Page 8 of Sweet Anarchy

"There was so much blood," she whispers. "I don't understand what happened. Everything was fine one minute, then the next… the next there were bullets flying into the bar from every direction."

"What happened then?" Zayn asks.

Rylee looks at him slowly, a single tear slipping down her cheek. "Chuck pushed me out of the way and protected me."

Zayn glances up and over to me, his eyes hardening. I don't have to be a mind reader to know what he's thinking. Chuck saved Rylee… he risked his own life to save our girl. If I didn't respect him before, I fucking did now.

"I'm sure it will be okay," Zayn soothes, stroking her cheek.

Rylee shakes her head, a few more tears falling out. "He wasn't moving, Zayn. He got hit multiple times. His blood was all over the floor. I think… I think he's…" she trails off, unable to bring herself to finish the sentence.

"Sshh. Don't think about it," I say, grabbing her head and pulling it against my stomach. "The doctors here are so good."

A bed rolls past pushed by nurses and suddenly Rylee sits up straighter.

"Volts!" she yells.

I follow her line of vision, finding a pink-haired guy on the bed.

"Ry," he croaks back, giving her a thumbs up. "I'm alive."

The nurses don't stop moving and he disappears from view, heading towards the operating theatres.

"Please… you need to find out if Butch is okay," Rylee says to me, pleading.

I nod. "Okay," I answer. "Anything for you."

I give Zayn a quick nod, heading off to find the doctor from before who has vanished. I could try to read the patient board, but I have no idea what I'm looking for. Eventually, I just head over to a nurse at the desk. Blake is nowhere to be seen, confusing me.

"I need to check if someone is here," I say to the nurse, doing my best to describe Butch. I mean, I don't know his full name but surely there's not a whole lot of people with his description and first name.

"Are you a relative?" she asks coolly.

I twitch. "He is my girlfriend's… uncle. She's over in bed four."

The nurse glances over at Rylee, who's chatting to Zayn heatedly – probably panicking or begging for answers. I don't blame her… the amount of trauma that poor girl has been through is ridiculous.

I'm going to fucking end this. Somehow. Even if it means packing up and moving to damn Rosevale to keep her safe. Hell, I'll even take her to the Ranch if I have to. I'm sure that will go down well with our parents, but anything is better than the current situation.

"There's a guy matching that description in the OR at the moment," she says. "But I can't give any more information, I'm sorry."

Fucking confidentiality rules.

"Thanks," I grumble, heading back to Rylee.

She pauses her conversation with Zayn, looking at me with pleading eyes. "Well?"

"Butch is in the OR," I tell her sharply. "I think he's fine."

Relief washes over her face, but it's short lived as Blake appears suddenly, his face tight.

"Rylee," he says slowly. "I found Chuck."

Chapter 3

Rylee

I stiffen, coherent thoughts returning to my mind suddenly.

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