Torin (Hope City #9) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,87

continually whipping back and forth as officers seemed to appear from every direction.

“Christ!” Torin growled, his hand curling around her upper arm, pulling her toward him.

Officers hustled forward, weapons still trained on Bob. He startled and stepped backward, his hands lifted as his head swung around, eyes wide and surprise written on his face. Gasping loudly, Bob tripped, tumbling into Erin. Instinctively, she threw her arms up to keep them both from careening into Torin. Bob grabbed her arm, but before she could stop their movement, she screamed as they all fell like dominos, landing in a heap on the sidewalk, a tangle of legs and arms. Torin groaned in pain.

“Fuck! Stay down!” Torin grunted as she tried to push Bob off the two of them. With more strength than she thought possible under the circumstances, Torin rolled to the side and slammed his crutch onto Bob’s chest, sliding the metal up to the man’s neck, pinning him into place on the sidewalk as Erin lay flat on her back, half under Bob.

Her heart pounded so loudly in her ears she could barely hear the approaching law enforcement. A cacophony of shouts and orders from all around blended together as Bob lay still, his eyes wide with fear, the crutch still pressed against his neck. Afraid to move until given permission, her chest heaved with the relief of pressure as Bob was rolled off her to lay face down, cuffs slapped onto his wrists and his rights read to him.

Dragging oxygen into her lungs, she looked to the side before scrambling to her knees, staring down in horror at Torin’s face, his features twisted in pain. “Medic!” she screamed as she checked to stabilize his leg, releasing the straps on the brace. “Shit, shit, shit!” she cursed under her breath, seeing blood seeping through his bandages. Praying it was just torn stitches and not worse, she looked over her shoulder as EMT personnel crowded in.

Hands grabbed her shoulders, pulling her backward, and she rounded on whoever dared to interfere. Her gaze landed on Rory, his expression almost as tortured as Torin’s had been. His arms surrounded her, and knees weak, she fell into his embrace as his fellow paramedics loaded Torin onto a stretcher. “I’m okay, I’m okay,” she assured her brother before looking over her shoulder toward the ambulance. Twisting her head back around, she offered a wobbly smile. “I’ve got to go.”

Rory held her gaze for another moment, then nodded. “We’ll see you there.”

Kissing his cheek, she hustled to the back of the ambulance where she climbed aboard. As the vehicle pulled onto the road, she glanced out the back window toward the front of the pub. Bob had been lifted to his feet and was being led away as the heavy, wooden Celtic Cock sign continued to sway gently back and forth overhead.

27

A week later in the Celtic Cock Pub

Torin sat on a tall stool, his booted leg resting on the sturdy rung as he poured drinks. Everyone had wanted him to act like the guest of honor along with Erin and sit at a table, but he’d always been comfortable behind the bar. Even though it was a private party and the pub was closed to the public, he looked out over the crowd and grinned.

Sharon McBride, Hannah King, and his grandmother were sitting at a table, their heads bowed toward each other, and he had no doubt they were discussing wedding plans despite the fact that he and Erin had only been together a short time. But then, when tragedy strikes, it makes what’s truly important in life that much clearer, and he planned on asking her as soon as he could get down on one knee without having to have someone help him up. Glancing down at his leg, he wondered if that action could be one of the goals the physical therapist worked on.

Looking toward the back, he observed Sean and Kyle McBride playing pool with Brock and Brody King, a sight he’d witnessed many times over the years. Only now, they were joined by the McBride cousin, Cieran. Kallie and Amber were leaning against the pool table, eyes twinkling as they joked with Brock and Brody. Harper stood near Sean, grinning as he whispered into her ear, and Kimberly bent over the pool table, Kyle behind her obviously admiring her ass.

Tara and Carter shared a table with Ryker, Brianna, Killian, and Bekki, a huge platter of nachos in the middle. Blay and