yeah. I won’t run off or try to lose you, but you’re responsible for keeping up with me.”
“Not a problem,” I replied confidently.
Frankie laughed. “Oh, you have no idea.”
Ten minutes later, I was ready to pull my hair out. “Sloane!” I bellowed at the top of my lungs, garnering the entire room’s attention.
“Over here!” she replied cheerfully and waved her fingers in the air to help me find her, which was surprisingly at the table to the left of the one she was assigned to.
“Bronze, this is Sophia,” she introduced and pointed to something on the floor I couldn’t see until I was closer. “And this is her dog, Freya.”
I peeked over the table to see a beautiful boxer with watchful eyes at Sophia’s side. “Nice to meet you,” I said and started to extend my hand to her when I looked up to see the biker approaching us. Suddenly, I remembered the text I got from Phoenix mentioning a patched member of the Northern Grizzlies MC would be in attendance.
“Excuse me one sec,” I said and turned to the man.
Sloane and Sophia laughed. “That’s my Old Man,” Sophia pointed out.
“Chains,” he said and extended his hand.
“Bronze,” I shared and returned his shake. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” he started but was interrupted by a series of overhead announcements.
“Come on,” Sloane said excitedly. “It’s about to begin.”
With that, we returned to our table moments before the ticketholders were allowed to enter.
We were three hours into the signing when I noticed the same two women from the previous signing, Jennifer and Ginger, hovering at the end of Sloane’s aisle. I thought maybe they were nervous, but after ten minutes I became suspicious. Rising to my feet, I started to walk toward them when they disappeared around the corner. Unwilling to leave Sloane, I continuously scanned the area but didn’t spot them anywhere.
I was just about to mention it to Frankie when I saw Jennifer practically running toward the table. She skidded to a halt and barely avoided crashing into me. She did, however, grab my shirt with both hands and pulled me toward her. “I have to talk to you. Right now!”
“What is it?” I demanded, instantly on alert.
We took a few steps away from the table, and she motioned for me to lean down. When I did, she whispered, “I overheard a woman in the bathroom saying she was going through with her plan to put an end to Sloane! I ran out of there as fast as I could when I heard something that sounded like a gun being chambered. You have to get Sloane out of here!”
“Do you know who it was?” I demanded.
She shook her head. “No. She was in the bathroom stall so I couldn’t see her. Please do something!”
Even though I wasn’t sure I believed Jennifer, I thought it would be best to move Sloane out of public view and discuss our next move. “Sloane,” I called out and returned to her side.
The tone of my voice had her immediately turning to me with concern in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“We need to—fuck!” I shouted when my eyes landed on a woman walking in our direction with purpose. She noticed me at the same time I noticed her.
The next few seconds were a blur of activity. I pulled Sloane against my chest as the woman raised a gun far too large for her petite frame and pointed it at us.
I responded instinctively, my gun appearing in my hands seconds before I aimed and fired. Sloane screamed in pain and her body flinched in my arms, while a sharp pain tore through my shoulder. I briefly thought the shot sounded much louder than it should have as Sloane and I fell backward to the floor.
“Fuck!” I cursed when my body hit the hard concrete. With my arms wrapped around Sloane, there was nothing I could do to brace our fall.
People were screaming, and I could see dozens of feet running by us just on the other side of the table.
Suddenly, I felt someone trying to pull Sloane away from me. Tightening my hold, I shifted her so I could use my other arm to push myself up.
Sloane’s author friend, Sophia, from the table beside us appeared in my line of sight. "I was a medic in the Army. I can help her.”
Reluctantly, I relinquished my hold on Sloane. As soon as I did, Chains extended his hand to help me up. “Shooter’s down,” he said and nodded