Page 133 of Devour

“That’s my good girl.” He presses his lips to my forehead. “Did they—”

“No.” I shake my head, looking up at him. “Not this time.”

His arms tighten around me, and I let myself sink into him.

I know we have a lot to figure out, but I’m done living in fear. I’m done with fucking nightmares. And I’m done with the past. I’m only looking forward, and Axl is the one in front of me.

“Axl,” I whisper, not sure if I even spoke out loud. My eyes struggle to stay open. I don’t want to look away from his blue eyes, but I feel myself going under. “I think I’m bleeding.”

CHAPTER 56

AXL

Saylor hasn’t opened her eyes since she told me she was bleeding.

I’ve been holding her hand since I lifted her off that floor and away from her brother’s body. She was covered in so much blood, I couldn’t tell how much of it was hers until the medics cut the gown open and found the gash in her side. It’s deep, and she’s lost a lot of blood.

They put her on fluids and have been working to stop the bleeding on the drive here.

The hospital is the same one where Dane is being kept. Some of the doctors here are Ravens trusted by the Sinclairs. I have no choice but to trust them to work on my girl.

Saylor, Thorne, and Priest have the worst injuries. Thorne didn’t want to be on a gurney, but his brothers held him down so the men could look at his wounds. His gurney is wheeled in first, and I hear Sloane before I see her. She’s on her feet and at his side, and no one can stop her. Thorne reaches for her with his free hand, and he pulls her down and presses his forehead against hers.

“I’m fine, baby.” He cups her cheek in his hand as she stares back at him through watery lashes. “You think anyone could take me from my brat?”

Tate is on the other side with his hand on Thorne’s shoulder. He doesn’t speak. He just stays there. His wife, Reese, appears at his side and walks with them as they wheel Thorne to where he can be examined.

Priest comes through next. He’s conscious and pissed off about the gurney, which means he’s going to be fine.

“Get me off this fucking thing. I can walk.” He tries to sit up, and Kase pushes him back down with one hand on his chest.

“You were shot, you stubborn fuck. Lie down.”

“It’s my arm, not my goddamn legs.” But he stays down, which tells me the pain is worse than he’s letting on. His left arm is wrapped from shoulder to wrist, and the blood has already soaked through two layers of dressings. He looks over at me as they wheel him past, and his eyes drop to Saylor on the gurney behind him.

“She’s going to be alright, brother.”

There’s no other option. She has to be alright. We didn’t come this far and survive all this bullshit to lose her now.

They wheel Saylor past the waiting room, and I’m right beside her, her hand in mine. Fox’s wife, Ivy, stands near the hallway. She covers her mouth with her hand when she sees Saylor.

Dane’s wife, Whitney, appears in the doorway of what I guess is Dane’s room. She’s sobbing and falls into Fox’s arms. “He’s still not awake.” Whitney sobs through each word.

Ivy and Fox both try to calm her down, and my chest tightens when I think about what it’s going to mean for all of us if we lose Dane.

“Sir, we need to take her back now.” A doctor is in front of me, blocking the hallway to the treatment rooms. “You can’t go past this point.”

“The fuck I can’t.”

“You’ve injured yourself.” The doctor looks at the blood on my shirt, my face, my hands. “Let me get you—”

“That’s not my blood. Just take care of her.” I push past him and keep walking beside the gurney. My hand doesn’t leave hers.

“Axl.” Fox is behind me. I don’t know when he followed us. “Let them do their job. You need to get checked out.”

“I’m not leaving her.”

“Adrenaline is the only thing keeping you standing. Your ribs are broken. You’re no good to her dead.” He puts his hand on my arm, and I almost hit him. I almost turn around and put my fist in his face because I’m not letting her out of my fucking sight.