Page 65 of Wreaking Havoc on my Heart

“What the fuck happened?”

“He got shot, you miserable sack of potatoes,” she yells at him, and my lips actually lift in a smile. “Take him to the ambulance! Now!”

Havoc doesn’t hesitate to throw me over his shoulder and in an instant, we are moving. I think I black out during my little joy ride because when I open my eyes again, I’m being laid on a stretcher.

I try to tell him how I feel. I wrote them both a note in case anything were to happen, but I want him to hear it from me.

“I need you too.” My eyes threaten to close but I fight for the last words. “Both of you.”

Words are being shouted around me, but they don’t register. Everything sounds distorted and far away. What does register though, is his lips on my forehead. I focus on that spot as I’m rushed to the hospital.

The warmth of his lips are what keep me pushing, fighting for my life because when I wake up, I know it will be to two people who love me. Even if they didn’t say the words, I could see it on Laney’s face and hear it in her panicked voice. I could feel it in Havoc’s kiss.

They love me, and they are worth fighting for.

Chapter 24

I try not to think about Ellie or Vi as I pace the hospital room where my girl lays. Arrow is two doors down and just came out of surgery, and they believe Laney will wake up soon. She had a deep laceration to her shoulder; we can only guess it was from her falling in the supply closet.

My body threatens to go into fight or flight mode as flashes of Ellie being sick in bed or Vi being rushed on a gurney slowly tug on my sanity. The tubing on Laney’s face reminds me of the day they put Ellie on oxygen, and I slowly feel like my breath is being stripped from my lungs.

I failed her. I failed Arrow. And I failed E. I don’t know what to do now.

Alexi, Lev, and Damien all went to try to find Adrik, but I know him. There is no way they will be able to catch up to him. The only plus is that we took down about half of his team tonight.

But he took down half of ours too.

Adrik may be the leader of The Shades, but I have a strong feeling his vengeance will have nothing on the wrath our found family can bring. He might have seen us coming this time, but we won’t stop until we have E back and his heart is torn from his chest.

Boris is in the family waiting room, a full set up of every computer he could need surrounding him as he does what he can to help in the search for E. All while trying to hunt down the real culprit of today's events.

Damien told us someone else was at play, but we don’t know who yet, which only adds to my nerves. We always figured there was another guy, but focusing on the target we knew was easier than hunting down one who could hide in plain sight easily enough to implode our entire operation apparently.

I have to fix this.I look at Laney again and my mind glitches.

She’s going to be okay; I know she is. But it was still my fault she was put in harm's way. If I had only seen Adrik’s true intentions when E was younger, none of this would be happening. All of them would be living their lives in a much happier universe.

Which is why I have to fix it.

While Laney sleeps off the drugs, I pace between her and Arrow’s room, needing to see him too. It’s a strange feeling when I see him. I don’t think about Vi or Ellie, but I think about myself and what I said. He threw himself in front of Laney for me. I know he did.

And while he needs her just as much as I do, I could see him already pulling away. Why? I have no fucking clue. But maybe this was his way to go out with a big hurrah.

Bastard. Trying to upstage me in death.Not gonna happen, bro.

I look at him, tubing and wires everywhere, and try not to get sick. Then, I pace again. Maybe, if I can lure Adrik out to me, I can take him out. I could be his focus and lead him away from everyone here. I could keep them all safe, and when I have the upper hand, I’ll take him out and save E.

Laney would get her best friend back, and she would have Arrow to watch over her. I just can’t be the reason she’s in danger, and as long as she’s mine, I will be.

I’m a Shades assassin, I have enemies on enemies. Neither of them will ever be safe with me.

A soft voice catches my attention. “Havoc? Arrow?”

I rush into her room and nearly fall at her side. Tears stream down my face without permission as I cling to her, and her hands clench around me. I don’t know how I’m going to say goodbye to her, but I have to.

It’s better this way anyway. With me out of the picture, she and Arrow will pick up right where they left off, and I can keep them safe from the sidelines.

Laney holds me close as I let out all of the fear and adrenaline that had been powering me for the past four hours while I waited here. I’m careful not to put any pressure on the shoulder with the injury as I squeeze her to me.

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