Page 81 of Ruthless Rebel

“I’m fine, it’s not my blood,” I tell him, as Elle and Max burst into the small clearing where we are.

“Oh, Ash,” Elle cries, rushing towards us and dropping to her knees beside me, but stopping herself before she throws her arms around him.

“I’m okay, Hells Bells, I’m hard to kill remember,” he grunts, and I ignore the pain in my side, as I dip down and hook my arm around him, forcing us both to our feet. “Where is Logan?” He asks, and my eyes snap to Max, as he tells the others through the comms that we found Ash.

The silence that follows feels like a lifetime, as both Elle and Max stay alert to our surroundings, and I’m about to scream down my own mic for an answer, when suddenly Jace comes through, “We got Logan, he’s pretty banged up, but we got him.”

Relief like I have never known washes through me, as Elle and I share another look. “We need to get back to the house,” she demands, and we all instantly start moving, knowing there is nowhereas safe as that right now, not with the Crows and the rest of the security guys waiting.

I keep Asher upright, using my body as a crutch for his own, and I know he must be in pain, because he doesn’t even bitch me out for doing so. The weight of him is welcome, as I guide us back through the trees slowly while Max stays on guard. Elle calls home, telling Arthur to be ready with supplies, who lets her know that the Crows have already sent someone to pick up Aria Harris to help out too, all we need to do is get home.

Asher cries out in pain as we make it back to the car, and Elle and I lift him into the backseat, and the door is barely closed behind us before Max is flooring it, getting us there as fast as we can.

My hands search Asher, checking him for any serious wounds and he grunts, “I’m okay, it’s just my shoulder and my ribs,” he grits, dirt, sweat, and blood lining his face, as I rip away the shoulder of his shirt and find a bullet hole there.

“He’s been shot,” I shout, taking off my jacket and pressing it against him, as I search his torso for other injuries. “What happened to your ribs?” I ask, finding them completely discolored.

“Metal bar,” he coughs, blood splattering out of his mouth, and my only solace is the sight of the house, as we roll through the gates past the Crows.

Zack and the others are already back, and as I help Ash from the car, I hear the welcome sound of Logan’s voice. “I’m fine, brother, get off me,” he snaps, his tone laced in pain, as he searches the driveway and adds, “Where is Asher? I need to see Asher.”

I push past Marcus and Jace, until my eyes meet his, but he is already completely focused on Ash. “Missing me already,” Ash spits, holding a firm hand to his ribs, as I guide him towards Logan.

My eyes scan him instantly, taking in his own hoard of injuries not too far from Asher’s, as bile rises up my throat. Fuck, I almost lost them.

“I thought you were dead. Are you okay?” Logan asks, stumbling towards us in both relief and desperation, and Asher nods.

“I’m okay,” he tells him, even though it’s a lie, but right now it doesn’t matter.

“He’s alive, he’s okay,” he breathes, turning to both me and Zack and smiling, as he adds, “Everything is going to be okay.”

Then he collapses to the floor.

40

LINCOLN

Screams and shouts ring out around me as everyone starts moving, but it’s like everything is happening in slow motion. I’m trying to move but I can’t, my feet aren’t moving fast enough, I can’t get over to him fast enough. Suddenly I am eight years old again, watching my mother die right in front of my eyes, and I can’t do anything to stop it.

No, this can’t be happening, not again.

“Logan,” I roar, his name tearing from my throat as I drag Asher towards where he dropped, and look down at him in disbelief. “Lo,” I snap, as Marcus comes to my aid and takes over holding Asher, as I fall to my knees, pressing my hands to his body and he grunts in pain. “Someone call 911,” I yell, wondering where Arthur is, as blood starts to appear at the side of his mouth. “Logan, what can I do, tell me what to do?” I beg, as panic almost threatens to consume me, my eyes searching his body for the worst of his injuries, but they’re everywhere.

“Look at me,” Logan splutters, his fingers flexing as if he is trying to reach for my hand, and I intertwine our fingers. “I love you, Lincoln Blackwell, I want you to know that, I love you so fucking much,” he tells me firmly, his words gasped and forced, but I’m already shaking my head.

“No, don’t you fucking dare say that to me, not like this,” I snap, ripping open his shirt, only to choke out a cry. His entire torso is turning a mixture of black and purple.Fuck. “He’s bleeding internally,” I cry to no one in particular, and all of them just stand and stare, knowing none of them can save him.

“I love you,” he forces out again, staring at me with nothing but pain, before he flicks his eyes up to Ash. “And fuck, I love you too, Asher Donovan. I think I have since the first moment I saw you,” he splutters, coughing out more blood, but Asher just stares at him in complete and utter silence.

I hear Elle crying, as Arthur bursts out of the door screaming his son's name, but Logan’s focus moves back to me, his tears mixing with blood as he looks at me expectantly.

“I love you too,” I breathe, leaning down and pressing my lips to his, kissing him with everything I’ve got, and tasting his pain, before dropping my head to his. “I love you. You’re the first person I ever let myself love since I was a fucking kid, so you can’t fucking leave me, not like this, stay with me, please,” I plead, knowing that if I lose him, I will never recover.

“I love you,” he repeats, his voice fading a little, and I pull back and see his eyes glazing over, as Arthur drops down on his other side.

“Son, can you hear me?” He asks, filled with nothing but pain, as his medically-trained eyes assess the damage that’s been done, only to look completely defeated. “It’s okay, my son, I’m here, I’ve got you,” he forces out, swiping his tears with his shoulders, as Zack drops to his knees in disbelief.

Jace is holding back a crying Helen, but the pain-filled scream comes from his twin’s mouth, as she rushes from the house. “Logan,” she shrieks, running towards us, only for Max to catch her around the waist, as she collapses when she spots Logan lying on the floor. “What are you all doing?” She wails. “Don’t just fucking stand there, do something, help him!” She fights against Max’s hold, as Logan seems to finally hear her pained cries.

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