Page 29 of Forsaken Devotion: Part 2
He’d gotten hurt because of me. I had no doubt he knew to never come to this territory. Drake didn’t need to tell me it was my fault. I knew. I should have asked more questions.
Lucian coughed, and blood slipped from the corner of his mouth.
Oh, thank Moon, he was awake. He rolled onto his side. Carefully, I slid my hand to his shoulder, helping him stay propped. He spat into the grass and rolled back with a groan.
“Are you okay?” he croaked, his hand searching for mine and clasping it. It wouldn’t stop shaking. I held it tight.
“I’m sorry I dragged you into this?—”
“Stop.” He coughed and groaned. He squeezed my hand. “Stop, mate.” His words slurred.
Lights beamed through the trees, blinding me as they turned.
He stiffened and was pushing himself upright in the next second.
“Lucian, don’t move,” I admonished, my hands hovering over his bloody arm. I didn’t want to hurt him more than he already was.
“Get behind me,” he wheezed, his pained body curling forward. The engine cut off.
“Joey?” Verity called out.
“I’m right here,” I screamed back. “Stop, Lucian, she’s my friend.” He swayed, and I quickly slid behind him, curling my arms around his torso, to keep him upright.
The trees swayed and moved, then out came Verity.
“What the fuck?” she murmured. “What the hell happened?”
“Remember the no questions bit?”
“Right,” she muttered and hurried to crouch next to me. “Hospital or . . .?”
“Help me get him into your car.”
She nodded tightly, and I slid over to make room for her next to him. “Pull his arm over your shoulder; we’re going to have to stand at the same time.”
She quickly did as I asked and put her arm over mine. Lucian’s head flopped forward.
A slight discomfort speared my chest when her skin touched his, but it was easy to ignore with the throb spiking through my temple.
“On, three,” I said, bracing my legs under me. “One, two, three—” We pushed and got him on his feet. I spread my own to balance us.
“Holy, crap, he’s heavy.” Verity panted.
His leg buckled, and there was a bulge at his ankle.
“Girl, I think your man’s bone is broken.”
Emotion clogged my throat. Lucian didn’t make a sound with our first step, even though it dragged his beaten body. I didn’t know where I pulled strength from, but I heaved, carrying him with Verity’s help.
“Faster,” I gasped, single-handedly focused on getting him to the safety of the car. It felt like forever, but at the same time, a blink of an eye. Sweat beaded at my temples, and both Verity and my panting were loud. I reached for the back door’s handle and popped it open. After sliding in first, I pulled him against me, while Verity let him go. His legs hung outside, and I knew bending them would hurt.
I opened the other door at my back and propped my hands under his arms and pulled with Verity guiding his legs.
“Tell me when his feet clear the door.” I was going to be sore when all this was over, but it would be nothing compared to the damage to him. His body was littered with lacerations. And other than his ankle being broken, I was pretty sure he might also have a broken rib.
“Now.”
I stopped pulling and propped him upright.
