74. Olivia

Chapter seventy-four

Olivia

V ictor’s arms tighten around me as we face the man I have feared for the majority of my life. My heart is hammering in my chest, but not because of this asshole. Because of the bomb that just went off in the building. There’s moaning and creaking coming from all directions and I have to swallow down the panic rushing through my veins at the possibility of this building falling down on top of us.

Leo and Lincoln are standing on either side of us. Arden is around here somewhere. He somehow was able to get into the building and force the door open. My blouse is torn and there’s a gash on my bicep. Victor puts his hand on it. I’m probably going to need stitches, but it’s not life threatening.

“I’m not yours, Donovan.”

I take a deep breath and despite the circumstances, I enjoy the way his eye twitches at my words. Victor said Ansley was waiting, I want to know where she is and if he hurt her. Donovan takes a step forward and the men at his side step forward with him. I scoff and roll my eyes. Donovan balls his hands into fist and pushes his suit jacket aside, showing the gun he’s wearing on his hip.

“You know, Donovan. The only way you are able to get the things you want is through fear.” I take a step forward. Victor, Leo, and Lincoln step forward with me the same way Donovan’s men did with him. I motion to his men. “Your men follow you because of fear. Fear of what you’ll do to them or their families.” I motion to the men at my side, noticing Arden has joined. “These men are standing at my side because of love. Something you’ve never experienced.”

“Olivia, you need to shut your mouth,” Donovan says through his teeth.

“Don’t speak to her that way,” Victor snaps. Donovan glares at him, his hand moving toward his gun.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Leo says. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Leo and Arden raise their hands, both holding guns pointed at Donovan. I say a silent prayer that nothing happens to any of them.

“How the hell did you pull this off?” Lincoln asks. I’m assuming he’s trying to distract Donovan, and that is a good tactic, because Donovan loves to talk about himself. Donovan grins and puts his hands in his suit pockets. The movement makes his gun more prominent. I scan my eyes around the parking garage, trying to figure out if there’s another way out of here.

There’s the gate we enter and exit from, but it’s all the way on the other side from where we’re at. And there’s no telling the condition it’s in. Victor steps forward, putting his shoulder in front of me, protecting me more. I clutch at his back and pause at the feeling of something hard under his shirt. It’s like some kind of vest.

Donovan’s eyes narrow at the movement before looking between the two of us. His eyes drift to my wedding band, then the necklace I’m wearing. He grits his teeth and inhales deeply. “I’ve been planning this since Olivia got this job,” Donovan says as he turns his attention back to Lincoln.

Lincoln’s building, oh god. Is it salvageable? I suck in a shaky breath, but I refuse to allow him to see fear. Oddly enough, I’m not scared for me, but I am scared for these guys and I want to know where Ansley is and if she’s safe.

“Since she got the job?” Victor asks. I clutch the back of his shirt, the pain in my arm becoming harder to ignore.

“Yep, and the recent deliveries were a way for me to insert myself back into her life, but also a way for me to gain access to this building to finalize my plans.” Donovan is haughty as hell, and by the look on his face, he knows he’s surprised us.

“I fucking knew it.” Lane steps out from behind a concrete column. My mouth drops open. He has a larger handgun than the one on Donovan’s hip. Donovan turns, surprise evident on his face. The guys to his side turn, raising their guns, but Donovan motions at them to stop.

“Lane. I was wondering where the hell you’ve been.” Donovan looks back at Victor and gives him an evil grin. I glance up at Victor, trying to figure out what’s happening. “You actually surprised me, Victor.” He glances at me. “Besides the fact that you’ve married my stepdaughter.”

Some men I don’t recognize come around the building where the gate for the entrance and exit is. I’m still trying to process what Donovan meant by Victor surprising him on top of everything else that has happened in the past hour. Maybe it’s been less. My eyes jump from one man to the next, trying to figure out if they’re some more of Donovan’s men, but when I recognize Malachi, I realize it’s The Outsiders.

I relax slightly, but they all have weapons of some kind. Is this going to turn into a gunfight? I glance around and realize there are more against Donovan and by the look on his face I think he’s beginning to realize it too. There’s a loud noise that comes from the building, making me jump. I don’t know if it’s more rubble falling or if it’s first responders searching for survivors.

At that moment, Victor shoves me behind him. Someone wraps their arms around me, and I’m being hauled away. Gunfire echoes around me. “No!” I cry out, trying to fight whoever has grabbed me.

“It’s me, Liv.” Arden’s voice is in my ear. I relax slightly, but try to turn my head to look back at what is happening. My pulse is racing and my heartbeat is thrumming in my ears. “Victor!” I cry out, but he doesn’t turn toward me. He drops to the ground and grabs at his ankle.

Oh my god, is he hurt? But my question is answered the moment he pulls out a hidden gun, aims it at Donovan, and shoots. Once. Twice. I don’t see what happens because Arden is moving so quickly I don’t catch everything. As we round the corner, I attempt to look back and I scream at the sight of Leo falling to his knees, clutching his neck.

“Arden!” I scream. How the hell is he moving so fast while holding me? He pushes me toward the gates where cars exit. When I try to run back, he stops me. I look at him in desperation. Tears are streaming down my face.

“I’ll get him, but you have to go. Now.” He motions toward the gate. If I don’t go, he’ll stay here longer and that will delay the help Leo and the others need. My chest aches at the thought of the last time I see Leo is him clutching his neck. I nod once, turn, and run.

I turn to look over my shoulder, but Arden is no longer there. What the hell? I have to fight the urge to turn around and go back. There’s shouting, gunfire, and the building is still making disturbing noises. Where the hell is the police? Don’t they hear the gunfire?

My questions are answered when I get through the gate and turn onto the sidewalk. There are people everywhere. People are bleeding, some are covered in dirt and dust. The front of the building is tilting toward the street. My eyes fly to the entrance. James! Guilt overwhelms me when I realize this is the first time I’ve thought about him. I start to run toward where the entrance used to be.

A man gets in my path and puts his hands on my shoulders. “Ma’am? Are you alright?” His eyes go to my blood-soaked blouse. “Are there more survivors in the garage?” He glances behind me and waves his hand at other first responders to get their attention. A woman starts toward us, but I don’t pay her any attention.

“There are survivors, but there’s a gunfight going on,” I tell him.

His eyes widen. “What? Why?” I don’t know how to respond. I squeeze my eyes shut, suddenly feeling lightheaded, then lean over and throw up. “Okay, I’ll let the police and sheriff know. I need to take care of you.”

“Hey, Eric. I can take care of her.” The woman he was waving at steps in front of me and offers me a weird smile. Almost like it’s forced. Maybe this is the day she realizes her choice of career isn’t something she can handle. Another wave of nausea turns my stomach. My skin feels clammy. Maybe I’ve lost more blood than I thought.

The man, Eric, nods at her. “Thanks.” He points to my arm. “That needs to be taken care of as quickly as possible.”

The woman gently wraps her arm around my waist. “Come on, Olivia. I’ll take care of you.”

My head snaps to her. “How do you know my name?” Squinting at her, she does look familiar, but I don’t know why.

She doesn’t answer as she pushes me into the back of an ambulance. I don’t have the strength to fight her as I almost fall onto the gurney that’s in the back. My head is pounding and as hard as I’m trying to fight it, I don’t think I’m going to be able to stay conscious much longer.

I force myself to open my eyes to look up at the woman. I asked her a question. What did I ask her?

“Go drive. I’ll get her arm stitched up.”

That’s a man’s voice. I turn to look at where it came from and squint. The man is sitting next to me, grabbing supplies. He turns back toward me and I blink at him. He offers me a smile that I’m assuming he means to be reassuring, but it’s not.

“I’ll take care of your arm, Olivia.”

I blink up at him. It’s the same doctor that did the hysterectomy.