Bleeding Edge: Elliot Security (Elliot Security Series Book 2) by Evie Mitchell (books to read for beginners TXT) 📕

lot. I found myself relaxing, warming to this new person. Despite her intimidating background, Jetta shunned the spotlight in favour of normality.

“I mean, it helps that I’m petrified of performing. Stage fright barely describes what I suffer.” Jetta chuckled.

I stole glances at Luc throughout the night, watching as he laughed with the waitresses at the bar where he ate his meal, one eye on the door the other on Jetta.

I hadn’t had a chance to talk to Luc. Despite my best promises, I hadn’t handed in my notice.

You’re only delaying the inevitable. Time’s ticking.

Over dinner Jetta revealed her everlasting love for Paxton Elliot and solved the mystery of her sudden appearance. It involved her sister, Courtney, who’d amassed a significant drug debt (now in rehab thanks to Pax), their dead parents, and a mob boss looking for his money.

The whole thing sounded like something out of a Tarantino film or a soap opera. It definitely put my problems into perspective.

Monday. You’re telling him Monday.

We were debating dessert when the first bullet punched through the glass panelling at the front of the restaurant. I heard the gunshot, and without thinking, started to move. I clocked Luc at the bar, our eyes meeting as the second shot shattered the glass frontage. The restaurant’s jovial atmosphere splintered as Luc yelled, “GET DOWN!”

Panicked customers screamed and bolted, others ducked as the bullets kept coming. Luc crouched, hand going to the pistol at his hip as he moved towards us. I spun, throwing myself at Jetta, pushing her to the floor. I pulled my hands up to cover my head as I spread my body protectively over her.

I couldn’t hear past the deafening sound of the guns and the crack of wood, glass, and plaster as bullets hit walls, floor, and furniture. To cover Jetta, I’d twisted away from Jarrett, Kel, and Addie. I couldn’t see if they were hurt. I screwed my eyes shut and prayed.

“Emmie.” Jetta’s hands clutched at my shirt as something hot and brutal tore through my body. A red haze clouded my vision as pain in my side radiated outwards, immeasurable in its agony.

I swore, as a second bullet arched across my thigh. I felt the gush of wetness from both areas as utter agony exploded across my left side. The shots abruptly halted as the getaway car screeched away, leaving behind an eerie silence.

A woman to our left began screaming. It broke the strange stillness, sending customers scrambling for the door, screaming, shouting, shoving each other in their haste. Feet stomped on me, people tripped over my prone body as they heedlessly raced to safety. I heard Luc yell but I didn’t look up until Addie and Luc crouched beside me, Kel and Jarrett standing protectively above.

Addie rolled me, and I groaned, barely registering her questions. The excruciating pain in my side radiated out from my hip and down my leg. I bit my cheek, tasting blood, desperately trying to stem the urge to scream.

I fell on my back, my breathing ragged as I blinked rapidly, trying to clear the tears from my eyes and struggling against panic. I turned my head, watching as Jetta scrambled to her knees. “Jetta?”

“I’m okay. I’m, I’m fine. You protected me.” She sat up, running shaking hands down her body. She reached out clasping her fingers in mine. “I’m fine.”

“Good.” The world spun slightly as I tried to breathe through the pain. My eyelids lowered. “I’m gonna sleep now.” My voice sounded off, heavy.

A strong hand gripped my wrist, checking my pulse as another started roaming my body.

“Don’t you fucking dare! Emmie, open your eyes and look at me!”

Unable to resist his demands I met Luc’s gaze. “When did you get here?”

Where was I? What happened?

“Luc!” Addie squealed, her voice high and panicked. I glanced down to see her raise a blood-covered hand.

“Fuck. Put pressure on it.”

My eyelids fluttered, and I fought to keep them open. Dimly, I heard calls for an ambulance, sirens sounding distantly in the background. Luc shifted to my side and pressed against the wound.

“Solid. Like a fucking rock.” Luc looked down at me with a smile, but his warm blue eyes worried, a hint of ill-concealed panic swimming in their depth.

“You’re a pain in my side right now,” I panted, wanting to offer reassurance. I dimly registered moments of lucidity even as my brain fogged, pain overriding my ability to process events in a rational manner.

Luc huffed out a strained laugh. “This isn’t a time for puns, Emmie.”

I shifted slightly and gasped as my thigh immediately protested the movement. “Guess I should tell you that’s not the only bullet, right?” I felt everyone’s eyes on me.

“Da fuck!”

I was losing the battle to stay conscious.

“You have got to be shitting me.”

My lids closed as I slurred. “My leg got hit too. I think it’s my thigh.”

I felt a hand run over my leg and then heard Addie swear softly as she pressed against it.

Hands turned me, as someone pulled my right arm straight, administering an IV. The paramedics asked me questions I barely registered.

“What?” My voice heavy and muted. I felt woozy, my head spun uncontrollably.

“It’s okay, Emmie. You’re okay, baby. We’re gonna get you to a hospital,” Luc promised. “Stay awake for me and I promise, I’ll watch any of those cartoon things you like. I don’t care which one. Your choice,” Luc reassured me.

“Liar,” I muttered. My eyelids closed again. An unexpected movement caused my stomach to drop as they lifted me onto what I assumed was a stretcher. Someone kept pressure on my wounds while they moved me. I could hear people around us, sirens. Lights flashed on the fronts of my eyelids, but I couldn’t find the strength to open them. A door slammed followed quickly by the grumble and shake of the ambulance under me. The paramedic spoke, I could barely hear him through the rushing sound in my ears. One thought overrode my need for unconsciousness.

“Luc?”

“Yeah, baby?” His voice sounded far away.

“You’re…”

“What?”

I tried