Her arms were still bound behind her. If it wasn't for the fact that Xander is dead beside me I'd kill him again. I reach into my back pocket to cut her binds, freeing her wrists. She struggled within my reach as she tried to get to Cedric.
“No, no, no,” she pleads out silently, praying that he is still alive. D.R comes rushing in, hunching over. He searches for a pulse and his expression softens a little bit, “It’s weak but it's there we gotta get him to a hospital.”
How are we going to explain this to a hospital? Every bullet has to be logged and we didn't need things to get out of hand or involve more police or federal government for that matter.
I hesitate to agree with him. But the compound is a good hour and a half away and I don't know if he would survive. We turn them over to find a bullet wound and his lower right abdomen. There is a small pool of blood that surrounds him. Charlotte shakes fearing that she's about to lose her friend.
“He jumped. He. He jumped in front of me. All because I was mouthing off trying to buy you time,” she starts to stutter out. I smooth over her hair, trying to calm her down. But I think the rush of emotions that she was trying to hide are now coming to surface.
“Keola, he has to live. You told him that we would protect him. But he's scared around this guilt that he was putting us in danger,” she starts to sob out. D.R scoops the man, rushing him to the truck that followed us in here.
“The way I see it, angel, he protected you. He risked his life and saved it. He was a hero and you have to remember that.” I kiss her forehead and she trembles under my touch.
“Yeah he saved me. He can't lose his life because of that,” tears started to stream down her face. I brushed them off with my thumb, she claws her way towards my chest. I wrap my arms around her one more time, holding her, the blood still on her face smears onto my shirt.
“He won't, angel, we’ll get him the help that he needs. But we also got to clean you up before we take you anywhere else,” I say, as I lift her up cradling her to my chest. The truck takes off with Rawlings inside and D.R. Brennan brings around the other truck and I opened up the tailgate popping her on there.
“Angel, look at me,” her sad eyes look up at me, “This might be a stupid question but are you okay?”
With a staggering breath she nods her head. My brave girl.
I didn't want her to get involved with this for this reason. For the fear that the bright sunshine she is might soon disappear.
“Just don't let me go please,” she pleads.
“I would never dream of it,” I say, taking my hands and cupping her face, “But you don't have to lie to me or try to put on a brave face. No human that goes through this can survive and be whole, so if you need to cry, cry and I'll hold you right here.”
My own emotions are starting to boil. All I want to do is bring a smile back to her face. But just like how she was afraid for Cedric when we found him, that's me right now.
“Charlotte, I love you with all my heart,” the words just fall out. It's been a long time coming for me. Not saying time is my forte but I felt like she needed to hear them. “I love this beautiful soul of yours, and I will tell you everyday that I love you.”
“Oh honey,” her eyes soften, “You've made so many promises.”
“Yeah, and I've never broken them so far have I?” My forehead touches hers and I breathe in her warm vanilla scent.
“No sir, you haven't, but loving me could get us both killed in the end,” she says, her voice trembling.
“Then I'd rather die with you than be without you,” as I seal my adoration and declaration with a kiss.
She offers a soft smile.
“I’m okay. I think I'll take off work for a week,” she attempts to joke.
“You and Finn?”
She nods her head. I kiss her as if the heavens opened up, shining their light on me.
“I’ll make you a deal, angel,” I say as I reach behind her and grab a cloth, and a water bottle to try to clean her face before we head to the hospital, “I’ll cook for the next week, if you tell your aunt what happened.”
She jerks back, “Like fucking hell.” But she sighs, “Fine I'll talk with her.”
“That's my girl, now let's get you cleaned up and let's head to the hospital then.” I propose.
She glances back into the warehouse, at the dead bodies that lay there. I grabbed her head and turned it back towards me, “Don't worry about that. The cleaning crew will get this taken care of.
She chews on her lip before a light goes off as she asks her next question, “Is Topaz okay? They drugged me before I could even see if she was alive,” her heart started to sink and finally realized that there were a few more things going on.
I nod my head, “Yeah. Just a bump on the head, Matthew is keeping an eye on her.” My phone goes off, messages pinging with updates.
