Game On by Lillian Duncan Page A

she nodded. “I believe you.”
    Hearing those words meant more than he could say. He wouldn’t let her down. “Let’s get to the car before they make their way back here.” He opened a drawer, pulling out several kitchen towels. He handed one to her.
    Wincing, she pressed it against the wound. “Help me up.” She leaned against him as they walked.
    At the door, he stopped. “Maybe I should get the car and then drive as close as I can get to the door. That way, you don’t have to run as far.”
    “No, let’s go together.”
    “OK, let’s do this.” He opened the door and stepped out.
    Gunshots split the quiet of the evening.
    Lucas pushed Nikki back inside and slammed the door. “Well, I guess that won’t work.”
    “Must be two of them.” Her face contorted in pain, and then her hand reached out to him as she crumpled to the floor.
    His mind went blank. This couldn’t be happening. He leaned over. Relief flowed through him when he found her pulse. She was still alive. He gathered her up and placed her on the couch. He checked her forehead, knowing it was a ridiculous thing to do. He relocked the front door. “Please, God. Keep her safe.”
    Nikki moaned.
    “Nikki, can you hear me?”
    She didn’t respond.
    Falling to his knees, he knelt beside Nikki. “Please, God, don’t let her die too.” He ran his finger down her cheek. Her skin was so pale and clammy—just as Victoria’s had been.
    The robbery had been a blur until the moment the gunman turned and aimed at Lucas. But he hadn’t shot Lucas. It had been Victoria who fell to the floor.
    His life had changed in a heartbeat.
    Victoria’s last heartbeat.
    The papers had portrayed him as a hero. Some hero. He couldn’t even save his wife.
    And now Nikki was shot because of him. The women he cared about always ended up hurt. Or dead. He closed his eyelids and prayed with all that was in him. He opened his eyes, leaning closer to Nikki.
    Her breath was shallow, but she was still breathing. Nikki opened her eyes. “What happened?”
    Tears filled his eyes. “You passed out and scared me to death.”
    “Sorry. How inconsiderate of me.”
    His hand brushed her cheek. “No, I’m the one who’s sorry. For getting you in this mess. That’s why I fired you.”
    “Listen to me.” She grabbed hold of his arm. “Not your fault. It’s my job. It’s what I do.”
    “Then you should think about changing jobs.”
    “Yeah, maybe I should. And so should you. Apparently, someone doesn’t like the way you’re doing yours.” She struggled to sit up. Gently, he helped her to a sitting position.
    “I think you need to rest some more.”
    “We need to get out of here.” She tried to stand, but swayed. Obviously, still woozy. She sat back down. “Maybe I’ll rest for a minute. Need some water.”
    “How about some aspirin?”
    “Bring me the bottle.”
    Lucas stopped in his old bedroom and found a T-shirt. As he was putting it on, he stared at the window. It might work. No—it would work. It had to. There weren’t many other options for getting out of the house.
    And he needed to get Nikki to the hospital. He grabbed a T-shirt for her and then hurried to the bathroom. His arms were full of first-aid things as he walked back into the living room.
    Nikki’s eyes were closed. Had she passed out again?
    He breathed a sigh of relief as she opened them.
    “Don’t look at me as if I’m dead. It hardly even hurts.”
    “Yeah, right.” He placed rubbing alcohol and bandages on the coffee table as he handed her the aspirin bottle. After she swallowed them, he sat down beside her. “Here, let me do this.” He peeled off her blood-soaked shirt. Blood seeped from her arm, not her shoulder or chest. He looked for a corresponding bullet hole and found it. The bullet went through and through—wasn’t that what they called it on those police television shows?
    “Don’t be looking at things you shouldn’t.” Nikki gave a weak smile.
    He chuckled as he