A Swift Rescue

Chapter 20

Three days later, Damien had just gotten off work, and was now at an upscale steakhouse, just finishing dinner with Taylor.

"The wedding doesn't have to be huge," she said.  "But I'm not getting married in jeans and a t-shirt."

"Neither am I!  Full dress, honey.  Military honors!"

"Which is absolutely fair!"

"Speaking of which, I ought to stand up and salute this ribeye."

They both chuckled.  When they left, Taylor sighed as she watched the crowd passing the place.  "God, I love it when we can just be a normal couple."

"No shit, Cheyenne," agreed Damien.  "These idiots, I'm tellin' ya."

That was when a shot rang out.

Taylor let out a loud "Oof!" as the wind was driven out of her lungs.

"Oh my God!" Someone cried, "Taylor's been shot!"

Taylor was trembling in fear as she pried her hand off her chest.

There was no blood.

"How the fuck... he shot you dead center!"

"Bulletproof coat," Taylor managed to say as the air returned to her lungs.

"Christ... good thinking."  He whipped out his phone.  "Hey... yeah it's Damien Thorndyke; I'm at Beauregard's Steakhouse... we need an ambulance and the cops; Taylor's been hit."

"Oh shit, who shot Tay-tay?!" a woman practically screamed.

"She's conscious.  Wore a bulletproof coat, so no blood... but we should get her checked out."

Soon, the ambulance arrived with the police, who were currently arresting the bewildered shooter.

"God damn it," Damien muttered as Taylor was taken to the hospital.  After talking to the police, he  drove home, which had been, for a good while, with Taylor.  He paced around, trying to relax.  Taylor would be fine, most likely.  She'd recently taken to wearing bulletproof clothing, and Damien had even taught her some hand to hand combat, Ranger style.

A short while later, Taylor was back.

"Bruised my sternum," she said, visibly shaking as she held onto Damien for dear life.  "I can't believe it... Harry Styles was the...". She started crying.  "Harry Styles shot me!  He actually wants... why do all these people want me dead?"  She buried her head in his chest.  "I can't take this, Damien!  I'm being attacked all the time, I...I can't take it!"

Damien sighed.  "Come here, sweetheart."  He gently picked her up, gently placing her in bed and crawling in next to her, holding her close as she cried.

"Maybe I should just stop... just... just never leave the house!"

"Don't... don't let 'em win, honey."

All Taylor could do was cry.

The cats soon jumped on the bed, purring as they snuggled with Damien and Taylor.  Megan let out comforting meows as she squeezed between the two.

Damien sighed and closed his eyes.  He had to decapitate the snake... somehow, he had to get rid of Jake Gyllenhaal.  But for now, he simply held his fiancée close as she cried.