Chapter 36
Ivory was rooted in place with her eyes wide.
That… that unmistakably, was the sound of a gunshot. Did that mean someone had gotten shot?
The thought sent a sick feeling down her spine.
“Ivy,” Cameron suddenly tugged her along, pulling her out of her trance like state. “We need to get out of here.”
He pulled her behind him and began leading her away from their current location in hopes that he could get them far away from whoever had the gun.
Ivory on the other hand, although she knew this was the rational thing to do, couldn’t help her doctor side that kicked in.
“Wait,” she said, pulling to a stop and earning a frown from Cameron. “We can’t just leave like this. What if…what if someone needs our help?”
Cameron’s frown increased and he grabbed her hand again. “If we don’t stay out of the way, we would be the ones in need of help.‘
He began dragging her away, but Ivory resisted, not budging an inch.
“You can’t possibly be serious.” He muttered and shook his head. After a few seconds of frantically looking around, he pulled out his phone and dialed 911.
As he reported the issue to them, Ivory visibly relaxed. At least help was on the way.
But the sound of another shot being fired, this time closer and echoing all around, had her stiffening up again.
“Let’s go, now.” Cameron, with haste, began leading them towards the exist. But just as they turned a corner, another sound of a shot echoed around and seconds later, the bullet pierced through the concrete beside Cameron.
“Shit!” He cursed and pulled her back, hiding behind a wall. He examined her face, then asked. “Are you hurt?”
Ivory shook her head, but she seemed more focus on the shooter than anything else.
“What’s he doing here? And why’s he just shooting all over the place?” She muttered and tries to take a peak, but Cameron was quick to pull her back.
“Don’t,” he hissed, holding her in place, before repeating more calmly. “Don’t,”
She glanced up and met his gaze before nodding her head.
“So, what now? We’re just going to wait?”
Cameron hesitated, before shaking his head. “The police is on their way, but we have to get out of here. If whoever has that gun finds us, it could get messy. I think…” He glanced around and his eyes landed on a door.
“That’s an emergency exit, and the way seems clear.
He pointed at the door and Ivory looked.
“Okay,” She nodded. “How are we going to get there?”
“Leave that to me,”
He grabbed her hand and without any hesitation, took a step out of their hiding spot and began making a run for the door.
Just as he expected, the moment they stepped out, a shot was fired, then two, three, four.
Cameron dodged, zigzagging as he led them towards the exit, all the while using his body as a human shield to cover Ivory from danger.
Finally, the last step, and the door was in their reach.
But right as they were about to reach it, Cameron stumbled.
Ivory watched in shock as a bullet hit him square in the shoulder.
“Ahh,” His hold on her tightened as the force of the shot threw him off balance.
“Cameron!” She exclaimed, her free hand reaching out for him, but he quickly regained his
footing.
“I’m fine, come on.” He forced a smile and yanked the door open, shoving her through it before slamming it shut behind him.
Ivory stumbled a bit and turned back just as Cameron slumped against the door, panting heavily.
“Cameron,” she rushed back towards him, her eyes widening when she saw the blood. “Are you crazy, why would you do that?”
“You think I’m crazy,” Cameron chuckled, a smirk appearing on his face. “For trying to protect my future girlfriend?”
Ivory wanted to argue with him, but she knew better than to do so. Cameron was bleeding and. he needed to be taken to a hospital.
“We need to get you to a hospital.” She muttered, pressing her hand against the wound to stop it from bleeding.
Cameron grimaced, but shook his head at her suggestion. “It’s just a bullet wound. I can-
“We need to get your to a hospital!” Ivory, in the midst of her panic, was not having any of it.
When he tried speaking again, she silenced him with a glare and finally, he surrendered.
“Well good luck with that when that psycho is still out there.”
As if on queue with his words, the sound of police sirens filled the air. A couple of minutes more was dedicated to the sound of struggling inside and shortly after, there was a gentle bang on the door.
“Police, please open up!!
Relief washed over Ivory and she reached a trembling hand to the door, pulling it open.
“Thank goodness,” She muttered. “Help! This guy is hurt.”
The police officer, after seeing Cameron’s condition, called for a medical unit and helped them get Cameron onto the ambulance,
While Cameron underwent quick first Aid in the ambulance, the police officers filled Ivory in on the incident.
Apparently, the shooter was a escape convict and had been looking for a place to hide. When he saw the museum was still open, he quickly washed in and stole one of the guards guns.
Luckily, none of the securities had suffered fatal injuries and were being treated.
Ivory was relieved to hear this and shortly after the interview concluded, she joined Cameron in the ambulance back and rode to the hospital.
When they arrived, a doctor was assigned to them. The entire time, Cameron sat on the stretcher, with his shirt open, while Ivory stood in the corner, her attention fixed on his wound.
“Why?” She asked.
Cameron, who had his head leaned back, his eyes closed and a smile plastered across his face, hummed, indicating that he was listening-
“Why did you do it? You didn’t have to. I’m not worth a bullet wound, especially from some crazed shooter.”
His eyes slowly opened and he stared at her for a few seconds.
“Of course, you are. Why wouldn’t you be?”
Ivory frowned at his words. But, before she could question him, an all to familiar voice sounded out from behind them.
“Ivory?”
Chapter 36
She turned and was faced with the one person she hadn’t expected.
“Gadreel?”
Her brows furrowed as she met his gaze. But before she could be given the opportunity process his presence, he rushed at her, taking both her shoulders in his arms and looking
all over.
“Blood…” He muttered, looking down at the part of her dress which had been stained.
you
hurt? Where are you hurt?”
Ivory stared up at him, confused.
“I’m not… this isn’t my blood. It’s his,” She gestured towards Cameron.
Gadreel upon taking in Cameron’s state, frowned. “You reckless fool,” he reprimanded and for a second, Cameron thought he was going to get scolded for putting himself in danger.
But Gadreel’s next words surprised him. “Why the hell would you put Ivory in danger. Why do you still behave like a child?”
His words truly caught Ivory off guard. If she didn’t know any better, she would have thought that he cared for her.
But that was impossible. The Gadreel she knew only cared for himself and Evangeline, so no matter what this was, she wasn’t going to allow herself be fooled..
Shaking his hands off, an action that had Gadreel’s brows creasing in a frown, she spoke.
“He didn’t put me in danger. There was a shooting and he protected me. So please, watch the way you speak to him.”
Gadreel was truly taken aback by her words and the way she just defended Cameron he certainly has not expected it.
“What?”
“I said, mind the way you speak to him and moreover, you have no right to be putting up such an attitude. Whether I get hurt or not, is none of your business. After all,” She looked him in the eyes, gaze cold and distant as she concluded. “We’re now divorced.”
Her response stunned Gadreel and for some reason, it didn’t seat well with him, neither did she defending Cameron.
Fortunately, before anything more could be said, the doctor arrived and took Cameron into a ward for treatment and Ivory did not hesitate to follow.
Thankfully, the wound wasn’t anything sever and after disinfecting and wrapping it, all was good.
“I’ll prescribe you some painkillers and other vitamins, be sure to pick them up at the
counter.” The doctor instructed and stepped out
Once he was gone, Ivory sighed in relief and the glanced at Cameron. She hesitated for a few seconds before asking.
“How you feeling?”
“Peachy,” Came Cameron’s answer. “You?”
Ivory didn’t know the answer to that question or rather, she didn’t have the answer to that question.
All at once, she had experienced so many emotions today, that she didn’t know what to feel and Gadreel’s appearance had helped her case.
“I’m holding up,” she managed, but the exhaustion in her voice was noticeable.
She glanced at Cameron and found his eyes fixed on her, almost as if he was trying to read her.
She looked away and stood up. “I’ll settle the bill and grab your meds. You should get some rest.” She advices and began heading for the door
But with her hand on the doorknob, she paused and turned back.
“And Cameron,” She paused, hesitating for a few seconds. “Thanks for protecting me.
After that, she spun around and left.
But as she stepped out of the room, she was instantly greeted by a frown.
Gadreel stood in the hallway, leaning against the wall, his hand in his pocket and his gaze
fixed on her.
God, Ivory thought as she tried to walk past, she really wasn’t in the mood for all this.
But the second she tried passing him, he moved.
His arm stretched out and his hand grabbed hers, pulling her towards him.
“How did this happen?” He asked, but without giving her time to respond, he added. “Were you with Cameron, at the museum?”
Hitting the nail right on the head. Ivory flinched, but covered it up with a glare.
“I don’t know how you know, and I really don’t care, but I’ll warn you once, stop poking your nose in my business and monitoring my every move.” She ripped her hand out of his.
“And who says I monitor your every move. I knew Cameron took you to Valet Museum because that’s where he takes all his girlfriends. That same place over and over, it’s like his little tradition.”
Ivory didn’t let his words get to her, or rather, Cameron wasn’t important enough for those words to bother her.
So what if that was the spot, she had just accompanied him because it was hit late mother’s birthday and she-
“Did he also tell you it was his late mother’s birthday?”
Ivory’s thoughts were immediately interrupted by those words and this time around, she allowed the shock show on her face.
Was that…was that also part of Cameron’s little stammt? No, he wouldn’t-
“Ah, I thought you head sense to some degree, Ivory, but it looks to me like you are just as native as I expected.”
Chuckling, Gadreel shook his head. “But it’s ironic, isn’t it. You act all guarded and hostile towards me, someone who had been your husband for years, yet you easily trust a man who only wants to get in your pants. Now that I think about it, that’s not being naïve, that’s just being brainless. Good thing our marriage settlement paid you hefty, else you’d have to use that malfunctiorting brain of yours, then you’ll end up doing something you regret-
Π
“Enough!!
Having heard enough, Ivory snapped. “That’s enough from you. Think whatever you want, but keep your arrogant opinions to yourself. And I’d have you know, the only decision I–regret till date is marrying you.
Stepping forward, she glared at him. “Rather than giving up all I did, I shot have just allowed you root to death. Then I won’t have so much regret for all the sacrifices I made.”
Gadreel frowned. All the sacrifices she had made?
He was confused, but the moment he decided to ask questions, the doctor treating Evangeline rushed forward.
“Mr. Ødegaar, I apologize for interrupting, but it’s urgent. Ms. Remington’s condition has just she deteriorated and she’s in urgent need for the surgery. I’m afraid if she doesn’t get it now, may die!”
