Page 3 of Unmasked Anarchy
I nod in the biker's direction.
My head is light, and my body is numb.
I’m guessing whatever drugs the paramedics gave me are good.
“We’re going to get you to the hospital.”Michael nods to me, then turns to the biker.“You will need to give a statement.Until then, you can leave.”
“No.”
My voice comes out quickly, even before I can think about it.A panic grips my chest, something terrifying and unfamiliar.I don’t want to be alone.I don’t want to ride in this ambulance or go to the hospital by myself.I don’t even know who tried to kill me or why.The sirens wail around me, a constant reminder of the chaos that’s just unfolded.My mind races, trying to piece together the fragments of what happened.Faces blur in my memory, shadows lurking in the corners of my thoughts.I feel the weight of uncertainty pressing down, each breath a struggle against the fear that threatens to consume me.
“This man isn’t family,” Michael begins, but he is cut off when the biker steps up beside him, his presence overwhelming as he drops his cigarette, crushing it out with his boot.
“She wants me to ride with her, I’m ridin’ with her.”
His voice is unwavering.
Looking between the two of us, Michael exhales and nods.
Reaching out, the biker takes my hand, stepping up beside the stretcher.
“Sable, huh?Good name.”
A small smile tugs at my lips.“What’s yours, mystery guy?”
“Kael.”
My brows go up.“Kael, huh?Good name.”
His eyes dance as he stares down at me.
I squeeze his hand.
I don’t know who this man is, but he is the reason I am still breathing and, for that, I want to know more.
Even if that is a very dangerous thought to have.
They load me, loadus, into the back of the ambulance.Kael wedges himself in without so much as a flinch at the sheer amount of blood lying around; between me, my clothes, and the paramedic tools, it is everywhere.Michael clatters around with wires and stickers and mutters about shock, but Kael never lets go of my hand.
Michael secures me, taking a seat and calling out to his partner that we are ready to move.Police lights flash outside, and I hear the other paramedic tell the police they will meet them at the hospital.They can’t waste time with more questions.
Kael gets right up against the rails of the gurney, his thumb moving lazy circles over my wrist, as if he has known me forever and this isn’t our first time meeting.I’m terrified, my stomach in knots, but with him right here, I feel a sense of calm.Considering how bad things are, I feel good.Shock, I’m guessing.Michael mentioned it enough.
“So,” he murmurs, low, “what kind of sick fucker did this to you?”
Michael shoots Kael a look, but he completely ignores it, keeping his eyes on mine.
“I don’t ...I don’t know,” I croak.
“Do you remember anything?”
“It was close to last call,” I murmur.“We were celebrating.My friend Mitchell got engaged.The whole place was so bright and loud I couldn’t hear myself think.”I swallow, tasting more blood.“I left, deciding I had had enough, and so I was going to drive myself home.I was only two blocks from my car, then ...”
My lungs seize; Kael’s hand tightens.I stare at the ceiling.The fluorescent lights burn my eyes as the hazy memory flicks around in my mind.“Someone grabbed me.I didn’t see his face.”I saw something though—a sleeve, navy and rough-worn, and the hot stink of whiskey on an exhale.“I heard him say something, so I think there were two of them.They had gloves.They ...knew what they were doing.I didn’t even get a scream out before—” I point to where the pain presses against the torn shirt.
Kael doesn’t blink.“You didn’t see faces, but you remember gloves.”The way he speaks is like he’s a detective, digging around until he finds answers.
“Yeah.And a ring.Big.On the left hand.”I breathe through the pain, let my eyes drift shut for a second.“I fought.One of them punched me.I woke up to them tossing me in a ditch.”
