Once we worked our way through the battle, it was easy to get inside the bar. No one was guarding it. They were all in the fight. Just before we went inside, Luca’s SUV rolled into the parking lot. His bodyguards got out first, followed by him. Backup had arrived.
Hawk pushed open the door of the bar, leading the way with his gun raised in the air, but no one came running out at us. In fact, there were only two people inside. One of them was a man behind the bar, looking scared, and he ran out the door as soon as he saw us. The other was Jason, and he was hurt.
“Don’t,” I cried out as Hawk pointed his gun at Jason, who was sitting hunched over at a table with his hand pressed against his bleeding shoulder, right next to his collarbone.
I didn’t think Hawk would shoot an injured man, but I couldn’t take the chance. I hurried forward and knelt next to him. He didn’t seem to recognize me at first, and fear was clear in his eyes, but after a moment, I could see him putting the pieces together.
“Blade?” he asked, his voice weak.
“What happened to you?” I asked, gesturing at his shoulder. I could feel Hawk’s eyes on me, but I couldn’t explain who Jason was right now.
“Shot, not sure by who,” he said, his breathing heavy. “Hurts like a son of a bitch.”
“I’ll bet it does,” I agreed. I looked over at Hawk. Pin had disappeared somewhere. I assumed to check the back room or basement. “I need to get him out of here.”
“What? No way. Forget him. We need to find the weapons or get back out there into the fight.”
“I can’t. He’s…” I almost said family, which wasn’t true at all. But he was Kat’s family, and damn it, I cared about her even if she refused to feel the same. I sighed. “He’s important. I need to keep him safe.”
Pin came back into the room. “Nothing here that I could find. There are no weapons.”
“Damn it, I knew that might happen, but it puts a kink in our plan,” Hawk rammed his fist into the wall angrily.
“Let’s get back outside,” Pin suggested. “We’ll subdue a member and make them talk when the fighting is done.”
“I’m leaving with Jason,” I cut in stubbornly.
“Who the fuck is this guy?” Pin asked, eying Jason suspiciously.
“A prospect,” I explained, “and a friend.”
Jason looked at me curiously but didn’t contradict that last part.
“We need to get out there. And find the weapons.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. I just couldn’t let Jason stay in here bleeding. I knew that Outlaw Souls would be fine. With Luca’s help, we outnumbered Las Balas. They didn’t need me. Jason did.
Hawk and Pin didn’t say anything. They just left me in the bar.
“I’m going to get you out of here,” I told Jason.
“Why?”
“For Kat. She’s just getting over losing her mom. I won’t let her lose you, too.”
Surprise flickered through the pain clouding his eyes. “She told you about our mom?”
“Yes, now come on.”
I took hold of his good arm and pulled until he was on his feet. Then, I pulled Jason’s arm over my shoulder and helped him walk out of there. I was taking him home.
Twenty-Five
Kat
I hadn’t seen Blade in days. I knew that it shouldn’t bother me, given the nature of our relationship, but I couldn’t help frowning as I looked over at his empty workstation. He’d called Brie this morning to tell her that he wouldn’t be in today and to reschedule his appointments. She said he didn’t elaborate on why he was taking the day off, and she assumed that he was sick.
I had a feeling that something else was going on.
