Page 5 of Ours to Keep

“Fuck,” I curse out into the darkness of the night, my breath a foggy cloud in the crisp air, Autumn making way for Winter.

The police aren’t going to be able to stop him, they don’t just go around hunting for someone. That is not how the justice system works. But fuck me, something will need to give because if any one of us gets our hands on him before they do, it won’t end well.

I saw it in River’s expression. He slipped into the darkerparts of himself, and I worry this will be the tipping point, his way of unleashing all his anger and rage. And as much as it should concern me, and to an extent it does, I know that when all is said and done, it’s his demon to harness, not mine. He never once told me how to deal with my pain or my issues. He supported me, allowing me to do what I needed to do to heal. If push came to shove, though, would I let him walk that thin line, one that, if he crossed, there’d be no coming back from?

When you’re in the military, you try to disassociate in some fucked up way, but the truth is, you’re always walking a morally grey tightrope. One you’ll have to find redemption from when it’s your time to face what comes after this life. I’ve never been a religious man. I wonder if it had something to do with growing up with quite a religious family. I went to church and Sunday school, but deep down, I felt like there was more to it.

The distant sound of a whoop, whoop, whoop brings me out of my inner thoughts, and I pull up the CCTV for the main gate, already opening it, not wanting to delay them any more than they need to.

As soon as they arrive, two paramedics climb out of the vehicle and open the back to grab their bags.

“Hi,” I say in greeting, but it comes out clipped. “She’s this way.” I nod and turn on my heel for them to follow me.

“Sorry, I’m Elliot. Lily is this way.”

I lead them through the hallway and up the stairs, and they follow me into Lily’s bedroom.

“Thank fuck,” River says, springing to his feet when we enter and moving aside for the paramedics. Jax, however, remains on the other side of Lily.

“Okay, Lily, I’m Maggie,” says one of the paramedics as she drops her bag off her shoulder. “And this is Joel.”

“What can you tell us?” Joel asks, looking at us as Maggie begins to work on checking Lily over.

“We found her unconscious in the bathroom,” Jaximmediately replies. “The assailant got away. She came to, but barely, her pulse is weak, and as you can see, she has multiple abrasions and lacerations, mostly from a belt.” The last word gets lodged in his throat.

It’s a hive of activity as they make quick work of accessing her before moving her to a pull-out stretcher, one that Tommy and River carry as we make our way back downstairs and to the waiting ambulance.

Once they have her inside and are attaching her to an ECG machine, she groans and whimpers but is otherwise still incoherent and unresponsive, which concerns us all the most.

“Only one of you can ride with us,” Maggie states, eyeing all of us crowding the back of the open doors.

“I’ll go,” Tommy says before any of us have even had a chance to reply.

Jax glances to me and then back to Tommy, nods his head, and asks which hospital.

After they confirm it’s Barnet, he asks me to let the police know that’s where we’ll be and tells Tommy we’ll meet him there, allowing them to close the doors and watch as they drive away.

“I’ll go get the car,” River says, jogging away from the main house.

“Let me lock up,” I say, walking towards the front door, setting the alarm, and pulling it closed.

Jax says nothing as River pulls up, the gravel beneath the tyres crunching beneath their weight.

He takes the front, and I take the back, as soon as the doors are closed, River pulls away, the wheels spin, kicking up loose gravel as he speeds out of the estate. The car is thick with unbridled tension, rolling off each of us in palpablewaves.

“What the hellhappenedwith you and Lily?” River demands, his eyes flicking to Jax before focusing back on thedark road ahead,his knucklestightening around thesteering wheel.

I lean closer to the middle of the back seat, my hand gripping the back of Jax’s headrest as he turns his face towards River.

“Need me to spell it out for you?”

I swear River lets out something akin to a growl in response. “Don’t be a cunt man.”

Jax rubs his palm over his face and lets out a heavy sigh.

“Shit, you’re right. I’m pissed with myself.” He glances at the windscreen and then back to River. “I couldn’t stay away, okay? There’s something about her that pulls you under. I went to confront her about whatever she’s been doing with all of you,” he admits solemnly.

“What the hell?” I pipe up, leaning forward. “For fuck’s sake, Jax. You should have spoken to us.”

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