Oh God. I can’t.
“I promise,” I whisper; a rasp in my broken voice. My entire body shakes in my grief.
I can’t lose the light in my life, my sun, my everything.
Patient 3 falls to his knees, grabbing onto her, his hands scrabbling all over her.
“N-n-o...” The guy tries to speak. He’s mute, from what Malishka told us.
Valley and Bryan reach us at the same time as Malishka’s body gives up the fight, and her eyes close.
“Fuck, no!” Synn roars like a dragon as he comes skidding over to us, landing on his knees next to us.
I barely notice the car that took those shots speeding away.
Purge rushes up with Razor and Trikk on his heels.
“Your father?” Razor asks him.
“He took off like the pussy he is,” Purge spits.
Frost comes next, pushing Synn out of the way. He speaks softly to me. “Ghost, let me have her. I need to check her. Please, brother.”
I can’t speak around my mournful sobs. Shaking my head, I tighten my grip, rocking Malishka’s frail body back and forth.
I hear Jax’s voice from close to us. “Son, please let Frost have her. We need to check her and get her and Harris the hell out of here. Okay?”
Looking up at Frost, I blink when I see the tears streaking down his face. The shock of seeing his emotions is almost too much to bear. I shakily nod and pass her gently to his waiting arms.
He frantically pats her down. “The bullet entered her back, a little to the right of her spine. I don’t... I don’t see an exit wound.” Frost makes a strangled sound.
Patient 3 screams in rage. He attempts to take her from Frost, but Jax stops him. “Get her in the car, now. We already have Harris loaded inside. We need to get far away from here. There's no time to waste.”
Frost stands up with Malishka cradled in his arms and places her onto one of the back seats. He slides in next to her, and I'm right behind him.
“Go on, get in,” I hear Jax saying softly to Patient 3.
The car jostles a bit as he practically dives in behind us, leaning forward to touch Malishka.
Jax puts the car in gear, gunning the engine.
He grabs his phone, and one-handed, dials a number, putting it on speaker. The call connects, and he frantically says, “Thor, call Dr. A; tell him to get ready for two incoming.”
“What? Who?” Thor blurts.
“Harris and the girl—Phoenyxx.”
“No, man. That’s my buddy.” Thor sounds broken. “I’m on it, though, Boss Man.”
“Thanks, Thor. Tell him the ETA is ten minutes,” Jax tells him.
I turn to Malishka, taking her limp hand. I let out a strangled moan, using all my willpower to pray she is okay.
Frost makes a sound, and I look at him. “What?”
“She looks too still.” He picks up her other wrist, placing his first two fingers against it. “Shit.”
“What? Does she have a pulse?” Jax hollers, not taking his eyes off the road.
