Chapter 42
“And why were you here?” The agent asks me.
“Because she called me, and I heard someone take her.”
“Why didn’t you contact the police?”
“I did.” I laugh.
“He called me,” Collins tells her again. “I traced her watch to the station.”
“Right…” she nods her head.
“I had a feeling someone on the force was behind it.”
“Why would they?”
“Because… they wanted to hurt me.”
“So they knew you were together?”
“They figured it out.”
“How’d they do that?”
Collins starts this time. “They found a video of them together in his old cruiser.”
“And it was apparent that they were together?”
“Yeah…”
“Are you sure?” she asks condescendingly. “I just need to make sure for the report. Make sure there’s no reason for anyone to come back and ask anymore questions.”
“Well, my cock was inside of her, so…” I shrug, feeling empty.
Z shakes his head before he puts a couple more feet between us and looks down at his phone.
The agent’s face turns red as she looks down at her pad, muttering. “Yeah, that’s a little hard to misunderstand.”
“They’re at the hospital.” Z calls over.
“And when you got here?”
“I snuck in.”
“How were you able to get by half a police force?”
“I didn’t.” I pause, shaking my head and looking down. “They grabbed me and brought me into a waiting room. Drew was in there.”
“How’d you get out?”
“Shot our way out.” Leaning over and letting my head fall into my hands.
“They’re taking her into surgery.” Z calls out.
“I understand this is really difficult.” She tells me, flipping her notebook closed. “I’ll be by the hospital later; we can finish up there.”
Nodding my head, I stand up to head back over to the truck. “There was an older man.” I tell her, stopping as I’m about to walk off.
“What?”
“Yeah, he was like my parent’s age, 60s or so.”
“Do you remember what he looked like?”
“Not really.” Shaking my head. “He ran out of the room when everyone started shooting. I think someone called him Marc. Drew may be able to tell you more.”
Because she’s going to make it. She has to make it.
Z nods to head back to the truck. Holding out the keys for me to grab, but all I can do is shake my head.
Sliding into the passenger seat, leaning against the window, I watch as the clouds move over us, and the drops fall down, rolling down the window.
I’m surprised when he pulls up in front of my house.
“No, we have to go to the hospital.”
He laughs, shaking his head. “Look at yourself right now.” And he flips down the visor. “She can’t see you like that when she wakes up.”
“You’re right.” Nodding my head, pushing myself out of the truck and walking up the front of my house.
I hear Z behind me as he follows.
It’s almost comical how Z makes himself at home in my house, immediately walking into the kitchen and hearing him opening cabinets.
Walking through my bedroom and into the bathroom.
Catching my reflection out of the corner of my eye stops me.
“Fuck,” I gasp, looking at the blood, Drew’s blood, that’s drying on my chest.
“Here.” I jump at his voice as I look over, as he sits down a highball glass on the counter.
“There’s too much.” Still staring at the blood that’s covering me.
“No.” Shaking his head as he leans against the counter. “We’re not thinking like that.” His voice cracking as he says it, “We need to hurry. They said it’d take a while, but we need to be there when she comes out of surgery.”
“You can go ahead; I’ll be right behind you.
He says nothing at first, just looks at me, but I’m still just staring at the blood staining my skin.
And I laugh, surprising myself.
And I can’t stop.
Doubling over, bracing myself against the counter.
The water’s filling my eyes as it controls me.
“Uh, are you alright?”
“No, not even a little.” Reaching over, picking the glass up and tossing most of the whiskey back. “It’s just a little ironic.”
“What is?” I can see his protective brother’s side coming out.
“You don’t want to know.”
“Why would you say that?” he tosses his hands to the side. “You know now, if you don’t tell me, it’s gonna drive me crazy.”
“The day you showed up after Tate’s…” I trail off, not sure if I should bring it up or not. “You had just left, and she came out.”
“Wait, she was here?”
“Yes,” I chuckle. “So you know those period cups…”
“Yeah…” he nods. “I’m aware of at least what she used to use.”
“Did you know they can get stuck?”
He looks at me, shaking his head. “Get in the fucking shower.” Pointing past me.
“I told her I’d do more for her than get a little blood on my hands.”
I can’t help but laugh even harder, causing him to laugh as well before he forces himself out of the room. Muttering, “I hate you so fucking much,” as the door shuts behind him.
And I’m alone in the room, just me, the ghost of my memories, and the blood of the woman I love.
The shower makes me feel a little better, but still all I see are the flashes of Drew in my arms as I carry her through the halls. Her limp body as I come out the doors. Her on the gurney as they loaded her into the ambulance.
Pulling the shirt over my head, I move into the kitchen. Z sits, staring at the counter in front of him.
“What are these?”
Looking over, I see what he’s talking about: the photos sitting on the counter in front of him.
“I see you went through the drawers.”
“Can you blame me?”
“Nope,” shaking my head. “There weren’t many times we could go out. Tried once and ended up running into a coworker and you, actually.”
“What?”
“Yeah, that time you pulled up next to me at the light.”
“Oh yeah, wait, where was she? I didn’t see her?”
“She hid.” I can’t help but laugh, making him squint his eyes at me, and I shake my head. “That’s where you should drop it.”
“Got it.” He nods, finally listening to me when I advise him on something.
“But when we went to the canyon, we could be out in the open.”
Looking up at me, he tilts his head, and I can tell something’s weighing on him.
“Look, before we head up there, I wanted to talk about shit.”
He says nothing, just nods.
“This one’s probably easier.” I mumble. “I didn’t know what to do about the money.”
“Come and talk to me.” He shakes his head.
“And say what? Sorry Z I had this thing set up with Ash where he was helping me out with money to do him favors, but he’s dead and the money’s not, but don’t ask any more questions, cause I’m not supposed to say anything.
” shaking my head I nod. “I haven’t touched much of it, cause I figured when it all came out I could give it back. ”
“I’m sure we can figure something out.” He shrugs.
I just look at him, confused for a moment before slowly nodding my head. “I would also like to squash this,” motioning between him and me, “before she wakes up.”
I watch him swallowing as he nods his head. “What about Zeke?”
He just laughs at the look I give him.
“That’s fair. I guess we’re both aware that it’s going to take a little longer for him to come around.”
“Yeah.” Rolling my eyes. “But if you and I are at least not feuding anymore, then he’ll come around faster.”
“You’re right.” He pauses.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“I see that.” He pauses a moment before starting again. “I’ll be honest, I don’t know how I feel about it?”
“What?”
Exhaling, he pauses for a moment. “She told me I was hurt, and she’s right. I had felt like, god I feel like such a bitch right now.” Makes both of us laugh.
I nod, realizing what he’s trying to say. “The two aren’t mutually exclusive. I can want to be with her and also want to fix our friendship at the same time, as long as you’re okay with both.”
“That’s the thing. I want to hate it.”
It actually makes me smirk.
“Like I told her, I can make myself get over it, but I still want to hate you for it.”
“That’s fair.” Not being able to do anything but laugh before adding. “I mean, I talked to you about it while also purposefully omitting who it was.”
“I mean, you said it was complicated.” He chuckles as well. “But what’s fucked for me is as much as I want to hate it, I can’t. I know you. I’ve seen the way you talk about her. And fuck the last couple of days.” He shakes his head.
“It’s her.” I nod.
“I know.” He says, quietly. “And I know how you’ll treat her. It just pisses me off I can’t hate it.” Clearing his throat, he pauses again. “I’m not saying you and I are good yet.”
I don’t say anything, just nod.
“But I guess I’m saying I’m okay with it.” He sounds confused as he says it.
Nodding my head. “Thanks.” I’m not sure how I feel at the moment because, as happy as that should make me, there’s still the massive weight of shit that’s going on. “I guess we should head up there?”
He nods before we both head to the door, walking out and back down to the truck. He tosses me the keys and slides into the passenger seat.
As I pull out of the drive, he laughs. “I’m still gonna kick the shit out of you for everything.”
“Obviously.”
* * *
This time I follow behind him as we walk into the hospital. Making our way until we see the waiting room split in half.
It’s fucking comical. On one side, the entire MC sits. On the other side, there’s people who don’t want to make eye contact with the opposite side.
Z just shrugs as he looks at me.
A few of the guys nod as I walk over with Z. Ace walks over to me, hugging me, and pulling back, but not saying a word.
“You know.” Jag starts as he looks over at me. “You were right about one thing.”
“Yeah, what’s that?”
“Too fucking stubborn.”
The entire group chuckles before I’m leaning over and brace myself on my thighs.
“You guys hear anything about Low, yet?” I look over. “You know that’s gonna be the first thing she asks about.”
“Shh,” Liv shakes her head before she nods at the couple walking past the waiting room. They glare at us before continuing.
“Her parents?” I ask her.
“Yeah,” she nods. “I tried to ask them and you would have thought I’d shot her.”
“Eli…” Zeke looks over at me after the entire group has sat for what seems like hours in complete silence. “So, you guys were broken up when Z got home, right?”
“Yeah,” my voice is quiet.
“But you were both at the party; how did we not notice anything?”