Divided (Unguarded #2) - Ivy Stone Page 0,90
the lightness shining from everyone in this moment.
I hear Mason gasp beside me, from where I stand as his best man.
His best man.
My best friend.
My partner.
He’s about to marry the one and only woman he’s ever loved, and I couldn’t be more excited to be the one standing at his back. My eyes widen as I take in Lindsey. There’s no doubt she’s a beautiful woman, but now I see what Mason sees. She’s stunning. The most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen. But the breathtaking beauty isn’t her dress, her hair or her make-up, it’s in the softness of her eyes, behind the adoration all directed at Mason. Every set of eyes in the room are on her, but all she sees is him.
The priest’s voice echoes through the church and he begins the ceremony. It’s slow and half way through I glance at Trey and Cassidy who are flicking between one another and the church entrance.
We’re almost at the end and the pressure on my chest starts to lift. The nerves unwinding as the room relaxes while everybody concentrates on Mason and Lindsey.
Car tires screech outside. We all turn toward the church front doors. Dread squeezes my insides. The doors swing open. Bullets start flying. It all happens so fast, yet, it’s as if time has slowed and we’re racing against the clock. My head spins to Ali. My feet move before I can think. I call out her name and lunge over to her. Every second it takes to get to her, our life together flashes before my eyes. I grab her shoulders pulling her under me and we land on the floor. My heart smacks against my chest. I lift my head up and find Mason, covering Lindsey and Charlotte on the other side of the aisle while he yells to Oliver to get Charlotte out. Somehow Oliver manages to get himself and Charlotte to the side door on our left and slip out unharmed. The first row of wooden church pews blocks us from the shooter. But as my chest heaves and the bullets stop. My stomach drops. We weren’t all so lucky. Elias huddles on the ground behind the church pews. Elias’s matching gray jacket to the rest of us is no longer covering his shoulders it’s wrapped around his hands as he presses it to the chest of the priest who’s bleeding out on the ground. He must have got hit.
Another shot ricochets off the walls.
A voice roars. “Lindsey! Alison!”
Lucio.
My hands ball into fists. Anger fills my veins. Red—I see red. I pinch my lips together and yank out my gun from my ankle holster. The noise catches attention on the other side. I hold it up to Mason and Elias. They get my drift but both shake their heads. They’re not carrying. Had there not been any known enemies in our midst, I wouldn’t have been either. Guns are prohibited in the church.
I click off the safety. Adrenaline shoots up my back. Mason juts his head toward the side door behind us. He flicks between Elias and me to make sure we understand. We nod. He obviously wants to get the priest out while he’s still alive and savable. It’s the perfect opportunity if I can hold Lucio off. Maybe we can somehow get the others out too. My pulse thunders in my ears. Another four shots fill the church. Chips of wood fly from the pews in front of us as Lucio aims at us. They stop. It’s brief, but it’s all I need.
I jump to my feet, aim and fire. And the moment I shoot I thank the Lord above that Cass and Trey must have Mason’s parents safe down on the ground. Elias and Mason lift the priest up. But halfway to the door I see them backtrack in the corner of my eye. I keep shooting. Round after round until my shots mix with more from behind me. I duck and swing around. Enzo and Adriana come in, guns up, shooting hard and fast—and not at us. Lucio fires back and I jump down, hiding. Waiting. Sweat gathers on my forehead. Elias managed to get the priest and themselves shielded again and Mason is hiding Lindsey where they were a moment ago.
“Adriana.” Ali goes to stand but I hold her back. Her eyes round and sad. But as she winces and stays put I know she understands.
Adriana yells out, “It’s over Lucio. I’m not letting you hurt them. Not