Page 56 of Lane

The paramedics rushed in and took over, but Alton wouldn’t stop.

Time flew by after that. Alton left with them when they placed Thane on the stretcher and moved him to the ambulance with Lily behind them.

I was frozen in place, lost in a mix of memories of losing my mom and watching as Raiden’s dad bled out.

Someone shook me. “Lane, are you hurt?”

Blinking away the fresh tears, Raiden came into focus. “I’m fine. Go,” I begged. “You have to go with your dad.”

“It’s not safe for you here. We have to get you home.”

“Ray, your dad,” I whispered brokenly.

“Don’t, okay?” his voice cracked. “I need to fix this.”

I nodded, understanding what he wasn’t saying. He couldn’t help his dad, but he could stay here and talk to the cops who I heard walking around. They hadn’t spoken to me yet. They would though. If fingers were going to be pointed, they would most likely be at me and JJ, at Jordan’s guards.

Raiden helped me from the floor then his mouth was on mine hard and bruising, but it only lasted seconds before he tore it away.

“Tell me what you need,” I said.

“The cops…”

“Okay.” I found the nearest officer.

That began the longest night of my life.

I’d thought all I’d been through before was the worst. In some ways it was. Losing my mother was like someone viciously ripping my heart from my chest. As I watched Raiden and his brother try to secure the home, call in reinforcements, do whatever they could to help, my heart broke in my chest, shattered into a million pieces.

They were so much alike, trying to do what they could before leaving for the hospital. Almost as if they didn’t go there, Thane would be okay.

Not long after, Reghan’s phone rang. The twins froze, staring at each other, but neither moved.

It was Barrett who took the phone from Reghan’s pocket and pressed it to his ear. Words weren’t needed, not when tears formed and broke free almost instantly from Barrett’s eyes.

“No,” Reghan whispered. “Bear, no.”

“I’m sorry.” The phone fell from his hand as he reached for Reghan.

I walked through the blood, through the glass-covered floor, and pressed my chest to Raiden’s back as I held him with everything I had. His body shook against me in quiet sobs. My tears ran freely down my face, soaking into his shirt.

“I’m so sorry,” I told him. “I’m so fucking sorry.”

He turned to fully embrace me, crushing me in his arms as he tucked his head against my neck. Hot tears hit my skin as he cried.

“Goddammit!” I heard someone roar in anguish. Dexen walked to Raiden and me and put his arms around us. “I’ll find them, Raiden.” He went to Reghan next, repeating the promise, not saying more given the police were still here.

“I don’t give a shit who the fuck you are or who you work for,” I heard a familiar voice growl.

This wouldn’t be good.

“I’ve got him,” JJ said. “All right, let’s not yell at the people trying to help.”

“Help? If?—”

“Don’t,” JJ warned.

“Tell me.”

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