Vengeance (The Protectors 5)

I saw Ronan standing over Drake who was still conscious and had a satisfied smile on his bloody lips. But when I saw Ronan pull a small handkerchief from his pocket, a sense of realization and relief went through me because I knew what he was doing and why. If I hadn’t been so consumed with rage and the need to put my hands on Drake, it would have been easy enough just to put a bullet in his brain and say he’d been killed to stop him from hurting Brennan any further. But because I’d beaten the man within an inch of his life, thus making it so he wasn’t a danger to anyone in that moment, Ronan needed to take a more creative approach to explain to the cops why the man wouldn’t be walking out of that room. He reached down to grab Drake’s gun with the piece of fabric and when Cade stepped to his side, Ronan simply said, “You should go.”

I began walking towards the door because I needed to get both Tristan and Brennan out of there.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Cade said coldly, his dark eyes on the man on the floor.

Ronan was quiet for a moment before he handed Cade Drake’s gun. “You a good shot?” he asked. Cade took the gun, careful not to let his fingerprints transfer to it.

“The best,” the man said calmly. “Where do you want it?”

“Upper arm,” Ronan said and then I watched him aim his own gun at Drake. I didn’t stick around to watch the man die because I didn’t need to. I needed to get Brennan help.

I was out the door when I heard the first shot, though it was muffled by Ronan’s silencer. A second shot that wasn’t muffled followed.

I kept moving until I got Brennan outside. I could already hear sirens in the distance and I hoped like hell it was the ambulance. I fell to my knees in a soft patch of grass and held Brennan against me as I pushed his hair off his face. Tristan pressed up against me and used the edge of his shirt to wipe away the vomit from Brennan’s mouth. “Why isn’t he waking up?” Tristan whispered.

I shook my head as tears fell down my face. “He will,” I said. I dropped my head and brushed my lips over Brennan’s temple. “We’re here, baby. We’re both here.”

Ronan dropped down next to me a moment later and despite the blood streaming from a gash in his upper arm, he began checking Brennan’s vitals. “His vitals are good,” he said. “I think he’s just passed out,” he continued before checking the injury on Brennan’s temple. “He probably has a concussion, but he’s not in any immediate danger,” Ronan reassured us.

As the flashing red lights from an ambulance began to light up the darkness around us, I saw both my men and Dom’s forming a half circle around us, their expressions heavy with concern. Dom was standing off to the side, his little boy crying in his arms.

I dropped my eyes back down to Brennan, but all I could hear was Drake’s voice…and Dom’s…and all those of the men watching us.

You did this.

* * *

“Mr. Wheland, are you sure I can’t get you something?” I heard the nurse ask as she began the task of replacing Brennan’s IV bag.

I shook my head. “No, thank you,” I whispered, though it hurt to even do that much.

The nurse nodded and then glanced down at Brennan who was sleeping soundly. But he wasn’t alone in the too-small bed. Tristan was lying asleep at Brennan’s back, his arm wrapped protectively around Brennan’s waist. He’d gotten into bed with Brennan the second he’d been given the all-clear from his own doctor, and he hadn’t left Brennan’s side in the nearly eight hours since we’d arrived at the hospital.

“Okay, well, let me know if you do,” she offered before leaving the room.

I managed a glance at my watch, though I refused to release Brennan’s hand long enough to actually do more than twist my wrist enough to see that it was sometime after two in the morning. Brennan was facing me so I had a good view of his peaceful expression as he slept, but I knew it was the only time he would escape the nightmare he’d been forced to endure. I also knew it was just the beginning.

Brennan had woken up in the ambulance, though I’d been the only one allowed to ride with him since there hadn’t been enough room for both me and Tristan. Brennan’s first and only concern when he’d opened his eyes and realized where he was had been for Tristan and Tanner. The second I’d told him that they were both okay, he’d relaxed for the briefest of moments and then his eyes had shuttered and he’d refused to look at me. He’d answered the paramedic’s questions about how he was feeling, but he hadn’t spoken to me other than to ask me to call his brother, which Dom had already done. I’d been allowed to stay with Brennan once we’d arrived in the ER, but when the doctors had told him they needed to examine him for damage from the rape, he’d sent me a tormented look and I’d asked him if he wanted me to stay or go.