8. LUKE/MATT
Shot. One inch to the right it would have struck her femoral artery and she would have bled out. She’d be gone. If I had any doubt before, in the face of her passing away, I know that I’ve fallen in love with her. That regardless of her mental health, the other men’s feelings, or my job I’m not going anywhere.
I texted Blaine back on the ride to the hospital. I didn’t have the heart to tell him how we found her, just that she’s on her way to the hospital. He’s meeting us there. Sober, hopefully, because I don’t want to deal with his issues right now. We’ll tackle that another time.
Caleb regained consciousness on our ATV ride out and told us what he could remember. Which was not enough. Neither of them knows what happened in her room at the Center. “Where’s Keir?” he asked in a hoarse voice. “Did you find him?”
Distracting him from the unanswered question, I tell him that we found them in the wildlife preserve located north of the pond. A mere couple of miles from the Center and to the west of an abandoned school. “It’s impressive how far you ran injured with Eden.”
My mind is still trying to wrap around Hutton touching not only Eden, but Caleb and shoving at me. I’d think he was playing all of us if he hadn’t freaked out about having done it afterward by rubbing his hands and arms on the grass. For someone almost mechanical in his detachment it was shocking to see him do that.
“Watch out,” I call to the paramedic pulling Eden’s stretcher out of the ambulance. He almost lets her head hit the ground on the closed stretcher before the wheels drop down, because he’s preoccupied by flashing lights and video cameras. How the fuck did the media find out about this? I herd them away from the ambulances, along with hospital security.
Rick and Todd pull up in their unmarked squad and assist me in corralling all the news outlets on hand away from Eden and Caleb and the crews. Hutton stands near the emergency intake doors with a glower on his face that any sane person would shy away from.
“How the hell did they hear about this?” I ask Rick even though he probably has no clue.
“I’m guessing it’s the same leak that led them to the Wellness Center a couple of days ago. Someone is playing games here.” Rick and I aren’t exactly friends, but I agree with his take on this.
Once the media is under control and backed off hospital grounds, I make my way inside. It wasn’t too long ago that I kept a bed here warm. My stomach churns thinking about it. Blaine jumps up when he sees me.
“What the fuck?” Well, at least he’s sober. The anger was expected.
“Keep it down,” I issue the warning, anticipating his escalation since he doesn’t like taking any orders from me. “I’ll explain how we found them and what we heard from Caleb in private.” Hutton has shadowed me into the hospital and stands only feet away observing. Always watching with a vaguely calculating look. Do I have to worry about him?
Keeping his mouth shut, Blaine follows me into a small waiting room lounge and Hutton trails behind him. Shutting the door, I lean back against it in the hopes no one tries to wander in. “She was shot.” Blaine gasps and his eyes widen. “In her leg, tied to some… some old fencing. Caleb was shot, too, in the shoulder.” Sighing, I hang my head forward. “It’s a damn miracle that they’re alive right now.”
“How is this fucking real life?” Blaine pulls both his hands down his face in frustration and barely contained fury. “This happened right under the watchful eyes of the FBI. How? How does that fucking happen?” His livid look and the way he stalks towards me makes me brace myself. Is he going to take another sucker punch at me? It’s happened before, this time I won’t strike back. I don’t have it in me.
“No one will stop them,” Hutton says with some resignation. “Not the FBI, the police, no one… you don’t understand.”
Hutton can’t read a room. Blaine turns on him. “Okay, psychopath, who is after Eden? Who is it? You obviously know.” Blaine kicks at the coffee table leg near him.
“Cool it. Please. How is Keir doing?” I place a hand on Blaine’s shoulder and turn him towards me. “What have the doctors said?”
“Not a goddamn thing really. Tests and more tests. He might regain consciousness; he may slip away. Nothing of any concrete value.” Frustration emanates from his words as he paces the small lounge with the dripping coffee maker.
“I’ll get more answers,” I assert and see the disdain on his face. He doesn’t have to say it. Like I have about Eden’s situation.
Hutton notices the small sink tucked in the corner and hastily starts to scrub at his hands and lower arms. All I want to do is get to Eden, but I feel like I have to smooth things over with Blaine first. “How are you feeling? No pills or alcohol since we last talked?”
Blaine flies at me like I challenged him to a fight, and I throw my elbow out to deflect his attack. Pure rage paints his face. “Fuck. Settle the hell down.” My deflection doesn’t plant his ass on the scuffed tile floor, but he does bend forward holding his groin. I don’t feel bad about my elbow nailing him, he's the one that launched himself at me.
He takes a swing at me, but I push him away. I’m not engaging with this. His face hits the corner of an elaborate mirror on the wall. Giving him a bloody lip. Maybe he’ll stop now.
“Done?” If Hutton weren’t standing a few feet away, I’d do what I want to. Grab him tightly and kiss the fucking idiot.
“That didn’t go as planned,” he bites out. “Make him,” he points at Hutton, “tell us what he knows. What this big scary threat is.”
It’s hilarious that he thinks I haven’t tried. The more I ask, the more he shuts me out. He doesn’t trust me. Or anyone. “Oh, I’ve tried. Believe me.” Blaine staggers towards the overstuffed couch and plunks down on it.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m not letting them get to her again,” Hutton says to us, wiping his arms so forcefully that the skin is reddening. “I’ll protect her.”
Blaine sneers at him and stands like he’s going to go after him next. Which would be a monumental mistake. Hutton outweighs him in pure muscle by twenty pounds or more.
9. BLAINE
“Could you be any more cryptic? Christ. I’m leaving. I’ll be over here icing my balls and spitting up some blood. Carry on.” I’ve had about all I can stand of his vague ass bullshit. A day is coming soon where I won’t be the only one pushing for answers, Matt looks like he’ll punch him next.
