Healing Gabe (The Last Hangman MC #3)(61)

Why in the hell did she jump in front of me? She should have let me take the bullet. It would’ve been a lot easier for me to handle than having to watch her limp body take her last breath in my arms. I cradle her to my chest. Aleck and Ant shake and shout at me, but I don’t hear them. All I want is to be left alone with Viv.

Aleck pushes me away and I try to fight him but don’t have any strength left. He and Ant carry Viv outside, while Nic applies pressure on her wound.

My world has just come crashing down. The one thing I dreaded the most happened all because I said those three f*cking words. I should have kept my mouth shut, I knew something would happen if I said them.

She can’t leave me. I can handle all the bullshit that went on today, but not losing Viv. No, I can’t handle that at all.

I feel numb, I haven’t moved an inch since she was shot, I’m sitting on the floor, resting my head on my knees, holding my head. I hear someone shout my name. I look up and see Bennett limping over to me. I had no idea he was here. I look around as he walks towards me. Sanders is holding Jenny’s dead body. Annie is on the ground, with a hole in her head. Jared is face down on the ground, with half of his brain missing. I don’t know who shot him, but I’m glad that motherf*cker is finally dead. I just wish I could have been the one who put a bullet in his head for shooting Viv.

“She’s a fighter, she’ll be okay, but you need to get your ass to the hospital and be with her. She needs you Brother.” he says holding his hand out to me. I take it and he helps me up.

“I can’t lose her.” I tell him, my voice wavering.

“I know, that’s why you need to go and be with her. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect her like I was supposed to. It’s my fault.” he says sadly.

“We’ll talk later, come on, looks like you could use a ride.” I help him out of the warehouse and we take one of the pickups that are parked outside the warehouse.

We drive to the hospital in silence, I can’t bring myself to talk, if I do, I know I’ll lose it. I need to stay focused and get us there as soon as possible in one piece. I break all the speed limits driving to the hospital, I don’t have much choice, I need to be there for Viv and Bennett needs medical attention. I look over to Bennett and see that he’s losing a lot of blood from his gunshot wound.

“Hang in there Brother,” I tell him before I pick up the pace, breaking the speed limit.

We finally get there and I half carry, half drag him inside the ER. The nurse behind the counter sees the state of his leg and comes rushing out of the small office.

“What happened to you, Sweetheart?” If things weren’t this bad, I would find it funny.

“Got shot twice in my leg.” He groans in pain as he applies too much pressure to his wounded leg.

“Come on, we’ll take care of you.” She shows us the way to a cubicle and I follow, still half carrying him. He wasn’t this bad when we left, I guess he’s lost more blood than I thought. “You’re our second gunshot victim today.” She shakes her head.

“Was the first one a young woman with purple hair?” I ask, scared we aren’t in the right hospital.

“Yes, how do you know?” She gets Bennett on a gurney and tightens a tourniquet around his thigh.

“She’s my woman. How is she? Where is she? I need to see her.” I say frantically.

“I’ll go get a doctor for you, Sir.” She scurries away leaving me with Bennett.

“She’ll be okay, don’t worry.”

“There was so much blood. Coming out of her chest. What if he shot her in the heart?” I’m sure I feel faint, not like I’m going to pass out, but instead like the life has been sucked out of me.

“Do you really think she would give up after all this?” Bennett asks raising his eyebrow at me.

“She doesn’t get to choose whether she lives or dies. Not if she was shot in the f*cking heart.”

“Yes, of course she can. She can either fight the pain or let go. Don’t give up on her just yet, it might take a while but she will be okay. Trust me Brother, she won’t leave you behind.” He pats my shoulder and groans again. “Fuck the bastard who did this.”

“I hope you’re right.” I sigh. “Who shot you?”

“One of those f*cking Kings pussies. Anyway I know I’m right, so stop moping around like a f*cking woman and make yourself useful, go get me some morphine, will you?” He groans yet again.

“No he can’t.” A doctor walks into the cubicle with two nurses. He looks me up and down. I must be a sight, I’m covered in blood, Viv’s blood. “They’re about to take her down to surgery now to remove the bullet and fix any damage.” I can see the muscles in his jaw work as I look at him expectantly and then he sighs. “Third hallway to your right then three more to your left. Hurry up.” I nod at him and run out, needing to see her. I don’t know what the doc’s deal is, but it seems that he thinks it’s my fault she’s been shot and that I don’t deserve to see her. He’d be right about that. Maybe he knows her though, she did use to live around here.

I let those thoughts die as I reach the last hallway and see the surgery team wheeling her towards a set of doors at the other end of the corridor.

“Wait!” I yell at them.