Inevitable - Kristen Granata Page 0,53

hand, and he yowls in pain as his knife falls to the floor.

Graham kicks it away with a swipe of his foot. “Get out of here.” He jerks his head toward the couch. “Take them with you.”

Where the hell are the cops? I called them right after I broke in through the side window of Jen’s house.

I dart past Graham as he trades blows with the bald man and swing open the front door. “Come on!”

Jen scoops Gwennie up into her arms and runs outside.

I linger in the doorway, watching as Graham swings his fist and lands another punch. Bald man’s head swivels to the right and he falls onto his back.

Everyone’s down for the count. Graham’s the last one standing.

We did it.

I run to him and jump into his arms, squeezing him as tight as my arms and legs will allow.

“You’re crazy, you know that?” he says.

“I couldn’t leave you here with these guys.” I pull back to look at him. “I couldn’t leave you.”

His lips part and he’s about to say something when his eyes widen, fixed on something just over my shoulder.

Before I can look to see what’s wrong, Graham spins us around and drops to his knees, shielding me on the floor. He groans and then slumps over onto his side.

The handle of a knife sticks out of his back.

An older version of Graham stands over us.

“No!” I shriek. “What did you do?”

Elliot grins. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Evangeline.”

I grip Graham’s face. “Graham, stay with me. Open your eyes. Look at me.”

Graham’s eyelids droop as he fights to keep them open. “Get ... away ... from him,” he rasps.

My eyes flick up to his father. “He’s your son! How could you do this?”

He laughs. “Didn’t your father do the same to your brother?”

“You’re nothing like my father, you sick fuck!”

Red and blue lights streak across his face, illuminating the room.

Finally.

“You called the cops, you little bitch!” He reaches down and grabs a handful of hair from the back of my head, yanking me up until I’m standing.

I don’t even feel it. Nothing hurts as much as the sight of all that blood spilling out of Graham, the deep crimson seeping into the beige carpet.

Please don’t die.

Three police officers step through the threshold with their guns raised.

“Drop your weapon and put your hands up!” the female cop shouts.

“Come any closer and I’ll slit her throat.” The cold metal of Elliot’s knife bites into my skin.

“I said put the weapon down,” another cop yells.

“He needs help,” I say, staring down at Graham’s lifeless body. “Please, forget about me. Call an ambulance!”

The female presses the button on the side of her walkie-talkie while the other two cops edge closer to us. My pulse throbs against the blade, my heart racing, as tears stream down my cheeks. I’m helpless. Stuck. How am I going to get out of this and save Graham?

“Just take the shot!” I yell.

“Stay calm, ma’am,” the officer says.

Calm?

I’m staring down the barrel of three guns while being held at knife-point, as the man I love bleeds out on the ground.

But he’s right. I need to stay calm, just like Graham taught me: Panic overrides the brain, and you can’t think straight.

I close my eyes, shutting away the horrifying sight of everything around me. Visions of what I’m about to do play out in my head as I fill my lungs with a slow breath. Best case scenario, this works. Worst case? I go out fighting.

Just before I open my eyes, one last image flashes through my mind.

Captivating green eyes gazing into my soul.

Then I lift my foot and ram the heel of my boot into Elliot’s knee as hard as I can. His grip loosens enough for me to tuck my chin and dig my teeth into his hand. He releases me and his fingers open, dropping the knife by my feet. I dive on top of it and wrap my arms over my head.

And a gunshot splits through the air.

Graham

Eva.

“Eva!” I jolt upright and a sharp pain shoots through my back. “Ow, fuck. Eva!”

“Shhh. It’s okay.” Eva rises from a nearby chair and leans over the side of the bed. “I’m right here.”

I reach out for her, but something’s holding my arm back, cutting into my skin. “What the fuck?”

“Easy, Big Guy.” Eva climbs onto the bed, carefully situating herself beside me. “You’re in the hospital. You lost a lot of blood.”

My eyes blink several times, trying to see through the fog of