Fuck that gaslighting bullshit. I'd been clear from the get-go.
"What part of me removing your hand from my leg is confusing, Scott? What about that tells you that I want you to try again? I'm not playing some hard-to-get bullshit here, dude. I just don't want to fuck you. Okay?" I felt the stab of my own words and knew they were cutting him deeper. But fucking hell, man. Get a damn clue.
Anger flashed across his face. I geared up for a fight, but it was gone again in a second with a sheepish expression replacing it. "I'm sorry, Maddie. Really. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Can we stay friends? I really like hanging out with you and Bree, and I don't want my stupid crush to have ruined our friendship."
I raked my fingers through my hair, blowing out a breath and letting my irritation subside somewhat. Maybe I was overreacting a bit. Everything going on with my stalker, the guys, my marriage... it had me way on edge, and I was snapping at dumb shit.
"Yeah, all good, Scott," I said with a weak smile. "Just friends, okay? I'm not interested in getting involved with anyone right now."
He nodded quickly. "Totally understand. I'm sorry I kept pushing things; I really value your friendship, Maddie."
It was a bit much, but Scott was an intense kind of guy.
"Get down!" someone shouted just a split second before a hard body barrelled into me and tackled me to the pavement. The crack of a gunshot rang out as my hip hit the hard concrete and a sharp pain shot through it. I tensed in preparation for my head to hit as well, but it didn't happen. Whoever had dived into me rolled, protecting my skull from what would surely have been a nasty bump.
I had no time to react as screams rang out and reality sunk in. Someone had just shot at me.
Strong arms banded around me as the person who'd just saved my ass started to pick me up, and I struggled violently. How the fuck did I know if this wasn't another kidnapping attempt?
"Babe, it's me," Kody barked, holding me tighter as he found his feet and started running with me in his arms. "We need to get out of here."
Gunfire sounded behind us, back in the direction of the movie theater, and I craned my neck to see what the hell was going on. The huge glass window at the foyer of the theater—the one Scott and I had just been standing in front of—was shattered, probably where the bullet had hit. Innocent bystanders, normal people out for a movie or a walk or whatever, were scattered around on their bellies, crawling for shelter. The only people still standing were Steele, his gun aimed across the street and up into the building opposite as he shot back at my attacker... and Archer. He wasn't shooting; he just stood there like the force of his glare could kill the attackers and repel bullets away from his flesh.
Psychotic fuck.
"Get her out of here!" he roared to Kody, but his cold, blue eyes met mine.
Kody didn't reply, though; he was already approaching his royal-blue Maserati and clicking the doors open with his key fob. Seconds later I was dropped in the passenger seat, and the door slammed before I could form any kind of protest.
"Wait, Kody!" I shouted as he rounded the car to his side and slid into the driver's seat. I reached for the door handle to let myself out, but it was locked. What the fuck? Had he child-locked the doors? "Kody, I need to find Scott! Was he hit? What about Bree and Dallas? They were inside!"
"Archer's got it," he replied, gunning his engine and peeling out of the parking space without even waiting for me to buckle my seat belt. I scrambled to do so—my fear of car crashes had only gotten worse after the Halloween incident—then wrapped my arms around myself. I was shaking, trembling all over as the adrenaline drained out of my body.
"Did someone just fucking shoot at me?" I asked in a shaking voice. Maybe I'd jumped to conclusions. Maybe it was a coincidence. Maybe...
Kody shot me a quick look before turning his attention back to the road as he sped us out of Rainybanks. "Yes."
My breath escaped in a whoosh. "Why?"
Kody's hands tightened on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. "You didn't seriously think the threat was over just