Page 32 of Euphoria
Chapter 12
Phoenix
I hearvoices talking around me. I want to open my eyes, but something is preventing me. I try my best to open, but nothing. I feel like I’m underwater and just as quickly as I hear the voices, I’m out of it again.
Something isn’t right… I look out the window of the restaurant as a navigator pulls up and the car window rolls down. I take a deep breath and before I know it, my body jumps into action as I push Andres away and we both dodge the bullet that would’ve killed him instantly. I don’t think these idiots were out right aiming for us but someone knew this was going to happen. I don’t believe in coincidences in my line of work. I shield Andres as he tries to push me off so he could shield me instead. That won’t be happening soon, I’ll lose my life before he does if this is how it’s going down. The men we came with open fire and I do my best to get out of the restaurant. I lock eyes with a girl I’ve seen somewhere before but I can’t remember where. Her down-turned brown eyes and that submissive nature she radiates triggers a memory. I’ve seen her before, in Quebec, at Stannis’s nightclub. What is his niece doing here? I don’t need to help because someone is protecting her. This seems aimed for her and Andres is just a bonus.
I shake my head, not having time to think about all that. I rush out of there before someone gets an idea to do some dumb shit. We rush through the kitchen and when we get outside, my fight or flight must’ve kicked in even more adrenaline because I don’t feel the knife. Not the first time, nor the second time. This man is fast and the only thing I can think about is saving my father. I don’t feel it even when Andres pulls out a gun tucked in his back and he shoots the masked man right in the head. He doesn’t focus on him or pull his mask off as he assesses what’s going on. He goes to pull the knife out of my gut but I stop him. “I don’t feel it, which means it’s poisoned, don’t pull it out,” I say through clenched teeth.
Andres catches me before I fall, not even sure when that happened. I hear him yelling at the men who are finally outside. I can feel it as the darkness takes over.
Something brings me back, and it feels like time has gone by and this time, I hear two voices I haven’t heard in a while.
“Daddy, daddy, is uncle Nix okay?” My nephew, Kal asks.
“He better be okay,” my oldest brother, Ares says. “You know your uncle, he loves the dramatic and flair, but I’ll kick his ass if he doesn’t wake up soon.”
“You’re the worst,” I groan. I open my eyes and stare into light brown eyes with specks of green. “Water,” I say.
Ares narrows his eyes at me but then gets me water. He doesn’t speak as he puts the straw to my mouth, and I empty the water. After the second round of drinking water, he slams the empty cup down.
Ares is staring at me like he wants to kill me. “You really want me to kill you, huh?” He threatens. His name fits him from the angry way he looks at me.
I snort and wince at the pain. “Your gray hairs are showing,” I tease, my voice still hoarse.
His dark hair filled with gray on the sides makes him look good for his age. He doesn’t really look like he’s 40, but then again that’s the Moralis gene. We have a shitty father, but at least he gave me two older brothers. That dumb fuck.
“Uncle Nix! Uncle Nix!” Kal yells out, trying to get my attention.
“Kal, chill. Let’s call the nurse first and get this dude checked out, then you can bug him all you want.” Ares presses the button for the nurse.
I look down at Kal; he looks like his father and has his mother’s light blue eyes. I can’t believe I haven’t seen him for over 6 months. I frown. “I missed you, buddy.”
Kal’s eyes get teary, “Why didn’t you come see?”
“Give me your hand, Kal.”
Kal reaches out, grabbing my hand. He’s tall for his age, courtesy of that Moralis gene of tall men. Ares stands at 6’6 like me. Kal holds my hand as the nurse comes in. She smiles at me and checks over me while announcing that the doctor is coming soon.
“Heard your wife gave everyone hell,” Ares announces.
“Bambi…” I call her name out and as if I summoned her, she comes barging in with an angry-looking Bowie. Did I die or something? I smile at them and Bowie glares at me.
I take her in as she stands there frozen on the spot. Her bottom lip is poked out like she’s about to cry. Her hair is disheveled, she looks like she hasn’t slept in days; bags under her eyes and she’s wearing baggy clothes. Who the fuck’s shirt is she wearing?
“Who’s fucking shirt is that?” I say, not caring that my throat hurts.
Bambi blinks. “Nixy…” She calls out but still, she hasn’t moved closer.
We stare at each other for a while. The doctor comes in and is able to maneuver around her, but she still doesn’t move. Lennox is talking to me about what happened during surgery and how I practically died on the operating table, but I can’t take my eyes away from Bambi. She still hasn’t answered my question. Does she think I’ll let her get away with this? Because I really won’t.
“Markos!” I hear Ares calling my name.
I slowly take my eyes away from her and look at Ares. “What?” I grit through my teeth.
“Are they not pumping enough morphine in your system? Why the hell are you so damned talkative? Dr. Nash, you were saying?”
Lennox snickers. “I’m saying that he needs to rest, don’t do too much and we’re going to need you to take special care of that wound. Don’t let it open up again. Be very careful. Will you be staying by yourself or will your family take care of you?”
