At that exact moment, Alex stepped into the waiting area since he had rushed down there after hearing the gunshot.
His breath caught and his eyes widened in horror as he saw Emma crouching beside a fallen body.
"Emma!" His voice was raw with panic as he ran toward her, his mind screaming that she'd been shot.
Emma turned sharply at the sound of his voice, her eyes wide, frantic. "Alex—"
But he wasn't listening. His entire body was locked in panic as he grabbed her shoulders, scanning her desperately.
"Are you hurt? Tell me you're okay!" His hands ran over her arms, her sides, searching for any sign of injury.
"I'm fine! I'm fine!" Emma gasped, gripping his hands. "Alex, I'm not the one who got shot!" she cried, her mind still struggling to grasp what Jake had just done.
His breath hitched. That was when his mind finally caught up with reality. The blood wasn't hers.
It was Jake's.
