Sweet Heart (The Hearts of Sawyers Bend #2) - Ivy Layne Page 0,99
eyes wild and her face sheet-white. “I didn't want to do it, but I have to. He said to get rid of Royal. If I took care of Royal, I could go.”
She closed her talon-like hands over my shoulders, yanking me up and slamming me down so my head smashed into the pavement. I twisted, trying to roll over, to see J.T., to get away from her before she found the knife. Where were the deputies? Where was West?
All of a sudden, I understood. She thought J.T. was Royal. Same height, same dark hair. Royal's car. Someone sent her to kill Royal. Whatever was going on, it was a whole lot bigger than sabotaging The Inn. This was murder. Like Prentice.
“That wasn't Royal,” I screamed, hoping I could penetrate her insanity long enough to get the message through. “You stabbed J.T. Let me go so I can take care of him. Royal isn't here.” I hoped with everything I had that he was somewhere safe, far away from Vanessa and her knife.
Vanessa went still on top of me. Her head cocked to the side like a deranged bird as she seemed to process what I'd said. “Not Royal? This is his car. He was with you.” As if that explained everything.
“I borrowed Royal's car, remember? Let me go so I can take care of J.T. Let me go!”
Instead, she leaned in, pinning my wrists to the pavement, grinding them into the rough surface until I felt my skin tear and the wet heat of blood. No more words from her, just wide, crazy eyes and utter stillness. She was slender but a lot taller than me and fueled by madness. I twisted and bucked, kicking my legs to get her off, but she was unmovable.
“J.T.?” I called. “Can you hear me? Are you okay?”
A faint groan from behind me, and nothing else. J.T. Oh, God, J.T. What had happened with my father and The Inn was bad enough. If my problems got J.T. killed, I'd never be able to live with it. He was just starting his life, had finally found someone to love.
I couldn't let Vanessa do this to us. Royal was waiting for me. What if he came looking? What if she got to him before West's deputies could find us? I yanked at my wrists and life rushed back into Vanessa.
She let go of my wrists, her hands closing over my shoulders as she dragged me up and slammed me down onto the pavement, again and again, the blows to the back of my head scrambling my thoughts.
She was muttering, every word worse than the one before. “Have to find Royal. Once I deal with Royal, I'm free. Kill Royal and I'm free.”
“J.T.!” I screamed again. “Someone help us!”
“Shut the fuck up you little bitch!” Vanessa let go of my shoulders to deliver a ringing slap across my face. Damn, that hurt. Her hands closed around my throat and she squeezed. Hard.
I scrabbled at her arms, clawing, pulling, desperate to get her off. My lungs burned for air, no scream escaping my open mouth. Lights flashed, my head buzzed. Thunder rolled in my ears and everything went dark.
I blinked my eyes open to find Vanessa gone. I couldn't have been out much longer than a few seconds. Two deputies were by the hood of the car, wrestling with Vanessa. The thunder hadn't come from the sky, it had been pounding feet. Help had arrived. I could only hope they weren't too late.
I rolled over, crawling to J.T.'s prone body. Even in the dim light of the alley, I could see the blood. Too much blood. His shoulder was a mess, and the knife was still buried in his side, all the way to the hilt. I wasn't touching the knife. I'd probably do more damage taking it out when I didn't know what I was doing.
Dragging myself to sit by his head, I gathered the skirt of my sundress and pressed the wad of cloth to his shoulder to stop the bleeding. The best I did was slow it. He was running out of time. Pressing harder, I spoke to him, trying to hold him with me. “J.T., hang in there. It's going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay. Just stay with me, J.T.”
No response. Nothing. I glanced up to see the deputies cuffing Vanessa as she twisted and pulled in their hold. I yelled down the alley, “Did you call an ambulance?”