Page 67 of Orion Ruined

“Not right now. We got to deal with Kai first. He’s shot. It had to be done, the fucker. Any other man would be dead by now.” Orion looks down when he gets a notification on his cell. The CCTV app blinks and the live feed of his front door camera kicks in. “Wait, someone’s outside.”

He tilts his cell so I can get a better look. Both Orion and I watch a motorbike approaching. The person’s riding it with one arm, slumped on the handlebars. It’s not Kai’s bike, but I’d recognize his style anywhere.

“Shit, that’s Kai!” Orion exclaims.

We both jump and run to open the door for him.

“Kai! Are you okay?” I grab him and he collapses into my arms. “Get the bike before it lands on us, Orion.”

Orion grabs the bike and takes it to where Kai always parks it behind the shrubs. No one can find it there. Especially if it’s not Kai’s.

I lift the visor on the helmet, but can’t make out his face from all the blood. He’s seriously messed up.

“Come on, buddy, easy now.” I help him inside, taking him straight to the living room, and lay him on the same sofa we put Maisy on when she arrived. I remove his leather jacket and he moans in pain. He’s lost a lot of blood. His gunshot wound isn’t patched up. He has cuts all over his upper body, the shirt he’s wearing bloodied and torn.

“Let me take your helmet off.” I try to pull it off as Orion enters.

“I’m sorry, I really am,” Kai mutters.

“About what, Kai?” I’ve got to keep him talking, since I’m not sure how hurt he is.

“About Maisy.”

The helmet is fully off and I’m startled by the sight. He’s been beaten to a pulp. I don’t know how he rode here as both of his eyes are nearly shut; his lip’s cut, and there are numerous bruises all over. Anger boils inside me. I’m gonna kill whoever did this to him.

“Don’t worry, she’s fine.” I’m trying to sound unaffected but I can feel my eye twitching, a dead giveaway.

Orion’s not hiding anything. His voice exudes anger. “What happened to you?”

“They jumped me. I killed five of them, those that touched her. After the shootout, they jumped me.”

Maisy suddenly shows up like a ghost at the doorframe.

“Kai! Oh God, what happened?” She runs to him and wraps her small arms around his wide shoulders, ignoring the bloodied shirt.

He nuzzles her neck and starts apologizing again. “I’m so sorry, Maisy, I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry, I’m fine. Please, Kai,” she peels herself off him and studies his bloody face, but doesn’t cringe. “Let Logan check you over. Please.”

Kai raises his head and finds Orion, his face contrite. “I need a place to lay low for a few days.”

“You’ll stay here,” Orion says bluntly. “It’s safe. The Cartes know I have Maisy and nobody‘ll dare come here.” He’s ready for everything. That’s why we follow him.

All of us are worried for Kai. It’s clear. In silence, Maisy stands up and steps back, allowing me to examine him. Orion wraps a hand around her waist and pulls her to him.

“This is all my fault,” she breathes, and leans into his chest.

I look at her. Orion cups her cheek and she cranes her head to regard him.

“None of this is your fault,” he tells her. “Okay?”

“So why does it feel like it is?”

“This is our life, Maisy. Whether you’re here or not, we deal with this kind of shit every single day.” He winks. “Don’t think you’re so special.”

She smiles and pushes herself onto her tiptoes, kissing him softly. Kai’s watching them as a semi develops in his jeans.

I smack his cock. “Hey! Focus here, bro!”

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