Page 93 of Without Bound
With no other choice, I jump on Phoenix’s back but catch an elbow right in my eye, throwing me back onto the floor where I land with a thud. My head smacks the hard surface and for a moment, I see stars.
“Anais.” Phoenix realizes what he’s done and seizes his bludgeoning of Bishop. “I’m sorry.”
I hear Bishop coughing and work to push up on my elbows. Phoenix rushes over to help me but when his bloody and busted hand reaches out for me, I scramble further away from him.
“Bishop,” I cry and crawl over to where he lays.
Blood is pouring from his nose or mouth or, I don’t know. His face is a complete mess. So much that I can’t even make out his features.
“What did you do?” I sob.
My hands shake as they hover over him, my fear of touching him stopping me from throwing my body over his.
“Get away from him, Anais,” Phoenix barks but I don’t even acknowledge him.
Against my better judgment I finally lay my hands on Bishop and try to wipe away some of the massacre on his face.
“It’s okay, cariño. I’ll get help.” Only grunts and groans come from him as does blood when it flies from his mouth when he coughs again. “Bishop. I’m sorry.”
My words hiccup as the force of my crying takes over. My hands continue to wipe at the blood. When my hands slip, I pull my sweatshirt off and use it to mop him up.
“You were my brother, now you’re nothing. You’re nothing more than a dead man walking,” Phoenix spits.
“Shut up! You asshole. Get out of here before I call the cops and have you arrested. I hate you. I hate you!”
I jump to my feet and rush at him much like he did to Bishop. I pound on his chest and the shrill of my screams is like nothing I’ve ever heard.
“Ana,” Phoenix grips my wrists, squeezing them between his powerful hands. “He’s the one going to jail. He’s finished. Hear that, you worthless piece of shit? You’re finished here.”
“The school knows about us.Everyone knows about us. Let me…go.” I yank free of him and push at his large body. “Everyone knows about the two of us. Even your precious little Vivian. We were going to call you today to ask you to dinner so we could tell you.”
Phoenix takes slow steps backwards, shaking his head in disbelief.
“No she doesn’t. Vivian wouldn’t hide something like this from me.”
“Well she did! They all did. But everyone is too afraid of the hothead Phoenix West. Who do you think will be done once I go to the police about this? What do you think the doctors are going to ask when Bishop shows up like he is?”
I turn back to Bishop who lies silent and curled up on the floor. I can see blood pouring from a cut above his eye and I’m pretty sure his nose is broken, at the very least.
“I’m calling an ambulance and we’re going to get you to the hospital. Together. O-okay?”
I pull my phone from my back pocket and tried to open it, but all the blood just has my fingers sliding all over the screen. I have no choice but to either ask for Phoenix’s help or use the phone on his desk. It means I have to leave his side, but I stand and walk over to the phone on the corner of the desk and pick up the receiver. I dial 9-1-1, then stretch out the cord as far as it will go so I can return to Bishop’s side.
“9-1-1. Do you need fire, medical or police?” the voice asks when it answers.
“Medic and-and police. Please hurry.”
I answer her questions –where is the emergency, what happened, who’s in need of assistance– and do the things she tells me. I check for his pulse which is strong, and though his breathing is labored, it’s steady.
“We have someone on their way. I’m going to stay on the phone with you until they get there.”
“Th-thank you,” I tell her, and lay down next to Bishop. “They’re on their way, baby. Just a few more minutes.”
Not caring about the flesh and blood, I kiss his lips, tears pouring down my face. Bishop’s body is bruised and battered and if someone could see my heart, it would look the same.
This is beyond my greatest fear. I never thought for one moment that my Uncle could be capable of such destruction. Destruction to a man he called a brother.
“You need to leave Phoenix unless you want to get arrested.” He stands, unmoving, in the doorway.
