Invincible(36)

Yet I had been at the fight with Luke, the man who killed Wes’s brother.

“What are we going to do?” I asked.

“Right now? You’re going to shut your pretty eyes and sleep. I’ll take care of everything else.”

“No, Wes. This isn’t a joke.”

“I know.”

“My brother is crazy. He killed my father.”

“The Dragman…”

“Yes,” I admitted. “He killed him. I know it. I don’t remember much of anything. But he did it. He killed him. And he used me because…”

I couldn’t talk about it now. Another confession to Wes. I had already told him I was a murderer… in the sense that because of my family his brother was dead. But what I didn’t get to finish was the actual story.

Of how I was wanted for murder.



~



I opened my eyes a little. There was a figure in front of the fireplace. My heart tried to jump, but I reminded myself it was just Wes. He was doing what he said he would do - protect me. I had no idea how late it was. My eyes were still heavy. The blanket on my body was accompanied by the blanket of warmth from the fire.

But it was Wes who provided the ultimate warmth.

He stood at the fireplace, his hands in fists. Touching the mantle. His head hanging down.

Just like the first time I saw him.

I wanted to sit up. Stand up. Walk to him. Comfort him.

He was in so much pain.

My eyes grew heavier and sleep wanted to fight. I let sleep win the battle.

That was fine with me - Wes and I had a much bigger war to fight together.





22.


(Wes)



I couldn’t wait any longer. I grabbed my cell and made a call to Tommy.

He didn’t answer.

I stood on the porch of the cabin, swallowed up by the darkest night I’d ever seen. Not that I was used to being out in the f*cking woods or anything. Even in the middle of the night, there was always a pale light from buildings or a broken streetlight or something. That’s where I did my best thinking in my life. Walking the streets with my hands in my pockets, begging for a clear thought or for someone to f*ck with me.

Out here, the only thing that would f*ck with me would be a bear. Christ, I would have probably fought a bear. Why the hell not?

Have you ever killed someone?

What a question to be asked, right? In my mind I had taken out half the world, but that was just my own personal anger. But to actually end someone’s life. What a sense of power that must give. It also came with a responsibility that I’m not sure any decent person could handle. That’s why people either lost their minds or just kept killing, trying to clean up the regret over and over.

No, I had never killed someone. I had come close with that guy out back before. My mind wondered just who in the hell he had been. Who had hired him to track me and Rose down. It was probably a bad idea to still be in the cabin, but I didn’t know where else to go. At least here, I had a sense of my surroundings. I had to lay low and wait for news on Aton.

There was only one other person I could call.

When Danny picked up, he sounded groggy. “What the f*ck is this?”

“Danny, it’s Wes.”

“Wes? Where are you right now?”

“How’s Aton?”

“What?”

“Aton. How is he?”

“You’re calling to check on Aton?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Heard you groped a nurse and then took off.”

“That’s not exactly what happened. I’m trying to piece this together, Danny. So I can help.”

Danny groaned. “Come on, Wes. You’re a fighter, not a detective. Okay? This is a family thing. This is a family war. It’s going to get deeper and bloodier. Just come back to town and go back to fighting, where you belong.”

“Hey, what happened at the hospital… between us…”

“Water under the bridge,” Danny said. “Emotions are high. Whoever hurt Aton… we’re all targets.”

I thought about telling Danny what happened at the cabin. Or that I was at the cabin. But I didn’t trust him. I didn’t trust anyone.

“Give me an update on Aton,” I said.

“He’s the same, okay? A couple scary moments after you left. He was having trouble breathing. The docs kicked us all out for the night.”

“Fuck.”

“Yeah.”

“What’s the chances of him living?”

“I don’t know, Wes. You saw him. That’s all I can say. You believe in God or anything? Then pray. If not, then rub some sticks together and hope for the best.”

I remembered why I hated Danny. He was a big goon and a f*cking loser.

“Thanks,” I said.

I ended the call.

Back inside, I looked to the couch. There was beautiful Rose. Cuddled up tight with a blanket. None of it made sense to me yet. Maybe none of it would.

As comfortable as she looked, I didn’t want her sleeping in the open like she was. If someone kicked open the front door, she was an easy target.

I walked to the couch and reached down for her. I slipped a hand behind her neck and my other hand to her legs. I lifted her body and cradled her against my chest. Her hands reached up and touched my neck. She pulled her face to my neck and nestled there. I gritted my teeth, trying to make it so my heart wouldn’t race… but there was no stopping it. That’s what she f*cking did to me. Yet it was her family that destroyed my life. Her family that attacked Aton. Her family that was going to end up getting me and her killed. Of all people to feel this way around…