“Gotcha,” a growling voice rumbled from behind.
I didn’t even get my weapon up good before something cracked against my back, and I hit the deck. The world tilted around me, spiraling out of control as a steel-toed boot landed directly against my stomach. I gasped for air as I rolled onto my back. The gun I gripped tumbled from my hand. And as the man’s boot came back down against my chest, my lower lip quivered with the amount of pain coursing through my veins.
Before Aria’s face bombarded my mind.
Get up, Bender.
“Stupid fucking cunt,” the man growled.
Bender, please. You have to get up.
The man fisted my shirt and dragged me upright. “I’m going to kill you, and then I’m going to track down and slaughter every last one of you that decided to try and ambush us. You're all dead. Every last one of you.
Bender, come on! You’re better than this!
A door behind me burst open and I knew that was the end. Someone was about to shoot me in the back and ruin everything. The silenced gunshot popped off. I waited for the pain to course through my body. But instead, something warm and wet dripped onto me as the man in front of me collapsed.
Before someone grabbed me from behind.
“I gotcha,” Angel said with a grunt. “Come on. Outside we go.”
The pain was too much for me and darkness took over my vision, and the entire time I saw Aria’s face. That angelic, beautiful, glorious face, and she kept repeating the same words over and over again.
You can’t die on me. I already lost my father. You can’t die on me. I already lost my father.
To this day, I couldn’t recall anything else from that night. All I knew was that when I came to, Goose hovered over me. His hands worked quickly while the sounds of something crackling and cutting dawned upon my ears. And just as my eyes rolled into the back of my head again, I heard her voice.
I heard Aria, and she sounded so close that it almost felt real.
I’m right here, Bender. Just stay with us. Stay with me, okay?
The next thing I knew, sunlight pierced through the window of one of the back rooms of the clubhouse. I winced at the brightness before the sounds of scurrying feet started across the floor and my eyes ripped open. Metal against metal hit my ears before the sunlight quickly faded away, and I bolted upright.
“Who’s there?” I choked out as pain washed over my system.
“No, no, no, no,” Aria said breathlessly as her hands pressed into my shoulders. “You can’t sit up. Lay back down. Please.”
My eyes darted around for her, even in their tired state. “Aria. Is that you? Are you here?”
Her lips pressed themselves to mine softly. “I’m right here, handsome. Right here with you, okay?”
I reached my hand up and threaded it through her hair. “Don’t worry, it’s just some scratches.”
She snickered. “Goose put thirty-seven stitches into your side alone. That’s not a scratch.”
I pulled her forehead down to mine. “I’m so sorry about earlier.”
She sniffled. “Me, too. I really, really am.”
I nuzzled my nose against hers. “Will you stay with me?”
She kissed my cheek. “I’ve been here all night. I’m not going anywhere.”
I leaned back down against my pillow. “I saw you when I was knocked out. You know, your face. Heard your voice.”
She climbed into bed with me. “What did I have to say?”
I closed my eyes. “You begged me to get back to you.”
