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“Where is he?” I ask, searching around. My eyes widen as I notice Tyler’s shirtless with blood on his chest and hands. I’m becoming more hysterical with every passing second.
“They’re prepping him for surgery to stop his bleeding,” Tyler says, looking around me at Sophie and Mason. I turn to see how pale their faces are.
“Surgery?” I gasp. I know damn well you don’t need surgery for a concussion.
“What happened?” Sophie asks, eyeing the blood too.
Sick people are all around coughing and sneezing, so Tyler takes us over to a secluded area. We sit facing him as he leans in, keeping his voice low.
“Liam was fighting really well, blocking hits and making punches, then in the last round, he took Mickey down. As soon as it happened, Liam was declared the winner, and everyone cheered. Then I saw Mickey pull out a knife, and everything went into complete chaos.” Tyler pauses as if he’s replaying every action in his head like a movie. “JJ orchestrated this fight between Liam and Mickey DeFranco, Victoria’s real baby daddy, knowing one of them wouldn’t walk away unscathed. Once we found out who Liam’s opponent was, it was too late to do anything about it or train him differently. I tried to get intel during the past couple of weeks, but no one could tell me anything. By the time it was revealed, too much money was already on the line, and once you step into the ring, there’s no stepping out when so many people are watching. Not unless you win.”
I cover my mouth with my hands. This doesn’t seem real. It can’t be. Even I know weapons weren’t allowed there. It jeopardizes not only the fight but also the people who bid.
“DeFranco had it out for Liam because of how everything went down with Victoria, and he wanted blood. And he most definitely didn’t want to lose. He pulled a rusted knife from his waistband and stabbed Liam in the thigh, twisting it until I rushed in and grabbed Liam. I wrapped my shirt around his thigh to make a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. All of a sudden, there were gunshots, then mass hysteria broke out, but all I was worried about was getting Liam out of there I told him to hold pressure on his leg when we got in the truck, but he was in and out of consciousness the entire drive over here.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. It sounds made up. Glancing over at Mason, I notice his eyes are wide, and his jaw is clenched. Considering Liam has been his best friend for years, I can’t imagine what he’s thinking. They’re like brothers.
“As soon as we pulled in, they rushed him inside and had a team of doctors working on him,” Tyler continues. “They were checking his vitals and prepping him for surgery. That’s all I know as of right now.”
“Oh my God,” I say between sobs. “How could this happen? I—” I bend over and cover my face, releasing the tears I can’t keep inside. Everything Tyler just told us sounds like a complete nightmare.
“Mads, he’s strong, and he’s gonna get through this,” Tyler states confidently. “This is the best hospital in the city, and I got him here right away. His risk for infection will be low, and there’s no reason he shouldn’t have a full recovery.”
I’m sure that’s supposed to make me feel better, but it doesn’t. I’m a nervous wreck and can’t sit any longer, so I stand, but Tyler quickly grabs my hand before I can walk away. He pulls me into the side of his chest and wraps his arm tightly around me. My emotions are going haywire, and I feel like I’m going to have a panic attack at any second. It’s obvious by the number of tears streaming down my face that I’m not okay. The smell of the hospital is making me sick, and I think I might throw up if I don’t get some fresh air.
“You alright?” Sophie asks as I pull away from Tyler.
“I feel sick,” I admit. “I need some fresh air.”
Sophie walks outside with me, and I sit on an empty bench close to the door as I suck in ragged breaths.
She places her hand on my shoulder and rubs down my back, trying to comfort me, but it’s no use. “I’m sure he’s going to be fine. Liam’s one of the strongest people we know. He’s not going to give up without a fight.”
Fighting is what got him here.
I nod, tucking my bottom lip into my mouth. “But what if he’s not?”
I’m not sure what kind of reaction I expect, but she doesn’t give me one. Instead, Sophie looks out at the cars passing in front of the hospital as the cool breeze brushes against our skin.
