𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐈𝐓 | 𝟏𝟖+

29 | don't make me go

"Alexia, look at me."

Is Jace dead?

That cool barrel of the gun that was pressed to my neck. I squeeze my eyes shut as Gabriel bundles me into his arms. "It's okay," he whispers, clutching me tight. "I've got you. I've got you."

I don't know how long we stay like this but enough for the ringing to stop and the room to stop spinning. Finally moving back to a normal pace and my breathing has calmed, Gabriel smoothes back my hair.

Someone stands beside us but I don't glance at whoever it is because I am shaking against my brother, shaking with confusion and frustration.

Jace was our family friend. One of Gabriel's longest friends. Why would he do something like this? I know he would have shot me if he needed to. Kill me if he needed to. I shiver at the thought and close my eyes again.

"Where is he?" Gabriel asks calmly.

I presume he means Jace.

"He's gone."

"Gone?"

"Dead."

My teeth clamp down onto my bottom lip and I bury my head into Gabriel's neck.

He's dead. He's dead. My stomach lurches and twists again and I force myself not to throw up because I need to keep it together. I really need to keep it together.

"Alexia got hit."

"What?"

Lonzo kneels down beside me, the fabric over his knees now soaked with blood.

"Where?"

"Her arm," Gabriel says with a harsh whisper. "The bullet grazed her arm."

"Just a graze?"

My brother hums in response. "Just a graze."

I peel my eyes from the floor, feeling a single tear roll down my cheek. What is happening and how have I ended up in the middle of this mess? I want things to be easy, that's all I've ever wanted.

No violence. No guns. No aggression.

Just some fucking peace.

"Let me see," Lonzo's voice is so calm it forces me to look at him.

I'm not sure what I was expecting but those dark eyes full of guilt and a bucket full of regret wasn't it. Gabriel lets go of my body and delicately turns me towards Lonzo, he gently takes my arm in his and I release a low grunt.

"Does it hurt?"

For the first time I glance down at my arm. For a flesh wound there is a stupid amount of blood, all over my cream cardigan and down the length of my arm. I squeeze my fist and the cut throbs, not nearly as bad as getting my ribs bashed into the counter from that intruder.

I slowly shake my head but my body continues to tremble.

"She's probably in shock," Gabriel comments. "Her body is still full of adrenaline. It'll ache tomorrow."

My eyes cut across to him, shooting him a look to say that I'm sitting right here.

"Take Alexia upstairs, I'll call the doctor to have a look at her arm and I'll sort out the—mess."

Gabriel does nothing more than nod, he tugs me into his arms and I rest my head down onto his shoulder as he carries me upstairs. He doesn't take me to my room but to the large bathroom at the other end of the house.

He sets me down on the toilet and takes off my cardigan, discarding the blood soaked material onto the floor. He inspects the graze again and I stare blankly at the wall. I hear him stand from the floor and he retrieves a cup of water and raises it to my lips.