Page 31 of Lost in Life

A loud bang sounds, cutting off his words.

Carver slumps to the ground, his grip on Nova finally loosening.

“Fuck.” A frustrated voice sounds next to me. I blink in its direction, my eyes stinging from the blood and brain matter that just erupted from a perfectly placed bullet. “Are you going to move or just stand there, pretty boy?” Zayn growls. Pushing me to the side, he kneels to check on Nova.

In a daze, I watch as he scoops up Nova’s limp body. “Who are you?” I manage to force out.

Glaring down at Carver’s body slumped on the ground, he pulls his phone out and types out a quick message before turning to leave, Nova still held in his arms. He meets my gaze, his eyes saddened as he answers me. “Just another ghost.”

Zayn

Twenty years. Twenty fucking years of planning the most brutal torture possible and it all came crashing down when I saw his hand around her throat.

I went into a blind rage, my body humming with the need to get him away fromher. My beautiful distraction.

I was furious when the kid pushed me aside moments before my first bullet could save her. Then I realized what was happening and an immense feeling of gratitude hit me. Up until I heard Carver’s words.

“I’m going to snap this pretty little neck…”

I didn’t think. Carver’s body hit the ground before my mind caught up to my actions.

The sight of his body sent me into overdrive. I quickly gathered the unconscious girl in my arms, shooting off a text to Tavish that I needed clean up. I know it’s not the “new protocol” or whatever, but my frazzled state reverted to old habits.

I need to get her away from here before anyone discovers what happened.

Fuck.

Scanning the area around us quickly, my gaze lingers on the boy covered in Carver’s blood. His dirty blonde hair matted from the crimson liquid. Piercings cover most of his face, but beneath all the hardware, I can see the young kid underneath.

Dragging my eyes down his body, I feel a familiar twinge inside that surprises me. I find myself suddenly needing to protect him, the same instant connection hitting me as I felt with the girl in my arms.

“Come on, pretty boy.” I call out as I resume my exit. Hurried footsteps sound behind me, calming some of the chaos I feel at the need to now hide away not one, but two, people.

“What the fuck am I doing.” I mutter under my breath. Hurrying down the sidewalk, I open the door to my car, gently setting the girl down in the backseat. The boy scrambles in beside her, cradling her head in his lap and whispering comforting words.

Shaking my head, I round the car and climb into the driver’s seat, breathing out a relieved breath as I throw it into drive. My eyes continuously shoot up to the rearview mirror the entire drive to my secluded shack, unable to fight the urge to keep the two in my sights.

My eyes meet the boy’s, his own filled with barely held back tears. “Thank you.” He whispers before returning his attention to the unconscious girl in his arms.

I blow out a heavy breath. I don’t know what I’m going to do, but I do know one thing.

Nothing is going to happen to either of them. Not while I’m still breathing.

Chapter 16

Nova

I wake with a start, a hoarse scream erupting from me.

“Shhh, Nova, it’s alright.” West soothes, pulling me into his arms.

Disoriented, I look around us. “Where,” I clear my throat, a sharp pain stabbing at each whispered word. “Where are we?”

West doesn’t respond, running his arms up and down my back.

“West?” I ask again, straining my neck to look up at him, a wave of nausea hitting me from the movement.

Before I can say anything else, a deep voice rumbles from across the room. “She’s awake.” I stiffen, trying to place the familiar sound. Turning my head, my eyes widen as I recognize the mystery man from the hospital.

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