Teaching Aleck (The Last Hangman MC #2)(69)

CHAPTER 31



Charline

The room is eerily quiet.

If you could hear the sound of a heartbreaking, that’s the only sound you would hear.

My heart is breaking as I watch Aleck lose his battle against the pain, I see the light diminish in his eyes.

The ambulance just got here and the medics are strapping a barely conscious Aleck to a gurney. Sanders is holding a crying Ally, trying to reassure her that her daddy is going to be okay. Gabe is holding his shoulder and doesn’t look too good himself.

“Please, don’t die.” I whisper against Aleck’s lips and let the medics take him to the rig. I walk over to Sanders and take Ally from him.

“Is Daddy going to be okay?” she says still crying.

“Yes, Princess. Daddy will be okay.” Please God, let me be right. I cuddle her and follow the medics out the house with Sanders. Another ambulance is outside, ready to take Gabe to the hospital. I’m stunned to see cop cars closing the street and parked in front of the house, alongside cop bikes. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but at this point, I don’t give a f*ck about what they think might have happened.

“Miss, it might be better if you follow us in your car. Two police officers will escort you to the ER on their bikes, but we need to move quickly and it might not be the best to have a kid in there,” One of the medics tells me as they load up Aleck.

“Of course. Thank you. Please, keep him safe,” I plead him.

“Of course, Miss.” He gives me a compassionate smile and gets in the rig, closing the doors between Aleck and us. I move quickly and set Ally safely in the car and get in it myself, not caring about the rest.

The drive to the hospital is excruciatingly long. It might only be five minutes away with the sirens and the cops escorting us, but they are the longest five minutes of my life. When we finally pull up at the hospital, I quickly get Ally and run inside.

“Can I help you miss?” an older nurse asks me.

“M…my boyfriend was brought in with gunshot wounds.” I cover Ally’s ears by cuddling her into me. She doesn’t need to hear this. The nurse checks with one of the doctors and she nods a few times.

“They are going to get him to the operating room, they need to operate quickly, but he’s asked to see you.”

“Where is he?” I sniff, my nerves are pretty shot and I’m not sure how much more I can take.

“Come with me, Sweetheart.” I follow her and one of the female cops that were escorting me stops me.

“I’ll watch her while you talk to him. Come here, Princess.” She smiles sweetly at Ally and I nod at her.

“I’ll be back in a minute, Pumpkin. I promise.”

“Pinky promise?” She sniffs and looks at me.

“Pinky promise.” I hold my pinky up and she hooks hers in mine. I kiss her forehead and give her to the female cop before following a nurse to where Aleck is. They are just about to enter the operating room.

“Baby?” I lean over him.

“My Sweet Angel,” he groans in pain.

“Promise me you’ll be okay,” I whisper kissing his forehead.

“If anything goes wrong, promise me you’ll take care of Ally. I trust you with her.” He coughs up blood.

“Don’t say that please, you have to be okay.” I try not to break down crying, but it’s getting harder and harder.

“Promise me,” he whispers.

“I promise,” I whisper back, the tears freely falling. He moves the mask away from his mouth and brings me to his lips.

“I love you,” he whispers into the kiss.

“I love you too.”

“Forever and always.”

“Always and forever.” One of the nurses puts the mask back over his nose and mouth and wheels him away from me. We hold hands until I can’t follow anymore. I break down crying when the door closes, feeling like a part of me just died. I slide down the wall, sobbing uncontrollably.

“He’s in good hands, Sweetheart,” the older nurse tells me.

“I…I hope he makes it.”

“I’m sure he will, he looks like a fighter. He has you and his little girl to take care of. He won’t leave you two.” She smiles softly at me and helps me up.

“I hope you’re right.” I sniff.

“I’m sure I am. Come on, I’ll take you to the OR waiting room, there’s no one in there at the moment, it’ll be quiet for the two of you. Try to get some rest and relax a little, even in times like these, some peace and quiet is just what you need.” I nod and let her help me up.

She rubs my back as we walk back to where the cop is waiting for us with Ally. I dry my tears before I reach them, I don’t want her to think anything else happened.

“Hey, Pumpkin.” I take her in my arms and cuddle her.

“Why did you cry?” So much for not worrying her more than she already is.

“Come on, I’ll tell you when we get to the waiting room.” I kiss her head and we follow the nurse with the cops still escorting us. I’m not sure why, but I’m not in a position to question or complain at this point.

Two elevators and more than I can count hallways later, we get to a small but cozy room. I sit Ally in a chair and get us two bottles of water from the vending machine before settling down next to her.