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El black eye that she hadn’t the day before, and it was clear she’d been fighting for a while but her already dath that came with crazy

Joseph had a sht at the center of Church’s chest Even with the distance separating us I could see his finger twitch on the trigger as he grappled with the white-haired Tasrasp

"He hurt Dharma" Elma’s voice broke as she spoke to Church "He un She’s bleeding, bad" Elaze shifted between the two of us

"She was supposed to tell you to come alone She didn’t She was supposed to tell you the old bitch didn’t want Dixie here She didn’t do that either" His gaze drifted past Church and landed onbetween rowled the words and went to take a step forward but the gun wavered and switched froainst El stone still and the older wo open wide I sucked in a shaky breath and cli palms on my jeans and cleared my throat so that Joseph’s attention would shift tobetween us

"This is a bad idea, Joe" I hoped keeping ht I was chatting hiuard andto report those gunshots Church’s dad is a cop El to end well for you"

"It’s not going to end well for theun pressed harder into Elma’s temple She cried out in pain and Church couldn’t stop hiun jerked away froht at Church "So in the way of what I want So what should bein second best Except with you, Dixie You were the only one that sa special I could be, how great I could be You saw the best in un wavered a little and I screaunshot was louder noithout the walls of the house towas as loud as the screaet and sent Church to his knees in front of me Elma Mae shrieked just as loudly as I did but her sound was cut off as she was flung to the side, collapsing in the saround Joseph stalked to where Church was still kneeling, blood noing freely down his ar body listed to the side He lifted a hand to his shoulder and I could see hi Joseph in the eyes as the other ht in Church’s face

"You’re in the way of what I want She was nice to me She eet to me She liked me and then you showed up and took her away"

That wasn’t exactly how it all went down, but I didn’t think there was going to be a lot of reasoning with hi Church and the other people I care about I’ to be nice anyaze shifted fro hard He was hurt, but he was also pissed off I could practically see the wheels turning in his handsooing to think that ere just getting good, and bad had wasted no ti to think this was his bad even though it was clear it was all o my way one time I want to be a winner for once" He sounded whiny and pitiful, which was totally at odds with the firearm pointed at the man I loved

I sucked in a breath so hard that it whistled between my teeth I put my raw hand to s

"Leave Elo with you wherever you want, Joe"

Church’s head whipped around so fast I was pretty sure he was going to get whiplash "You aren’t going any, fucking, where, Dixie" The words were bit out and filled with fury

I refused to look at hier and a lot of frustrated man between me and my objective I kneould hate it, but I didn’t see any other option He was shot and Elma was hurt I didn’t know if anyone had called the police and I refused to be the reason anyone I loved was hurt

Joseph tilted his head and consideredto co he’d said since the first gunshot was fired I put my hands up in front of me and prayed my voice didn’t shake the way the rest of me was "I’ll tell them I left with you I’ll tell them I picked you"

His wild eyes widened even ly pale "I hurt people They won’t like it" He sounded like a toddler and I assu to was the police

"I’ll tell them it was all Church I’ll tell theo I’ll tell the me" I sounded desperate and frantic, because I was Church’s eyes shot daggers of warning at me I could feel them prick my skin and stab into my soul but I refused to look at him I didn’t want to lose Joseph’s attention