Page 41 of Exposing Adonis

“You’re an asshole, Callum,” I growled, putting down more pressure. The helicopter hovered, and then tilted forward. Because I was on my knees, trying to keep this man alive, one door was unprotected. I tried to figure out how to put pressure on Callum’s wound while still providing us suppressing fire. I reached for my rifle, but stopped.

But there was no need. The men below weren’t paying attention to us. Five cars fired on the gate, despite the green truck being in the way. The green truck with the mounted machine gun, it’s red-armband wearing gunner with his back to us, pointed it’s barrel outward.

A sedan barreled in, its trunk low and overladen.A fucking car bomb.

It revved the engine, ready to crash the gate.

The men at the green truck fired at the wheels of the incoming car, desperate to veer it off course. They struck, the car tipped, then rolled before bursting into flames. Then the crossfire began, one side attacking the other, and the helicopter tilted away and I lost sight of them.

I looked at Callum, pale but breathing under my hands. Had he looked like this when I stabbed him a lifetime ago?

“Open your eyes!” I yelled over the sound of the rotors buzzing in my ears. “Wake up, you lazy shit!”

I released one hand from his wound and slapped him on the cheek. The crack was loud, and a streak of his own blood stained his cheek.

No dice. He didn’t even move. But I could feel his pulse, his blood, his warmth, the rhythm of his breath.

“I haven’t given you permission to die, you asshole.” I raised my hand again and swung with all my might, and the slap echoed in the space, his head jerking to the side.

His mouth moved, and chest rose.

“Stop it,” his voice croaked. “It turns me on.”

He tried not to laugh. I tried not to scream.

His eyes turned slowly towards me, a small smirk on his paper white lips. So slight. Just a mere change of millimeters under his beard, but I knew it down to my core.

“Asshole.” I whispered in joyful relief as a tear ran down my nose and landed on his lower lip.

“Don’t be mean to me,” The slight crease of a dimple showing right above the line of his beard. He pouted. “I’m wounded.”

I did laugh through a whimper. Another tear reached my chin, and his hand came out to wipe it with his thumb.

“Your brother okay?” He groaned.

“He’s fine. Stop talking. Save your strength.”

He grunted, closing his eyes. So I clarified.

“But stay awake, okay? Stay with me?” I brought my face close to his so he could hear me over the helicopter’s whirring. The loud whipping sound of the metal blades forced me to shout, and even then I couldn’t be sure he could hear me.

“Don’t worry, love.” His brow creased and his eyes shuttered closed. “I’m just resting my eyes.”

“No, don’t do that! Don’t do that! Open your eyes!” He needed to stay conscious. To stay with me. His head lolled to the side as he slipped out of awareness, and I lifted one hand and brought it down hard on his face again.

He woke with a laugh, my red palm print on his cheek. He looked like a vampire, with blood all over his cheeks. His own blood, from my hands.

“Now, love, you’re going to get me hard. Right in front of your brother and all my friends.” He chuckled. “That’s going to make things awkward, but I’m game.”

“Jesus, there really isn’t enough blood for both heads, is there?” I said, looking down at all the red on his body, on my hands. On his hands. On the floor beneath us.

“Seems like a problem of your making,” he laughed, his chest heaving until it fizzled into coughs. “Care to help me with a solution?”

He was right. It was my fault. My brother was shot. My … lover … was hanging on to life, and at the center of this fucking hurricane was me. The cause of everyone’s misery.

“Stop that.” Callum’s green eyes were locked on mine. “I’m going to be fine.” His bloody hand, the palm dry and crusted, reached up to my face and cupped my cheek. “I don’t want to spend a lifetime with you doubting every word I say.” His thumb caressed my cheek and I leaned into it. “You have to trust me.”

“Barking up the wrong tree,” Leo’s voice cut in. “We’ve been together sincebeforewe were born, and she still doesn’t trust me.”

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