Matt jumps to his feet. He goes to charge Tyson, but he lifts the gun again, pointing it at Matt’s chest. He comes to a stop, his nostrils flaring and chest heaving. “You son of a bitch! I will fucking own you!” Matt shouts.
“You always were a worthless Lord.” Tyson tilts his head to the side. “They should have killed you years ago.”
Matt’s face turns red and his blue eyes narrow to slits at his words. “Do it!” He slaps his own chest like a gorilla. “Fucking kill me you sorry son of a bitch!” Matt screams.
“In time.” Tyson tells him calmly.
“You don’t have the fucking balls!” He eggs him on, stepping into the barrel.
Tyson takes the gun and slaps Matt across the face with it. So hard it knocks him to his knees “You of all people should know the Lords don’t allow us the easy way out.” Tyson squats down next to him. “They make us suffer more than anyone.” Then he looks up and I see Ryat stepping behind Matt.
He grips a handful of Matt’s hair and yanks his head back, before sinking a needle into his neck. Matt’s body falls to the floor next to his dead father.
“Ryat!” I gasp, running to him.
“Blake,” He mumbles my name when my body connects with his.
I wrap my arms around him, and he stumbles back. His hands go to my hair, but he doesn’t hug me as tight as I do him.
“Whoa!” Tyson grabs my arms and yanks me free of Ryat.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, wiping the tears that run down my face. I didn’t even realize I was crying until now.
“We gotta get them to the plane.” He snaps, helping a pale-face Ryat over to the couch. He sits him down and I see he’s bleeding.
“Oh my, God. Is he going to be okay?” I ask panic gripping my chest. What happened? Did Matt shoot him again?
“I’m fine,” Ryat coughs out.
And the look that Tyson gives me says the opposite. “Ty—”
He places his hands on my shoulders, giving me a little shake. “I need your help, okay?”
_______________
“I’M GOING TO get Matt on the plane and secured, and then I’ll come back and get Ryat,” Tyson informs me.
“Okay.” I nod, running my hand through Ryat’s dark hair while his head rests in my lap in the back seat. “I can’t believe you,” I say angrily. He shouldn’t have even come. He wasn’t ready to leave the hospital.
“You were in trouble,” he manages to wheeze out.
“You’re right. You are in trouble,” I snap at him. “Putting your life in jeopardy. Again.”
He coughs. “You did it … too.” Pushing off my legs, he rises.
“Ryat! You’re supposed to wait …”
“I can walk, Blake.” He shoves the car door open and gets out.
“Shit!” I jump out on my side and run around the back just in time to see his knees buckle. “I got you.” I grab his arm and wrap it around my shoulders, holding him up.
“I told you to wait!” Tyson snaps at me, running down the stairs from my father’s private jet.
“It was his idea!” I growl, tattling on my husband like a child.
Coming up to us, Tyson grabs his arm and takes my position. I help the best I can to get him up the stairs and into the plane, but I feel like it’s more of those better jobs for one person sort of thing.
“Open the bedroom door.” Tyson gestures with his chin to the back of the plane.
I run ahead of them and shove it open, holding it while he helps Ryat inside. He sets him on the edge of the bed. “Stay right here.” Then he looks at me. “Don’t let him lay down. Keep him sitting up.” Before digging into his pocket, handing me a pocketknife. “Cut his shirt off him.”
I nod, taking it. “Okay.”
“Blake,” Ryat whispers when I just stand here.
“I know,” I sniff and fumble with trying to open the damn thing. I drop it on the floor. “Shit.” And pick it up.
He reaches up, placing his bloody hands on my shaky ones. My eyes meet his—he looks exhausted. “I’m sorry.”
He frowns.
My throat closes. “For this … for you. I did this …” Sniffing, my bottom lip begins to tremble.
“No. You didn’t, Blake.” He shakes his head once.
A tear runs down my cheek. “Thank you for saving me.” I’m still having trouble believing he’s alive in front of me. I’ve seen the vision of him laying dead on the cabin floor too many times to now accept this is real. That I get another chance to be with him.