Page 22 of Unpredictable Flames

“Hey, Lily, who are—” Jake's voice faltered as he pulled me close, shielding me with his body. “Who the hell are you guys?” he demanded, his tone edged with apprehension.

The men remained silent, their intentions masked by the darkness. Without warning, they lunged at Jake, their intentions made clear.

Reacting instinctively, Jake pushed me aside and faced the assailants head-on. I watched as he deftly dodged their blows, his movements mirroring that of a seasoned fighter.

But even Jake couldn't evade every attack, and I winced as the sound of fists meeting his flesh echoed in the air. With each strike, my heart pounded in my chest, fear gripping me like a vice. I could see the toll it was taking. Sweat glistened on his brow, his movements growing more labored with each passing moment.

But Jake was relentless. He fought back with pure strength and determination. One of the masked men swung a fist toward Jake's head, but he ducked beneath the blow, his muscles coiling like a spring. With a swift, well-placed kick to the stomach, Jake sent him staggering backward, his breath knocked from his lungs.

Then suddenly, the second masked figure charged at Jake from the side, aiming a wild punch at his ribs. As though anticipating the attack, Jake spun on his heel, turning expertly in a way that brought him face-to-face with his opponent again. With lightning speed, Jake let loose a devastating combination of punches and kicks, each strike finding its mark with unerring accuracy.

As the second assailant crumpled to the ground, gasping for air, Jake turned his attention to the third man, who rushed forward with desperate determination. This time, Jake met him head-on. The masked man seemed to be stronger than the others, blocking Jake’s attacks and executing attacks of his own, which Jake parried with ease.

Then, with a sudden burst of speed, Jake launched himself into the air, executing a magnificent spinning kick that connected with the masked man’s jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground in a daze.

With the immediate threat neutralized, Jake stood panting, his chest heaving with exertion. Blood pulsed in his ears as he surveyed the scene of the knocked-down men, his senses heightened by adrenaline and the primal instinct to protect. To protect me.

Then, with a deafening bang, everything changed. Jake staggered back, a look of pain crossing his features as a strangled cry escaped his lips. My heart clenched at the sight of blood seeping through his shirt, staining the fabric crimson.

As Jake scanned the darkness, his eyes widened in alarm. “Lily, get down!” he shouted, his voice urgent as he pushed me to the ground.

I felt a rush of wind as Jake's body shielded me from danger, and then the deafening crack of a gunshot echoed in the night. Jake's groan of pain pierced the air as he fell beside me, clutching his injured shoulder.

The sound of the neighbor’s cars reverberated through the night, and as I lay there motionless, afraid for both my life and Jake’s, the screech of tires broke the tension. I looked up to see the masked men scrambling to their feet, fleeing to a waiting truck. One of them, the one with the gun, leaped into the driver's seat and sped away into the darkness.

As the adrenaline began to ebb, I scrambled to my knees, cradling Jake's head in my lap. “Jake, are you okay?” I asked, my voice trembling with both fear and concern.

He winced as he nodded, gritting his teeth against the pain. “Yeah, just—just get help, Lily,” he managed to say, his words strained.

With trembling hands, I reached for my phone, fingers fumbling as I dialed 911.

“911, what’s your emergency?” came a voice from the other side.

“Please, we need help! There's been a shooting,” I pleaded, my voice shaking with fear. With each word I spoke to the operator, desperation clawed at my throat, threatening to choke off my voice. “Please, we need an ambulance,” I begged, my tone trembling with urgency. “We're at 13 Oak Street. My boyfriend, Jake, he's been shot. I-I don't know how bad it is, but there's so much blood…”

“Boyfriend, huh? Has a nice ring to it.” Jake chuckled, then groaned in an attempt to fight off the pain.

Shut up you idiot. I thought to myself, afraid he would die from just speaking.

My heart pounded in my chest as I spoke to the person on the line. “We were attacked by three… I mean four masked men and he got shot. Now, his shoulder, it's bleeding... he's in so much pain,” I continued, my voice cracking with emotion. “Please, hurry, we need help.”

Tears welled in my eyes as I listened to the operator's calm voice. “Help is on the way,” she said. “Just stay with him, and try to keep him conscious until the paramedics arrive.”

I nodded, my throat tight with unshed tears. “Okay,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. “I won't leave him. Please, hurry.”

As the distant wail of sirens grew louder, Jake's neighbors emerged from their homes, drawn by the commotion. Panic rippled through the crowd as they realized what had happened.

Turning my attention back to Jake, I cradled his head in my lap, tears stinging my eyes as I prayed for help to arrive soon. “Hang in there, Jake,” I whispered, my voice trembling with emotion. “Everything is going to be okay.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN - PASSIONATE RESCUES

I struggled to keep my eyes open, the pain throbbing in my shoulder like a relentless drumbeat threatening to pull me under. I gazed up at Lily's beautiful face as she caressed my hair, her fingers tracing comforting patterns through my hair. My head was on her lap, her gentle touch doing its best to soothe the pain.

Finally, the ambulance arrived, and as the paramedics approached, I couldn't fight it anymore. I had lost too much blood and ended up passing out, the voice of Lily continuously calling my name, echoing in the background as I slipped into the darkness.

I woke up to white, fluorescent lights blinding me, and I needed to blink my eyes to adjust to the brightness. I tried to raise my hand to shield my eyes, but a sharp pain assaulted me immediately, causing me to groan in pain.

“Jake?” I heard Lily call out my name and rush to me. I turned to see her. The look of relief on her face was evident, but it looked like she had been crying for a long time. Tear tracks glistened on her cheeks like silver trails.

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