Jacked (Trent Brothers #1)(11)
My captain stepped to my side and snagged my arm, attempting to tug me away, but I stood firm. I wasn’t going anywhere, not without her, that is. “Come on, Adam. There’s nothing else you can do here. Let’s go get you cleaned up.”
I rolled him off my shoulder, ready to push him away if I had to. She was up to her elbows in trying to save this guy’s life. How she managed to keep so calm and in control was awe inspiring. I wanted to drop back to my knees next to her, soak in some of her power. “No, I’m staying here. She may need me.”
“Adam.”
I contemplated slugging him. “I said I’m good.”
He pulled harder, deliberately knocking me off balance. “Come on, Adam. The EMTs got this. Local PD is here. It’s their show now. We’re just in the way.”
“I don’t give a f*ck,” I growled low.
Cap got right in my face, staring me down. “I’m not asking, I’m telling.” He gave my chest a shove.
Respect for the man kept me from doing something rash and stupid, like laying him out right in the street.
“You’ve got blood all over you,” he pointed out. “Try not to touch anything. Come on.”
Touch anything? My hands felt numb; icy cold to the bone. That’s when I noticed my leather gloves were soaked with the kid’s blood, causing that chill to roll throughout my body.
Cap walked me back to my rig while my constant shadow, Ritchie, followed us like a faithful dog—still filming my every move.
“Shit, Adam,” Cap said, shaking his head in disbelief. He pulled on a pair of latex gloves so he could peel my leather ones off. “Turn your face away until I get these off.”
I looked back at the scene; that adorable doctor was still at it, working with the paramedics and the fire department to secure the victims.
“She sure is something,” I breathed out, feeling extremely proud of her for some reason. She met extreme adversity head on, making me admire the hell out of her. Not too many women would have the guts or the tenacity to roll from one shitty situation to another.
Ritchie’s camera light illuminated the wet street around my feet. Regret for putting her through all of that earlier hit me like a fist to the face, driving my need to right another wrong.
I leaned in closer to my commander, hoping that my words wouldn’t get recorded. “Cap, the footage from tonight, it can never be aired. That shit will ruin her.” I looked back at her; she was still giving orders, maintaining control of the situation as if she’d done it a thousand times. She was assessing the vics in the other car, pointing, telling people what she needed them to do, without even realizing she was being filmed by a major television network.
A third ambulance rolled up, along with another fire engine, taking care of the truck driver and the fluids spilled on the road. I wanted to run back to the scene and pull her out of there, carry her over my shoulder if I had to.
Cap sighed, eyeing Ritchie warily. “I know, but I’m worried about the shit they’re recording right now. You know as well as I do that any shots of your heroics gives ’em serious hard-ons.”
I bit back a curse, knowing the deal with the network and how their focus had secretly shifted, making me their primary target. Why we ever agreed to be filmed for reality TV was beyond me, although the amount of money they tossed at us was ridiculous and hard to say no to. At least it helped get the word out that the Auto Theft Task Force was out in full force, cracking down on crime.
Still, I felt like a sellout at times, especially since there were plenty of other hardworking cops on the streets who weren’t pulling in an extra five figures to do their jobs.
Several patrol units were on the scene now, managing traffic. None of them were getting a cut of the action being on reality TV, but each of them were putting their lives at risk every time they wore their badge.
“All right,” Cap said, dumping my bloody gloves in a plastic bag. “You need to get out of here and get cleaned up.”
I held the plastic bag open while he removed his own soiled gloves. After a healthy dose of hand sanitizer for both of us, he used his com unit. “Attention all ATTF officers, local PD is on scene. It’s almost five forty-five. Time to clear out.”
I checked my watch and hustled over to her car, assuring myself that her belongings were secured. Her sweet ride was at least forty-five grand to start and it was brand new. There was no way I was going to let her or her car sit in this neighborhood.
I didn’t need to inform Cap what I intended to do. After being under his command for the last few years, one glance from me was all it took to know I needed to see this to the end. He gave me a nod of understanding.
I turned my glare on Ritchie, pegging him with a pointed finger. “Don’t you f*cking follow me. Understood?”
I was glad he didn’t need me to repeat myself since I was at the very end of my rope. I jogged back to the accident scene alone, knowing I wasn’t leaving until she was safe and secure. It was beyond too late to keep her off camera or from her seeing the injured. I found myself shouldering up to her, fighting an urge to wrap my arms around her.
She was standing there, misting the cold air with her labored breath. How many hours did she say she’d worked when we stopped her? Sixteen? And she’d just worked her ass off for another half hour doing field triage. Holy hell, that was admirable. Thoughts of my little brother Jason doing the same exact shit in some war-torn place of hell on Earth blasted into my mind, rippling pain and worry into my chest. Damn, I hoped he was doing all right—that he was safe.