Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
Elaina
One of Alejandro’s men, Emmanuel, strode along beside me as we slowly walked the edge of the property.
After seeing Adelaide for the first time in years and actually seeing with my own eyes that she was safe, happy, and healthy, even had a family and a husband, I’d needed some time alone to decompress.
And fresh air always helped to calm me, especially when the sky was overcast like it was now, storm clouds threatening just overhead.
“What do you do for Alejandro?” I asked Emmanuel, wanting to make conversation while I recentered myself.
Tipping my head back, I looked up at the sky as thunder rumbled quietly overhead.
I hadn’t seen lightning, so the storm was still a ways off.
I had a little more time before I had to worry about a downpour of rain and seeking shelter inside from the storm.
“I am his head of security,” he informed me, his accent thick. “And his personal guard.”
“Is it difficult working for him?” I didn’t know much about Alejandro, but there was a level of both fear and respect from everyone when he stepped into a room.
Well, apart from Joey, but I didn’t think Joey was much of one for showing someone respect unless they’d earned it.
And I wasn’t all that sure the man was capable of fearing anything or anyone. He was so… cold sometimes.
“No,” Emmanuel replied. He slid his hands into the pockets of his slacks.
“Alejandro is fair, and when the job is done correctly, he is kind and fair. He is one of the richest men in the world, and he did not climb to the top by being… soft. I am not sure what other word to use in your language,” he apologized.
“A man like Alejandro cannot show weakness, and he cannot bow down to others.”
I frowned. “He’s nice to me,” I muttered.
Emmanuel shrugged. “You seem to be his…” He paused like he was trying to find the correct word. “Exception,” he finally settled on. “But you are different, Elaina. He would not have spent three million dollars on you otherwise.”
I opened my mouth to ask why he’d done that, but a gunshot suddenly popped.
Emmanuel quickly shoved me to the ground, and I landed hard on my ass, my palms scraping against the gravel lot, cutting into my hands.
Emmanuel shouted in pain and dropped to his knees, and when I saw the blood pouring from his chest…
I screamed. I didn’t know what else to do but scream in the hopes someone would hear me and come help. There was so much blood. Too much. That bullet had hit his chest dead fucking center.
Rushing forward on my bloodied hands and knees, I ripped my shirt over my head, pressing it to his chest wound. He shook his head at me, trying to push me away, but he was weakening too quickly.
“Get inside,” he rasped, grabbing his gun and thrusting it toward me.
“I’m not leaving you,” I snapped, my voice thick with tears as I shoved his gun aside, not wanting it. A gun wouldn’t help me stop his fucking bleeding. My tears swam in my gaze, making it hard to focus. I blinked rapidly, hating that they rushed hotly down my cheeks.
“Elaina, you have to get inside. Get to Alejandro.”
“No!” I barked at him, a sob ripping from my chest. He was the second person within forty-eight hours to take a fucking bullet for me. I was not leaving his side, even if it got me killed, or worse, kidnapped.
I’d rather be killed than be taken back to my father and all those men waiting to use me and abuse me. I’d slit my own fucking throat first.
“Elaina!” Joey roared.
“Go,” Emmanuel choked out, blood spilling from his lips.
I shook my head again. “I’m not fucking leaving you,” I choked out. “Just hang on, okay? You’re going to survive this. You have to.”
“Fuck,” Joey snarled when he neared me. “Move, sweet girl.” I couldn’t bring my hands to move, even if I wanted to. They were frozen, continuously applying pressure to Emmanuel’s chest wound. I was terrified if I moved, he’d die.
He couldn’t die because of me.
“Pequena luchadora,” Alejandro called, his voice soothing. He crouched beside me and gripped my wrists. “Let Joey take over.”
“He needs a hospital.” My voice wobbled, and more tears spilled down my cheeks. Emmanuel blinked slowly, doing his best to stay awake. If he closed his eyes, he might die. He couldn’t close his eyes. “Keep your eyes open,” I begged him.
“Ink is already grabbing a van,” Joey assured me, his hands covering mine, his eyes focused on Emmanuel. “Move your hands, sweet girl. Let me take over. You need to get cleaned up, and then, Alejandro will bring you to the hospital, okay? Let him get you cleaned up.”
Emmanuel nodded at me, though the movement was sluggish. “Go,” he urged.
Slowly, I removed my hands from under Joey’s, and then, Alejandro pulled me up to my feet.
With a hand on my lower back, he quickly led me into the clubhouse and over to the sink at the bar.
Wordlessly, he sprayed Dawn dish soap on my hands, then scrubbed them down before helping me rinse them.
I had no idea when Adelaide came up, but she wordlessly handed Alejandro a hand towel, and he hurriedly dried my hands.
Bringing my fingers up to his lips, he pressed light kisses to both of them, his dark eyes boring into mine. “I thought you’d been shot,” he rasped. “Joey and I both did. It scared the fuck out of us, pequena luchadora.”
“I just wanted fresh air.” I drew in a shaky breath. I hiccupped, my chest too tight. I could barely breathe. Emmanuel was so kind. He couldn’t die just because he was ordered to protect me. “Is he going to die, Alejandro?”
Alejandro shook his head. “It doesn’t look like it hit anything vital. It’s just bleeding badly. Come on. Let’s get you to the hospital. Joey should have already left with Ink.”
“We’ll hold things down here,” Adelaide informed Alejandro. “Let Joey know for me.”
Alejandro nodded once, then quickly led me out to his SUV. Miguel was already in the driver’s seat, and once we were in the backseat, Miguel took off out of the lot, gravel flying up behind him.
Alejandro tugged me close, damn near putting me on his lap, and wrapped his arms tight around me. “He’s going to be okay, pequena luchadora,” Alejandro murmured. He pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “He’s suffered much more serious wounds, I promise.”
I just hoped he was right. If Emmanuel died protecting me, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to cope. It might be the one thing to break me.