Embrace Me (35 page)

“
Shannon!” Charlie voice was strained as he rushed towards me, pushing past anyone who stood in his way.

“
Charlie, wait! They could be armed!” Frank shouted. I froze, petrified at the sudden development. Charlie wasn’t even affected by Frank’s words, though; he charged Patrick without a thought, knocking him to the ground before running towards my abductor at full force.

“
GET YOUR GODDAMN HANDS OFF OF HER!” Charlie snarled, pulling me

from the arms that held me captive. Frank’s men got to us moments later before Patrick could even get up, restraining Patrick and his men.

“
Shannon, Sweetheart. It’s okay, I’ve got you.” I was trembling on the ground, sobbing into his chest while Charlie took the gag off my mouth. “It was a trick. The lead was false, but we only realised that once you disappeared. I’m so sorry, I should never have left you.” I couldn’t speak as he helped me to my feet. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” he asked, softly touching my face. My entire body was still shaking, but I sighed deeply as I fell into his warm, secure embrace. “I’ve got you, Sweetheart, just breathe. You’re safe now. No one is going to get to you.”

I hardly had time to register the rush of bodies as Charlie held me, but when looked up, I saw that Patrick had broken free and was now pointing a gun directly at us.

“
Now, isn’t this romantic?” he sneered. Frank and his men went for their guns as Patrick laughed. “Go ahead…shoot me, but I’ll shoot one of
them
first,” he spat towards my security team.

“
You won’t get away with this, Patrick!” Frank yelled. “You’re surrounded.”

“
No, not when I’m this close!” Patrick snarled. “Shannon comes with me now—or I start shooting.”

“
That’s not going to happen,” Charlie growled, pulling me closer against him. “Give it up. You’ve lost! Shannon isn’t going anywhere!”

“
If you shoot, I’ll jump in the way. Then where would you be?” I replied with a tremor in my voice, trying to make Patrick realise this was impossible. I wasn’t going to be taken anywhere.

“
Touching, but I think you’ll find that if I tried to shoot you, Charlie would protect you…and I’d
still
win,” he chuckled darkly. He was right, but what else could I do?

“
Shannon,” Charlie pulled me closer against his chest, “don’t you
dare
do anything stupid,” he whispered.

“
What are we going to do?” I whimpered back, stroking his arm with my fingertips as I tried to calm myself.

“
I don’t have all day, Shannon. Make your choice. Are you going to come quietly? Or do I have to kill your boyfriend first?” Patrick yelled.

“
Don’t move,” I pleaded to Charlie before turning to face Patrick while trying to move in front of the man I’d gladly die for. “It’s over, Patrick. You’ve lost. Give it up and the FBI might be more understanding. This isn’t who you are.” Charlie still wouldn’t let me move.

“
That was your final warning.” Patrick smiled sarcastically before disengaging the safety on his gun. I gasped, holding my breath as I tried to pull Charlie out of the way. Was Patrick bluffing? Suddenly, I had my answer.

I felt Charlie move as Patrick pulled the trigger, and then everything became a blur.

The sound of the gun going off froze me into place, but Charlie pulled me out of harm’s way and behind him. I screamed, clinging to him as we both fell to the ground. Please, God, no! What had I done? I should have agreed to leave with Patrick. What was I thinking?

“
NO!” a pained voice yelled.

“
Mac!” Charlie’s voice was wounded as I felt his arms unfold around me on the ground. I breathed in relief until I took in what Charlie had just said.
Mac.
Opening my eyes as Charlie released me, I saw Mac on the ground in front of us, blood seeping through his white shirt. Frank rushed to his side, holding the wound to stop the blood flow.

Patrick was tackled to the ground by three of Frank’s men, his gun kicked away from him and out of reach.

“
Someone call 9-11!” Lorna had suddenly appeared with Bradley and my mother.

“
Shannon!” My mother was hysterical as she pulled me into her arms. “Thank God. I thought I had lost you. Oh, God, is Mac okay?” My eyes were wet as I looked down at Mac lying on the ground. Charlie was at his side.

“
Hold on, Mac. The ambulance is coming,” Charlie soothed, holding his brother’s hand. Mac must have seen that Patrick was going to shoot him and jumped in the way.

“
D…D…Do…you…believe…me now?” Mac choked up at Charlie.

“
I believe you, so hold on,” he whimpered, looking up at me with wet eyes.

I was numb as I sat in the hospital waiting room. Everyone was there with me: Lorna, Bradley, Grace, my mother—even Charlie’s mum.  Charlie had hardly said a word since Mac had been put in the ambulance.

When the doctor came out we all stood up, and I could feel the tension radiating off our entire group.

“
We’ve stopped the internal bleeding. He was lucky—an inch higher and it would have damaged a major organ.” The doctor smiled reassuringly.

“
He’s…going to be okay?” Charlie asked. I gripped his hand tightly for support.

“
Yes, he’s no longer critical.”

“
Thank, God!” my mother sighed. “I can’t take much more stress tonight.”

It didn’t take long before everyone started to make their exits, Grace, Lorna and Bradley the last to leave.

“
Are you sure you two will be okay?” Lorna asked, darting her eyes to Charlie.

“
We’ll be fine,” I whispered, hugging her again. “Thank you.”

“
I’m just glad you’re safe,” she muttered. “Call us if you need
anything
.”

“
We will,” I called as they headed out the door. Charlie was sat with his head in his hands when I turned around. “Maybe we should go home and freshen up?” I suggested.

“
What if he wakes up? I don’t want him to be alone.”

“
Charlie, it’s fine. We can wait if you want,” I soothed, running my hands through his hair.

“
I’m sorry,” he whimpered, looking up at me.

“
For what?”

“
For leaving you alone tonight—for not listening to you. You were right…I was so blinded by the past that I turned my back on my own brother. He took a
bullet
for me, Shan. How could I have gotten him so wrong?” Charlie gasped. The sorrow was clear in his voice.

“
Mac understands.”

“
Does he?”

“
Yes,” I smiled, gently kissing his lips. The kiss tasted salty from our tears. “When he wakes up, you can talk about everything. It’s all going to be fine.”

“
How are you holding up?” Charlie inhaled, stroking my knuckles. “I’m sorry I haven’t asked sooner.”

“
Fine…I’m fine.” He frowned at me.

“
We need to talk about you putting your life in danger earlier. Promise me you’ll never do something that reckless again?” he pleaded.

“
I had no choice, Charlie. I wasn’t going to let him shoot you.”

“
You’ll give me a heart attack one day, I swear.”

“
You saved me again,” I teased, nudging him playfully.

He smirked, and I knew I was already forgiven. “It was more Mac than me this time.
He
was the one who saw you go outside with Patrick, and once we realised the lead was false, it all fit together. Patrick had been living in Moscow for a year when Maisy Field was taken. Frank was keeping tabs on him, but never thought he would betray you. It seems he has been keeping some very dangerous company with regards to his friends.”

“
I know this is going to sound conceited, but I think Patrick was in love with me, too, when we were all living in London.”

“
Of course he was,” Charlie chuckled. “Will and I knew that when we saw him behind the bar at that new nightclub in London. I was under no illusion at the competition I had.”

“
There is no way I could have had three men in love with me back then.”

“
Believe it, Sweetheart,” he smiled, pulling me into him for a sweet kiss. “Why else did you think I had to write those love notes? I was trying to make you aware of what was around you.”

“
Meaning you,” I smirked against his lips.

“
Well, yes. I was the most important one, of course.”

“
My Mr. Notice me,” I breathed before he captured my lips again.

We were interrupted by someone clearing their throat. “Mr. Mac is awake now and is asking for a Mr. Collins,” a nurse stated.

“
That’s me,” Charlie breathed. “Will you come in with me, Shan? I think I need the support.”

“
Of course I will,” I smiled, standing up and holding my hand out to him.

It was painful seeing Mac strapped up to all the different machines. I couldn’t even imagine what Charlie was going through.

“
C…Charlie,” he breathed out weakly.

“
I’m here, Mac,” Charlie called, moving to stand at his bedside.

“
Is Shannon…okay?”

“
Yes—thanks to you. She’s right here.”

“
Hey, Mac,” I smiled, taking his hand in mine. “Don’t you ever jump in front of a gun again, do you hear me? That’s what we pay security for.” Mac tried to laugh, but coughed instead. “I’m being serious.”

“
I know…you are, but you started it…by trying to protect…my brother,” Mac tried to smile.

“
Are you in a lot of pain?” Charlie asked in concern.

“
No,” Mac winced.

“
You’re lying,” Charlie smirked.

“
Why do you…care all of a sudden?”

“
Mac, you took a bullet for me.” Charlie exhaled. “I know I’ve been an idiot. I’m sorry.”

“
So…we’re…okay?” Mac asked.

“
I’d like to get to know my
brother
,” Charlie murmured.

“
I’d like that, too,” Mac coughed. I reached for his water glass, helping him sip some slowly. “Thank…you,” he choked out as he touched my hand.

“
We’ll let you rest. Shannon and I will come and visit you tomorrow,” Charlie replied, caressing my back. Mac nodded with a weak smile so I leaned down and gently kissed his forehead.

“
We’ll see you tomorrow.” I leaned in to whisper in his ear. “And thank you for saving Charlie’s life.”

“
I’d do it…again,” Mac called just before we left.

“
I know you would,” I beamed before Charlie led me out.

“
You don’t have to keep feeling guilty,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around Charlie while we sat in our lounge at home. It had been a few days since my attempted kidnapping, and Mac was doing well in hospital.

“
I was so foolish, Shan,” Charlie winced, pulling me so I was cradled on his lap. “I was blinded by our past and truly thought that Mac was after you. I should have listened.”

“
I don’t blame you, and neither does Mac.”

“
But I gave you so much grief.”

“
Hey,” I cooed, lifting his face up to mine, “stop this.”

“
I could have lost you, Shannon. I almost did.” His voice was so lifeless as he spoke.

“
But you didn’t,” I smiled, leaning down to press my lips to his. Charlie groaned into my mouth, pushing me back against the couch. “You need to let it go. I’m safe, and Mac is going to be fine. You haven’t lost anything.”

“
I don’t know how to deal with having a brother,” he whispered against my mouth. “Not after the way I’ve treated him. How can he want anything to do with me?”

“
Just take it one day at a time. I was the same way when I met my mother for the first time, and look at us now,” I grinned, touching his face. “I don’t think the pair of you will have any trouble once you get to know each other.”

Charlie smirked, touching my face before he spoke. “You are amazing, Shannon Downing. How did I ever win your love?”

“
You won it simply by being you,” I muttered, running my fingers through his hair. “Your love has always given me everything I have ever dreamed of.”