“What in the hell are you doing, you crazy fucking bitch?” he yelled.
When she whirled around to face him, I made my move and reached for Daphne. Her back was to me, so she had no idea I was the one grabbing her arm. Naturally, she screamed, which caused Tori to turn back to us.
“No!” she screamed and raised the gun.
Sean threw something that looked like a vase, hitting the back of Tori’s head. She whirled around again and fired a shot, striking Sean’s torso. As Sean fell to the ground, I shoved Daphne to the floor with one hand and fired my weapon with the other, striking her in the chest. Tori staggered back a few steps but stayed on her feet. Her face contorted with rage, and she tightened her hold on her gun as she took aim at me. Slightly raising my gun, I aimed at her forehead and fired before she had a chance. She was dead before her body hit the floor.
Knowing the threat was neutralized, I turned around to check on Daphne. She was on her knees, facing the wall, crying, with her body curved awkwardly like she was holding something.
“Daphne?” I asked quietly.
“We have to … I don’t … she can’t see that,” she rambled.
“I’m not sure what you mean,” I said carefully.
She moved slightly so I could see the very small child she was shielding with her body. It was then that I realized the crying wasn’t coming from Daphne.
“Oh, fuck,” I breathed.
“Help me get her out of here,” she pleaded.
“Don’t move,” I said and frantically looked around for something to cover the child with. When I couldn’t find anything in close proximity, I yanked my shirt over my head and handed it to Daphne. “Cover her head with this.”
She quickly draped my shirt over the little girl and carried her out of the room.
“Are you two okay?” I asked.
“Yes, I think so,” she said shakily.
“The club should be here soon, but I need to go check on Sean.”
“Sean?” Daphne gasped.
“Dada,” the little girl cried.
“Yes, Sean. That’s who she … s-h-o-t,” I said and pulled out my phone, handing it to Daphne. “Call nine-one-one.”
While she placed the call, I ran around to the front of the house, where Sean was still on the floor. For a moment, I thought he was dead, but he opened his eyes when I kneeled beside him.
“She can’t see me like this,” he groaned.
“Who?” I demanded and was instantly on alert, thinking there was someone else in the house.
“My daughter. Don’t let her see me like this. It’ll scare her,” he said.
“She’s in the kitchen with Daphne. She won’t bring her in here,” I promised. “We need to put pressure on that wound until the ambulance gets here.” I glanced around for something to press against the wound other than my bare hands.
“There are blankets in that ottoman,” Sean said and attempted to point toward the living room.
I’d barely made it back to him with a blanket when the roar of multiple motorcycle engines shook the house. Seconds later, my dad nearly knocked me over when he violently kicked the front door open, and a sea of leather-clad bikers flooded the house.
“Tori’s dead. Daphne’s okay. She’s in the kitchen. Cops have been called. And this is Sean. He’s been shot,” I blurted.
“Daphne!” Dice shouted as he ran through the house with Ink on his heels.
“You were supposed to wait for us,” Dad said and kneeled beside me. His nose immediately wrinkled. “What is that smell?”
“It’s me,” Sean answered. “She hasn’t let me shower or anything since I’ve been here.”