Chapter 200
Lucas doesn’t waste time.
The second he gets a proper hold on Zane, he shifts his weight and drags one of Zane’s arms over his shoulder, keeping him upright. Zane lets him barely but I can see the strain in his face, the tight way his jaw is locked, the way his hand is still pressed hard against his abdomen like if he lets go, everything will spill out.
“Move,” Lucas barks.
And just like that we push forward, out of the building, through the broken hallway, past the bodies and past the mess. The air outside hits me hard almost too clean after everything inside.
But it’s not quiet not even close, there are armed and alert men everywhere, spread out around the compound like a perimeter.
Some of them are Zane’s men that I recognize and some are My brothers’ men. It’s hard to tell who is who at first, but they’re all tense, all watching, all ready. A few of them rush forward the moment they see us.
“Boss p>
“Sir p>
But Lucas cuts them off with a hard look. “Clear the way p>
They do Immediately.
Two cars are already waiting, engines running, with the doors open.
Everything feels rushed now and urgent.
Zane stumbles slightly and Lucas tightens his hold on him, adjusting his grip to keep him steady.
“Stay with me,” Lucas mutters low.
Zane lets out a rough breath but doesn’t respond.
I hesitate for half a second, my eyes stuck on him, on the blood, on the way he’s starting to pale.
“Elaine,” Noah says, firm but not harsh. His hand presses lightly against my back, guiding me.
“Get in p>
I don’t argue as I get into the second car seeparate from Zane.
And I hate that.
Lucas gets into the first car with him, already shifting to keep pressure on the wound. I see him pressing something cloth, maybe his hand hard against Zane’s abdomen.
Then the doors slam and we’re moving fast.
The car jerks forward, tires screeching slightly as we pull away. I twist in my seat almost immediately, turning to look back at ththe other car is right behind us.
I can see through the windshield just barely movement inside, Lucas leaning over Zane.
My chest feels tight and my hands are clenched in my lap and I don’t even realize it until my fingers start to ache.
“Hey,” Noah says softly beside me.
I don’t look at him my eyes stay locked on that car.
“He’s going to be fine p>
I swallow my throat feeling dry.
“You don’t know that,” I mutter.
Noah exhales quietly.
“I do p>
There’s something steady nd groundin in his voice but it doesn’t fully settle the knot in my chest.
The drive feels longer than it probably is as every second stretches and every turn feels too slow.
I keep looking back over and over again just to make sure the car is still there.
When we finally pull into the hospital, everything happens all at once again.
Doors fly open, voice rise as people rush forward…Not regular hospital staff not entirely.
Zane’s door opens and he’s pulled out carefully but quickly, two men supporting him now alongside Lucas.
There’s already a gurney waiting and they lower him onto it and immediately start wheeling him inside.
“Clear the way p>
“Get the room ready p>
Orders are being thrown around like this is routine liek bullet wounds just… happen here.
I step o out of the car, my legs wobbling slightly as I hit the ground..my eyes going straight to him to see they are already taking him inside.
“Wait I start, moving after them
I need to see where they’re taking him.
I need to p>
Noah’s hand closes around my wrist firmly Stoppin me.
“Not yet p>
I turn to him, frustration rising immediately. “Noah p>
“You’re getting checked first,” he says, cutting me off.
“I’m fine,” I snap.
And I mean it.
Compared to him? I’m more than fine.
“I said I’m fine p>
“No,” he replies, calm but unyielding. “You’re not p>
My jaw tightens.
“I don’t need p>
“Yes, you do p>
His grip softens slightly, but he doesn’t let go.
“You’ve been through hell, Elaine. You could have internal injuries, a concussion, anything. You’re not walking around unchecked p>
I shake my head. “Zane p>
“Zane Is being handled,” Noah says firmly. “Right now, you’re the one I’m handling p>
I want to argue God, I really do but my body betrays me the exhaustion, the ache and slight dizziness that hits when I turn too fast.
I hate it. But I don’t fight him anymore as he leads me inside and not in the direction they took Zane…Somewhere else. A quieter corridor and a different room.
He pushes the door open and guides me inside.
“Sit p>
I drop onto the edge of the bed, more because my legs give out than because I choose to.
A few minutes later, doctors come in two of them, followed by a nurse.
They start immediately asking me questions p>
“So, what happened p>
“Any loss of consciousness p>
“Where does it hurt p>
“Have you eaten p>
Their voices overlap slightly, one after the other.
I answer as best as I can as They check everything mt head, my eyes.
Shining light and making me follow it.
Every bruise gets noticed and every cut. They clean the smaller wounds and wrap a few.
One of them presses lightly against my side and I flinch.
“Bruising,” he mutters.
Another checks my pulse and my blood pressure as time starts blurjng a little. At some point, I stop paying attention to what they’re saying and just answer automatically.
Eventually, they step back.
“You’re lucky,” he says simply.
“Nothing serious. Just minor injuries, bruising, and exhaustion p>
He pauses.
“You’ll need plenty of rest p>
The word feels almost ridiculous right now.
But I nod anyway because I don’t have the energy to argue anymore.
The moment they step out, my head turns toward the door and toward the hallway to where they took him.
My chest tightens again all I can think is…I need to see him.