Page 65 of Cautious

“From what we’ve been able to tell, she was attacked in the bedroom before they dragged her down the stairs to the living room. She’s black and blue, both eyes swollen shut, and it looks like her hip has been re-broken, along with her right arm.”

I have to swallow down the bile that rushes up my throat.

“She’s alive, Blake, focus on that for now. She was conscious when they took her in. Your man Felix went with her. She was coherent enough to kick up a fuss when the paramedics tried to refuse him riding along with her.”

I almost crack a smile at that, but I need to see her with my own two eyes first to truly believe she’s okay. “Can I borrow your phone? Mine died, and I want to call Felix.”

“Sure.” He reaches inside his pocket and hands it over before walking away to give me some privacy.

“Hello?” Felix answers on the first ring.

“It’s me. How is she?”

“They’ve just taken her down for an X-ray, but Blake, I’ve got her. I won’t leave her. Go home and check on Marcus and Callie,” he tells me, his voice sharp and filled with worry.

“What? Why? What the hell is going on?”

“They’re at your place, but neither is answering their phone.”

“Okay, I’ll head over and check on them, and we’ll meet you at the hospital. Marcus is probably getting his ass kicked at Mario Kart or something.”

“No, Blake. Callie and Marcus know what happened to June. We were all together when the call came through. Callie was hysterical. They would have their phones on hand.”

I hang up without answering, ice running through my veins. I dial Marcus’s number, but it just rings and rings, so I hang up and try to remember Callie’s number. I get a dead tone to start with, so I try again, and finally, she answers.

“Hello?” Her voice sounds worried and scared.

“Baby, it’s me. Jesus, you just scared ten years off my life. Keep your goddamn phone handy. June’s okay, she’s at the hospital. I’m heading over there now. You stay with Marcus, you hear me?”

“Blake,” she chokes out, her voice breaking as she cuts into my words. “Marcus is bleeding, and I can’t get it to stop,” she sobs.

I stumble before my brain kicks into gear, and I start running for my car with the phone still glued to my ear. I hear Wade yell my name behind me, but I ignore him. “Talk to me, what’s happening?” I urge her, trying to keep my voice calm.

“I managed to get him in the panic room with me, but he needs to go to the hospital, Blake, right now.”

“Okay, baby. Deep breaths for me,” I tell her, taking one of my own, relieved to hear they made it to the panic room. “What happened? Did you call 911?” I ask her.

“He… he’s been shot.”

Fuck! “Hold on, baby, I’m on my way to you now, I promise.”

“I called 911, but they’re not here yet. Why aren’t they here, Blake?” she asks, her voice shaking as shock sets in.

“I need you to keep calm, Callie. They’re likely already there, securing the perimeter or something,” I soothe, trying my best to keep her talking.

“Well, if they are here, can you tell them to hurry up? Christian is here, and he’s going to try to burn us out,” she sobs, almost making me drop the phone in horror.

“Callie?”

“Oh god,” she wheezes, sounding like she’s struggling to catch her breath.

“Callie!” I roar as my heart squeezes painfully in my chest.

“I can’t breathe,” she gasps, but she doesn’t speak again even as I call her name over and over, pleading for her to answer me.

Pressing my foot down hard on the gas, I tear out of the driveway and make my way home as fast as I can, terrified about what I’ll find when I get there.

Callie

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