. Then the beeping intruded. Muffled voices. Irritation filled his chest. He wanted to shout at everyone to be quiet so he could hear what Ruby was trying to tell him.

Please, please, don’t let him die. I’ll leave him alone. I swear I’ll stay away from him. Just please, let him live. I’ll do anything.

His eyes flew open, although they felt weighted down and rubbed raw. He searched for Ruby in the dim room, but he couldn’t see her anywhere. Leave me alone?

Panic seized him, carrying another memory in its wake. His mother standing at the foot of his bed, trying to console an emotional Ruby before she apologized with sickening finality and ran from the room. The sticky fog lifted from its position around his brain, just as the beeping accelerated into a blur.

She’d left him.

Troy couldn’t think past that single thought. It didn’t matter that she’d promised to stay away from him in the heat of the moment. Or that this was her misguided attempt to do the right thing. Troy couldn’t move past the thought of not having her.