Page 47 of Friar
Chapter Seventeen
Friar
I squinted through the haze of pain, catching a glimpse of dark hair as a figure ducked behind a dumpster at the far end of the alley.The woman glanced back once, her face clearly visible for just a second before she disappeared around the corner.Tasha.That one look contained enough hatred to burn the world down, and it was aimed directly at Cheri.
“Get her!”I roared, trying to push forward despite my injury.The sudden movement sent fresh agony tearing through my shoulder, and my knees buckled.Only Cheri’s support kept me from hitting the pavement.
Hawk sprinted past us, Forge and two Prospects close behind.They disappeared around the same corner Tasha had taken, the sound of their boots on asphalt fading quickly.I struggled to stay upright, determined to follow, to be there when they caught the bitch who’d tried to kill my family not once, not twice, but three times now.
“Stop,” Cheri pleaded, her voice breaking as she fought to support my weight.“You’re bleeding too much.Please, Friar.”
The desperation in her voice cut through the red haze of rage and pain.I let her guide me to a stack of wooden pallets against the alley wall, collapsing onto them as my strength finally gave out.My left arm hung useless at my side, and the entire left side of my cut was soaked through with blood that dripped steadily onto the dirty concrete.
“Keep pressure on it,” Cyclops instructed Cheri, pressing a wadded-up bandana into her hands.“Right here, against the exit wound.That’s where he’s losing the most blood.”
She nodded, pressing the cloth against my back with trembling hands.Her face was ashen, eyes wide with fear as she watched my blood seep through her fingers.I wanted to tell her I was fine, that I’d survived worse, but the lie wouldn’t form around the pain.
Beast emerged from the back door of the diner, his massive frame filling the narrow opening.His gaze found us immediately, assessing the situation with the quick precision of a man accustomed to crisis.“Kestral’s on his way,” he said, moving to crouch beside me.“Two minutes out.”
I nodded, not trusting my voice.The world had taken on a gray tinge at the edges, sounds muffled as if coming through water.
“The others?”I managed to ask.
“Handling the front.Cops will be here soon, but hopefully Kestral is faster.”Beast’s expression was grim as he looked at my shoulder.“Can you make it to the truck?I can ask him to meet us elsewhere.”
Before I could answer, Forge reappeared at the end of the alley, breathing hard, fury etched into every line of his face.Hawk and the Prospects followed, empty-handed and equally enraged.
“Lost her.”Forge holstered his weapon.“Had a car waiting -- black sedan.Took off before we could get a clean shot.The people helping her are gone or dead.”
“She was right there,” Hawk added, disgust evident in his voice.“I saw her face clear as day.It was definitely Tasha.”
The confirmation hung in the air between us, finally putting to rest any lingering doubts about who was behind the attacks.The knowledge should have been satisfying, vindication after a month of speculation, but all I felt was a cold, murderous rage that even the pain in my shoulder couldn’t diminish.
A car pulled into the alley, tires screeching as it came to an abrupt stop near our group.Dr.Kestral jumped out, medical bag in hand, already assessing the situation as he approached.
“Let me see,” he said without preamble, kneeling beside me and gently moving Cheri’s hands away from my wound.His touch was clinical but careful as he cut away the fabric of my shirt to expose the damage.“Through and through,” he announced after a brief examination.“Missed the major vessels and bone.Lucky bastard.”
The relief on Cheri’s face was palpable, some color returning to her cheeks as she processed that I wasn’t going to die in this filthy alley.Her hands were stained crimson to the wrists, my blood painting her pale skin in grotesque patterns.She caught me staring and tried to wipe them on her jeans, only succeeding in spreading the stain.
“I need to clean the wound, then get him somewhere I can stitch him properly,” Dr.Kestral said, already opening his bag and pulling out supplies.“He’s lost blood, but not a critical amount.Fluids, antibiotics, rest… he’ll be fine.”
“No time for rest,” I grunted, wincing as he began cleaning the entry wound with something that burned like liquid fire.“Not until she’s dealt with.”
Dr.Kestral ignored my protest, working with efficient movements to sterilize and temporarily dress both entry and exit wounds.“Pressure bandage will hold until we get somewhere cleaner,” he said, securing the last piece of tape.“But you’ve got muscle damage that needs proper repair.I’m not doing that in an alley.”
The sound of approaching sirens filtered in from the street, still distant but growing closer.Beast straightened.“Back to the clubhouse.All of us.Now.”
Hawk helped me to my feet, supporting my weight on my injured side while Cheri stayed close on the other.The movement sent fresh waves of agony through my shoulder, but I bit down on it, refusing to show weakness.The short walk to my truck felt like miles, each step requiring more concentration than the last.
“I’m driving,” Cheri said as we reached the vehicle, her tone brooking no argument despite the tears still drying on her cheeks.
I didn’t have the strength to protest, allowing Hawk to help me into the passenger seat.Cheri climbed behind the wheel, her movements quick and efficient as she adjusted the seat and started the engine.
The caravan of vehicles pulled out of the back lot just as the first police cruiser rounded the corner toward the front of the diner.Perfect timing.Another minute and we’d have had to deal with questions we couldn’t answer about bullet wounds and illegal firearms.
The drive to the clubhouse passed in a blur of pain and half-formed thoughts.Cheri drove with uncharacteristic aggression, staying close to Beast’s SUV as we wound through back streets to avoid any police responding to the shooting.Her knuckles were white on the steering wheel, jaws clenched tight enough that I could see the muscle jumping beneath her skin.
“You okay?”I asked, the words coming out rougher than intended.
