Page 49 of Redemption

They all stop when they see the familiar blonde covered in blood from her elbows down to her knees, ordering people around.

“He’s a cop!” Lex shouts at the EMTs rush over. “I applied pressure to the wound, but he’s lost a lot of blood. He’s still conscious but just barely.”

“Lex,” Grayson says, his voice strangled.

“I got you, Grayson.”

Colt stares at his estranged wife, relief washing over him to see she isn’t injured. The emotion takes him by surprise, especially because it’s not quickly replaced by anger.

If it was her, you know it would’ve been your fault, right?

Fuck off, Noah.

The Police Chief and Captain of the department pull up. They initially look lost but still bark out orders to remind everyone who’s in charge. Julian Black walks over to the cops pulling up while Travis Hall walks up to Lex. The Captain has been Grayson’s mentor since he started, and he looks scared.

“What happened?”

“I came out to my car, heard the gunshot, and ducked. Once I knew they were gone, I rushed out and found Grayson like this,” she says. “I did what I could to stop the bleeding until help arrived.”

“You always seem to be around to save him.”

She chuckles. “Dumb luck, I suppose.”

“Baby,” Ashley cries. “You stay awake, you hear me? You don’t get to die.”

“We’ll meet you at the hospital,” Lex says to her before Ashley climbs into the back of the ambulance with her boyfriend.

Walking towards the crowd, she looks down. Colt’s stomach churns at the sight of her dress soaked with the dark liquid from her chest to her knees. There’s so much blood, and it could have been hers. The thought alone chokes him up. “Lex-”

“I look like an extra in a horror movie? Story of my life. I need to clean up, and then I’ll tell you what I know,” she says and walks towards the clubhouse. Looking at Melanie, she smirks. “Guess it’s safe to say this isn’t something I’ll be shortening to wear again.”

“Lex,” Diesel says and stops her. “Is Ashley okay?”

“Physically, she’s totally fine. Emotionally, she’s about one step away from being put into a straightjacket.”

“What the fuck happened?” Psycho growls.

Sighing, she slaps her bloody hands on the sides of her skirt and small drops of blood splatter. “I guess cleaning up can wait. I walked out to my car and heard motorcycles. Then I heard a gunshot. I ducked, but I saw a shamrock and a dagger with flames on the back of the kutte.”

“The Slashers?”

“I assume so. I’ve never seen them up close, but there were about fifteen of them. They could’ve killed him, so I don’t understand why they only shot once. But I also don’t understand why they’d target him. He’s a cop, but they’ve got an issue with us.”

“They knew we were having a wedding, and it was probably just an opportunity,” Diesel growls. “Shep, Heidi, I’m sorry. I gotta head to the hospital to be there for my girl.”

Heidi nods. “Go. Everyone, go. The wedding’s kind of dead at this point, anyway.”

“I’m sorry, baby,” Shep says.

“Make it up to me by taking me home and making love to me in our jet tub.”

Melanie leans against the building and sighs. “To be young and freshly in love.”

“It makes me kind of sick,” Lex says. “Especially because I can never see a jetted tub and think of anything other than the two of them getting naked and freaky.”

“I kind of like it.”

“You would. I’m gonna go clean up and then head to the hospital.”

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