Page 52 of Love Above Law

It takes us over an hour before the house Hugo had brought Dana and me to comes into view. Lex wastes no time striding up to the ambulance where two EMT's are waiting. Laying me down on the stretcher, he goes about relaying all my injuries. When his gaze lands on my bloody swollen features, a look of rage takes over his handsome face, and I know he's hanging on by a thread.

Next, the focus is put on my feet when the EMT begins removing my blood-soaked socks. I suck in a sharp breath when he peels the fabric from my injured feet. The EMT then takes in how bad the bottoms are cut. "I'm going to be as gentle as possible, but I have to clean these cuts. I will warn you, it's going to sting," he says, and I nod. Leaning into me, Lex takes my hand in his and places his forehead against mine as the EMT takes care of my feet. I keep my eyes focused on him, and he allows me to draw my strength from him. "You're so fucking brave." Lex gently kisses my lips.

"Alright, that's it," the guy wrapping my feet in gauze announces. "You have several cuts, but none of them looks as if they need stitches. I do recommend you go to the hospital and have a doctor look them over; just to be sure."

"No hospital," I shake my head.

"Leyna," Lex protests.

"No. I'm not going to the hospital."

Lex hangs his head and sighs the moment my brother appears at the back of the ambulance. "Give it up, man, she's a Martinez. So, you know what that means."

"Yeah, It means she's too damn stubborn for her own good," Lex grumbles.

"Taylor!" a man standing on the steps of the house hollers out.

Lex brushes a strand of hair away from my face. "I need to go see what Kurt wants. I'll be right back." Then kisses me again before standing and stepping out of the ambulance leaving me with my brother who climbs in and takes a seat beside me.

Gabriel becomes quiet as he lets his eyes roam over every, bump, every scratch, and every bruise that covers my flesh. I watch his fists clench and unclench at his sides. My brother is struggling, and it breaks my heart. "Gabriel," I reach for him, and he shakes his head.

"I broke my promise, Leyna."

"What?" his confession confuses me.

"I promised my shitty past would never touch you again. That you would be safe, and I would never let anything else happen to you. I fuckin' broke my promise." Anger laces his voice.

Sitting up on the stretcher, I tug at Gabriel's beard. "I love you, hermano, but I swear if I hear you say something like that again, I'm going to kick your ass. I told you last time; you can't control what other people do. Had you known Hugo was still alive and was after me, you would have done something about it." When Gabriel lifts his head and looks at me with his dark eyes, I smile. "There is only one thing I want from you, Gabriel."

"Anything, hermana."

"A hug."

The moment my request leaves my mouth the corner of Gabriel's lips lifts into a slight grin. He wastes no time pulling me into his arms. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. "No more silent treatment, Gabriel. That's the only promise I want from you."

Releasing me, my brother looks at me with guilt. "That's one fuckin' promise I can keep. Never again, Leyna. On the way to Seattle, all I kept thinking was how I had been purposely trying to hurt you by not speaking to you. I let my personal feelings cloud my judgment. I'm a jackass, Leyna. I knew months ago I was wrong, but I was too damn stubborn to admit it."

"You are a Martinez," I say the same time he says, "I am a goddamn Martinez." We both chuckle.

"Babe," Lex calls standing outside the ambulance. Gabriel looks at Lex then back to me. He stands, leans over, and kisses the top of my head. "I'll come to check on ya in a bit."

"Okay," I agree and my brother climb out of the ambulance. I watch as my brother and Lex come face to face. They look at each other for a long moment. Neither one is saying a word. This is the moment of truth. Can the two most important men in my life come together for me?

Lex is the first to make a move by offering Gabriel his hand. Looking at his outreached palm, Gabriel places his hand in Lex's. Finally. With a grunt and a nod, Gabriel makes his way over to the rest of the guys.

"I love how even after everything you just went through you can still come out with a smile on your face," Lex says sitting down next to me.

"Oh, I'm sure I'll have my breakdown later when I'm alone, but right now, I'm happy to be alive, and I have you," I squeeze his hand, "and I have my brother back. Thank you for what you did out there with my brother."

"I'd do anything for you, beautiful." Lex strokes his thumb over my swollen cheek. "I hate that motherfucker marked you," he says through clenched teeth.

Leaning into his touch, I close my eyes and shake my head. "Lex, that man does not deserve another second of our thoughts. He's dead and can no longer hurt me or anyone ever again. I just want to move on and live the second chance I've been given. Can we do that?"

"Yeah, beautiful, we can do that."

"Good. Take me home."

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