Hands Stained Red

Twenty Four ~ Kaden

"Quinn!" Kira screeches as I walk in with the boy I found in the woods. I look down at him as Kira launches herself at him. I mean I physically look down at him because he's a lot smaller than I thought he would be.

Mylo comes over to me and pulls me away, "Is that your new wife's dead ex?"

I purse my lips and take a deep breath before nodding, "I went out looking for Rya and he was just wandering about with the other two who look half dead if I'm being honest."

I look over to the other two people who showed up. They're hovering by the front door with Switch who is going to drive them to the nearest fast food restaurant and phone the police from there.

"Rya also still hasnt came back. She just sent the three of them and went after Poppy," I pinch the bridge of my nose and close my eyes, trying to keep my temper in check, "so now I'm stuck here babysitting her ex and it's only a matter of time before Dad picks up on this."

Mylo shrugs, "So what if Dad picks up on it? You're 29 years old. What's he going to do? Spank you?"

I laugh and shake my head at him, "How does he not scare you?"

Mylo chuckles and runs his hands through his hair, "Oh, he scares me. But if he thinks both of us are scared of him then it's going to go to his head."

I shove him lightly and laugh. Only he could make a joke at a time like this.

"Kaden!" I turn away and look at Switch by the front door, "I'm leaving, get Artie to text me when Rya shows up."

Mylo looks over my shoulder and winces, "Kaden, dont freak out, but Kira is taking Quinn upstairs."

I take a deep breath as I realise what that means. Quinn isnt leaving.

It's only natural to feel angry that the boy that my new wife is still in love with has just shown up on our wedding day. It doesnt matter that my relationship with Rya is pretty much nonexistent outside of the bedroom. It matters that she's my wife. She took my name and wears my ring. How am I supposed to live with a woman who hates me for not being someone else.

"This day couldnt get much worse," I mutter.

"ARTIE!" I jump at the scream and spin to see Rya standing at the door clutching at her shoulder. Her dress is brown up to about her knee and torn. Blood is dripped down her head and her cheek is scraped. What worries me though is the blood seeping through her fingers in her shoulder, "Where the fuck is my uncle?"

I rush over to her as quickly as I can in my stupid suit and grab her uninjured arm to hold her upright, "What happened?"

She glares at me but I know the anger isnt directed at me, "What does it look like happened, I've been fucking shot. That bitch took my gun and shot me. You know what it feels like to be shot with your own gun? Shit!"

I dont mention that it was actually my gun as I usher her into the kitchen and onto a chair. Artie comes walking in and rolls his eyes at her, "That dress cost more than your car."

She takes one look at the ruined dress and then at her uncle, "Fuck the dress. What about my shoulder?"

Artie moves her hand and I lean against the counter. He looks at her back and then wraps a bandage around her shoulder, "The bullet went right through and didnt hit anything important. I have a sewing kit in my room, Kaden, make sure she doesnt pass out from blood loss before she gets there."

I move to help her up but she bats me away, "I dont need you to carry me, just pick me up when I fall."

She pushes herself up with her good arm and uses the other to press down on the wound.

Artie chuckles, "There's also some weed in my room. Feel free to take what you need to tolerate her."

I roll my eyes and follow her out. She's only made it as far as the bottom of the stairs and is now standing bracing herself against the wall.

"I'll pay you 50 quid if you give me a piggy back up the stairs," she mutters.

I laugh at her, "I'll do it for free. But only if you promise not to tell my brother."

She pushes off the wall and skips over to me, "Done! Now turn around Princess."

I crouch down and dont expect her to jump straight onto my back. I stumble forward and grab ahold of the banister to keep myself upright.

She starts giggling on my back and I realise that she's getting delirious, "Right then, up the stairs before you bleed out. I have no intention on becoming a widower this quickly."

I grab ahold of her legs around my hips and start up the stairs, "Did you know that my Dad shot my Mum the day after their wedding?" She tells me, resting her chin on my shoulder.

"I did not," I laugh.

"And did you know that before I came here I baked a shit ton of weed brownies and they're in my room?" She says.

I get to the top of the stairs and Rya points towards a door. I open it with my foot and walk inside, dropping her on the bed. She immediately gets back up and goes over to the mirror, "Ouch," she says as she moves bloody hair.

I walk over, "What the hell did that?" I ask her and take a bandage from her shoulder and press it against her scalp instead. She whines and tries to push me away but I'm trying to stop her dying so I dont really care.

"A plank of wood I think. I dont know, Quinn was behind me," she mutters, finally giving up on fighting me.

I take a deep breath, there has to be an explanation as to why this little prick smacked her over the head with a plank of wood.

I get up and head towards the room we're staying in tonight. I see her bag on the bed and look through it until I find the tin foil wrapped package. I look through my own bag for a bottle of whisky and bring both of them back to Artie's room.

I put both things down on the bed and her eyes light up before she frowns, "Is this bribery? It better not be because that's American whisky and I grew up on Scottish whisky so that is offensive."

I gently sit her down on the bed, "I'm going to stitch you up."

She grumbles but pulls her hand away from the bullet wound, "Hand me the fucking bottle."