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“Devil’s Dungeon got shot to shit. No idea who but we’re fine,” Cruz answered as Knox inspected Drake for damage. He didn’t make it obvious though.
Penelope looked like shit, her eyes red rimmed and her hands bleeding. Her clothes were ripped in places too.
“If you’re fine, why didn’t you detour and take her home like I asked?” I said through gritted teeth, a tired sigh leaving him.
“Not now, Stone. Please. I need to stitch my arm and deal with Penn’s injuries. Knox, Drake need’s stitches too so handle that.” Penelope’s eyes widened as she frantically ran her eyes over both of them.
“Did you get shot?” she blurted out as genuine distress filled her face.
“I’m fine, baby,” he murmured, making me roll my eyes. Knox snatched Drake’s wrist and dragged him towards his room, and I gave Penelope another once over.
Cruz took her hand to inspect the cuts all over her palms, and I motioned to the hallway.
“Fuck off to your room and stop bleeding all over my living room. If you don’t hurry up and take her home, I’ll handle it, which you won’t like.”
I gave her a sneer, stalking off to the office and locking myself inside, yanking my phone from my pocket to send Beckett a message.
Stone: I want intel on the issue at Devil’s Dungeon today.
Beckett: When we know, I’ll tell you. As of right now, we have no fucking clue who had the balls to fire those bullets.
Penn
I hissed out a breath as Cruz pulled a piece of glass out of my ass. I was lying on his bed on my stomach with him sitting beside me, and luckily he was almost done.
He’d needed a couple of stitches in his arm but it turned out a lot of the blood on his shirt had been from my hands when I’d bailed from the cupboard. I’d torn the nails and my skin from clawing at the cupboard door, then I’d cut myself with the glass.
“Sorry,” he murmured. “I think that’s the last one. Stay there, I’ll give it all a good clean and put some Band Aids on it.”
He stood, rummaging through the first aid kit for some ointment and Band Aids.
He quickly patched me up before dropping down beside me, his voice soft.
“Are you alright? Drake’s messaging me freaking out that you hate him.”
“I don’t hate him. I just need some space right now. He forced me into a cupboard, Cruz.”
“To stop you from getting shot or taken,” he said carefully, reaching out to pull me against him. I let him, curling into his comfort and closing my eyes. “He just wanted to keep you safe, Penn.”
“I know. It’s a trauma thing and I’ll be fine later. Dad used to lock me in small spaces as a kid.”
“What can I do to help?”
“Just this,” I mumbled, his hold on me tightening a fraction.
“No one’s going to hurt you again. I promise.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep. The world is full of villains and dark corners that you’d never see coming,” I whispered.
His lips brushed my temple, my heart warming at the affection.
“We’re the shadows in the dark so we’ll see it coming, trust me.”
I wanted to believe him but if I’d learned anything in my life, it was that no one could be trusted.
We ended up falling asleep like that, but I didn’t sleep for long.
Cruz must have been exhausted since he didn’t move when I slipped from the bed and snuck out the door to pee. My body ached with every step, and sitting on the toilet was pure agony.
