Madison had used her rage to propel herself to great heights.
Heather had directed hers in a way that could only destroy her.
And now Paul was on the ground, the life force quickly seeping out of him.
Now that she’d lost everything, she could no longer see the point of the secret she’d kept all these years. She’d been a little girl when she’d pulled that trigger. Surely the world would’ve forgiven her?
Madison closed her eyes for a handful of seconds. The time had come to speak the truth, wash away her sins, and use what little time was left of her life to red
eem herself and her lies.
When she opened them again, her gaze landed on Paul. She wouldn’t let a decade of Paul’s protection die in vain.
“I didn’t do it.” Her voice remained steady, leaving no room for doubt. “Your father killed my parents, and I’m sorry you ever convinced yourself otherwise.”
“Liar!” Heather released the safety and pressed the barrel to Madison’s forehead.
The metal was hard and hot, searing into her skin. Madison narrowed in on the tiny broken-heart tattoo on Heather’s trigger finger, then shut her eyes against it and sent out a thousand prayers to whoever might still be willing to listen.
All she’d ever tried to do was save her own life. What could be so wrong about that?
Someone shouted in the distance, though their cries were soon masked by a deafening blast that burst through the room.
Madison’s ears rang with the sound of gunfire, her nostrils filled with the scent of gunpowder, and she slammed hard against the floor as Heather rolled on top of her.
Blood streamed across her cheek and pooled into her hair.
Her head ached from the impact of hitting the concrete, though it took a moment to realize she hadn’t been hit.
It was Heather’s blood that washed over her.
Even with his gut torn open, Paul could still land a perfect shot in the side of a head.
Madison pushed Heather aside, scrambled to her feet, and grabbed hold of Paul. “Someone get help!” she shouted, spotting Mateo standing in the doorway, looking on in horror as Detective Larsen sped toward her. “Hurry!”
As Paul slipped toward the ground, Madison struggled to hold him until Larsen took over.
“Don’t die!” she cried, cradling Paul’s head as Larsen pressed his hands against the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding. “Don’t you dare leave me!” she sobbed, hardly able to speak through her tears.
Next thing she knew, a pair of hands grasped her by the shoulders and pulled her to her feet, allowing the necessary space for the emergency response team to take over.
Ira held her tightly as Madison watched Paul being pulled onto a stretcher and wheeled out of the room. “It’s going to be okay.” Ira spoke softly into her ear. “It’s all over now.”
Six Months Later
FORTY-SIX
KIDS IN AMERICA
Spotlight magazine exclusive!
We here at Spotlight were thrilled when Tommy Phillips agreed to take time out from his busy schedule to catch us up on his latest news! Read on to see what Tommy’s been up to since that tragic night at RED.
Spotlight: Tommy, thank you for taking the time to talk with us. We know you’ve been lying low for the last several months, spending time in the studio, and recovering from what we can only imagine was a harrowing experience. How are you holding up?
Tommy: I’m doing okay. Not sure I’ll ever be over it entirely; it’s the sort of thing that’s not easy to forget.
Spotlight: Understandable. Have you been in touch with the others—Aster, Layla, Ryan, and Madison?