Catching Summer (Second Chances, #6)(70)

“How?” Philip asked.

I scoffed. “You must really think I’m stupid. It wasn’t hard to figure out when I saw you put something in my tea. You’re a murderer, a liar. I hope you burn in hell.”

“Did he touch you?” Evan growled.

My jaw tensed and Philip bellowed, “I did more than touch her. She sure does taste sweet, doesn’t she?”

The energy in the air crackled like fire and there was nothing I could do to tame it. Evan lunged for Philip’s legs and they went down to the floor, breaking everything in their path. “Dammit,” I growled, rushing down the stairs. “Look out, Evan! There’s something in his hand.”

Evan fumbled back and Philip elbowed him in the nose, gaining the seconds he needed to get off the floor. He charged after me. Before I could rush up the steps, he grabbed my ankle. I screamed as he pulled me down. The breath whooshed out of my lungs and my vision blurred when my head smacked against the hardwood floor.

With a viselike grip, I held the gun and refused to let go. After that, everything happened so fast. Evan grabbed Philip around the neck, but Philip was still able to slam my wrist against the floor, bones cracking with the impact. I cried out in pain and lost hold of the gun. Philip grabbed it, but it slid across the floor when Evan punched him in the ribs. Sounds of fists hitting flesh and growls of anger were all I could hear. The pain in my wrist radiated up my arm, making my eyes tear, but I wiped them away and got to my feet. The guys grappled on the floor, and I couldn’t tell who had the advantage since both of them had a hand on the gun. But that wasn’t my concern. On the floor, beside my broken coffee table, lay Philip’s syringe. As fast as I could, I lunged for it, carefully picking it up off the floor. Unfortunately, events had come to a standstill.

Wiping the blood from his nose with one hand, Philip held the gun in the other, pointing it straight at Evan. “This is where it ends, Townsend. You see, I always get what I want in the end.”

“Philip, don’t,” I begged, stumbling forward.

Evan tried to reach for me, but Philip grabbed me first and jerked me into his arms. “Sorry, my love, but as long as he’s alive you won’t have a place for me.”

“Let her go,” Evan demanded. “She’s not going to love you if you kill me.” He had a gun pointed at his head but his focus was on me. There were so many things I wanted to tell him, and I hoped to hell I’d have a chance to say them.

Philip chuckled. “Yes, she will. She won’t have a choice.”

His bruising grip held me tight across the neck and I could barely breathe. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on the syringe in my hand and unscrewed the top as gently as I could. I’d been a nurse for years and knew exactly how to administer a shot with one hand. Leaning close to my ear, Philip’s hot breath fanned down my neck, making me cringe in disgust.

“This would’ve been easier if you’d just fallen in love with me.” With his finger on the trigger, I knew this was the time to act. “When you see his bleeding corpse, just remember it all could’ve been different.”

The syringe cap fell to the floor. “You’re right…it could’ve been. But now it’s over.” As hard as I could, I jammed the syringe into his thigh, pushing in every ounce of liquid inside the vial. Unfortunately, it didn’t stop him from pulling the trigger.

Clutching my neck, Philip grunted and pulled me down to the floor, but luckily Evan was there to catch me. Picking me up in his arms, he carried me across the room away from Philip, but still where we could see him. I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard the sound of sirens in the distance.

Holding me tightly, Evan kissed me hard and held me to his chest. “Thank f*cking God, I got here in time. Are you okay?”

I looked over at Philip, who was convulsing on the floor, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. Tears filled my eyes and my body shook. “I’m fine, I promise. I wouldn’t have been if you hadn’t shown up when you did. You saved me from a fate I don’t even want to think about.”

“What did he do to you?”

Swallowing hard, I could still feel Philip’s hands on my body. “Nothing I couldn’t handle. I’m just glad it’s over. Whatever he had in that syringe worked.” If he had succeeded in his plan, I would’ve rather been dead. Thank God I didn’t have to worry about that, but for a moment there I’d thought my life and Evan’s were over.

“I guess he made the wrong choice then,” he murmured, pointing down at the gun.

I peered up at him. “What do you mean?”

“There were no bullets. If he’d chosen the syringe, I don’t know if I’d be here right now. Did you know the gun wasn’t loaded?”

“I did. I was hoping my bluff would make him back down.” It was a gamble, but I’d been desperate.

Taking my face in his hands, he rested his forehead on mine. “I’m sorry I didn’t get here earlier. When I couldn’t get in touch with you, I knew something was wrong. The thought of him—”

“Stop,” I whispered across his lips. “I’m okay. It’s over.” Looking over at Philip, I held Evan close. “Or at least I hope it is.”

—

“Out of all the nights Grayson and I could’ve taken off, it had to be the one when you’re attacked,” Lara cried, lying over me. I’d been at the hospital for three hours and neither Grayson nor I could get her to stop crying.