Protecting You ("The Shadows" Series: Book I)

VII.

Lily's POV

It took me a week to be able to get out of my house on my own. My wound was still healing but it was better now. Dad had given me one of his own guns that he had kept with him till now. He said that it was one of his lucky guns. He was so superstitious. But I was happy that I got the gun because I always watched it with fascination whenever he kept it behind his back. He also asked me to keep a knife with me if situations got worse.

Jim and I went to my favorite place...Samantha's Caring home. I would visit them every weekend. All old people there knew me well. I had pancakes with me for them. They loved it when I made pancakes. They said I was a good cook. I disagreed.

Jim stopped in front of the house. I took the boxes of pancakes with me as he opened the door of my side. I stepped out and we both made our way inside. Some of them were sitting in the garden in front of the house. They stood up and hugged me as I got closer to them.

"Long time no see."

"Where were you?"

"Are you alright?"

They started questioning me. I chuckled at their antiques. Before I could answer them, Samantha came.

"Give her sometime to breath. How are you darling? Everyone missed you here...like you can see." She said while securing me in her arms. I hugged her back. I passed her the box.

"Surprise!!" I said in a high pitch voice. Everyone laughed and took me in. I felt being watched by someone but shook the feeling away.

I spent my day with them. They praised me for bringing the pancakes. We made jokes and shared stories with each other. I didn't tell them the reason I was unable to visit them last week...made up some excuses and then they let me off the hook.

I was now sitting in my car with Jim on the driver's seat, driving peacefully.

"So how are you feeling now?" He asked.

"I feel better." I smiled feeling how much he cared about me.

Our happiness didn't last even five seconds as a bullet whizzed past my head from the sides, slightly centimeters away, shattering the front glass.

"What the-"

"Watch out!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as we escaped a jeep crashing at the side of our car. Jim sped the car away as several cars followed behind. Since we were on the outskirts of the city, we had no option but to dodge the bullets and hits that were being delivered to our cars.

"Who are these people?" I yelled over the gunshots. I heard him cursing under his breath as he looked at me.

"You. Now." He said pointing towards the steering wheel. I nodded and had no idea how we changed positions but it was hectic and wasn't helping when we were being aimed by a bunch of hit-men. He sat at the backseat and started firing. We always had enough ammo and guns in our cars for this kind of sudden attacks. I kept driving and driving. Suddenly out of nowhere a car came beside us and the side windows slid down.

"Get down." The guy shouted. I don't know why but I obeyed him. He looked a bit familiar. But before I could analyse his face and see the familiarity, he started shooting above my head on the opposite side of my car. The car that was on the other side of me trying to shoot me lost control as the driver was hit in his temple and the car crashed behind us. Then the guy started shooting behind me.

He was protecting us from our enemies. I couldn't understand but I kept driving. Jim had managed to crash two cars while the familiar guy had crashed one.

Three down...two to go.

Jim continued emptying his guns at the two cars and same was the case with our unknown supportive men. I was so red in frustration with all the bullets flying around me that I decided to take things in my hands. I knew Jim had some of his guns below the seat and the compartments. I opened it and saw three guns that weren't touched for some time, placed idle, begging for me to be used. I took one of them and held it in my hands, removing the safety. I knew what I was about to do would earn me the lecture of my life from my bodyguard. But I wanted out. As I felt another bullet whizzing past me, I gripped the steering wheel tightly and pushed the breaks hard, turning the steering wheel at the same time. I had never done this before and was scared myself but there was nothing that stopped me from not going to my extreme limits...I was so done right now. The car swirled sharply as I tried to get control on it and slowed down enough for me to put it in reverse and then continued driving.

"THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING LILY!!!" Jim yelled with so much anger, if this had been a normal situation, I would have shrunk back cowardly. At this moment I realized how intimidating he could be. But I ignored him. The car that was helping us shoot our enemies sped past us but slowed down as they saw what I had done. Our car was in reverse and I had my feet on the accelerator hard. Before Jim could react anymore, I raised my hand and aimed at the driver of the car of our enemy. He looked shocked and terrified. And that was the last expression that crossed his face before the sound of gunshot resonated through our car and I saw his bloodied face.

Right in the middle of his forehead.

The car lost its control and swirled uncontrollably hitting the last car that was chasing us. They both crashed and toppled. One of them hit the road and came to a screeching halt, sliding upside down while the other hit the tree and bent it. I stopped my car along with the other supportive car. We all got out.

"You are not getting closer to that." He said pointing towards the upside down car. I glared at him.

"You can't stop me. I was in equal danger. I won't mind putting a bullet through anyone's body if they try to even to reason with me for not checking who these culprits are." I said with equal anger. The shooters from the car watched our conversation as Jim's eyes wavered towards them. He looked at them questioningly before pointing his gun at them.

"We are from your side." One of them said as he raised his hands above his head in surrender. Then it dawned on me. How could I not see the familiarity? He was one of them.

Stood in front of me, in all his overconfidence was none other than.. Evan himself...