Beast, Part Two (The Church #5)

Hospital

chapter Twenty-three

Summer

L ast time I was in Doc’s makeshift hospital, I was the one behind those swinging doors. I had no idea what it looked like in the waiting room, but if it felt like this, I’m glad I wasn’t there.

Hawk called Brooklyn and told her to get here. All he said was Priest was shot. He didn’t tell us how bad it was or anything. We left the kids with Ms. Reese while Brooklyn, Malia, Ari and I came right over.

We’ve been sitting in this waiting room for hours hoping to hear something soon. Seth is pacing the floor like a raging bull. Fem hasn’t stopped crying since we got here. Malia and Brooklyn were by her side the entire time. Hawk is sitting with his arms across his chest, and his head leaning back against the wall with his eyes closed. Zel is beside him with his head down, his leg hasn’t stopped jumping yet. Many and Ari are beside each other. For once neither of them has anything to say.

Maksim is standing across from me, his back is against the wall. His gaze keeps sweeping the room as if he’s waiting to see who is going to fall apart first. However, the one I am most concerned about is the one that is silently sitting on the floor beside me. His back is against the wall, one knee is bent and the other is out in front of him. He has not spoken a word. When I walked into the room, he didn’t even look up. He seems unaware of his surroundings and Gabriel is never unaware.

It isn’t his lack of response that is bothering me, it’s the vacant look in his eyes. It’s like staring at those glass doll eyes. I’ve seen the vacant look those few times when that dark voice in his head took over, but this isn’t that. I’ve never seen him so out of it. He’s scaring me.

“Fuck this,” Seth shouts, picking up one of the chairs and hurling it across the room at the wall.

I jump at the sudden sound.

“Seth, please calm down,” Malia pleads.

Seth grabs his hair and tugs it so hard I think he’s about to pull it out by the roots.

“Brother, calm down,” Many says in a voice I don’t think I’ve ever heard him use before. It’s hollow.

“This is stupid. We’re sitting here twiddling our thumbs when we should be out there looking for Corbyn.”

“We’re not just sitting here,” Zel says lifting his head. “We’re here because Priest is in there.” He points to the swinging doors that have yet to move.

“And why is that? Huh? Why is he in there? Because Corbyn put him there,” Seth continues to rant. “We should have taken him down from the start instead of all those dumb-ass side missions.”

“We were doing what Priest wanted. What we should have been doing,” Maksim says, putting his two cents in.

Seth turns and glares at him. “Why the fuck are you still here?”

Maksim pushes away from the wall. He stops when Malia leaps up. She grabs Seth’s face between her hands.

“Baby, you’re upset. Rightfully so, but you can’t take it out on everybody.”

He yanks away from her touch. “This is bullshit. Bullshit,” he shouts so loud I once again startle. I look beside me at Gabriel and he still has no reaction.

“Yo, where is Lucien?” Zel says. “We need him out here because I can’t deal with your dumb shit.”

“Fuck you, Zel? Where were you when they were putting a bullet in Priest?”

Zel shoots to his feet. “Doing what he told me to do. Where were you, Seth? Since you have all the got damn answers.”

“Guys please,” Malia pleads.

Hawk and Many both hop to their feet. Hawk is standing between Zel and Seth while Many tries to hold Zel back.

“We’re not doing this,” Hawk says, looking between the two. “We’re brothers. We don’t argue like this.”

“Fuck him,” Seth yells. “He’s not my fucking brother, none of you are.”

I gasp at his outburst. I’ve never heard them argue like this. Even in those two and half months when they would get into petty arguments it was never like this.

“You’re just angry. Don’t say that,” Many says still using that hollow voice. “You don’t mean it.”

Seth tugs at his hair. His eyes are so red that it looks as if he took a hit off a good blunt.

“I’ve got to get out of here.” Seth tries to walk around Many and Hawk, but they block him in.

“You’re not leaving. We’re staying together,” Hawk demands.

“Let him go. If he’s going to act like a lunatic, then let him go. We don’t need him,” Zel yells.

“Fuck you,” Seth shouts. Now instead of trying to leave, he’s trying to get to Zel. Sim pushes away from the wall. He gently moves Malia out of the way as he grabs Zel and holds him back.

I glance at Gabriel. He’s so unbothered you would think he wasn’t in the room right now. He doesn’t even look over at his brothers.

“Hey,” Brooklyn stands up and shouts. “We are not doing this shit here. Seth, calm the fuck down and stop being an asshole. Zel, take a seat. You’re not the only ones in here hurting.” She points at Fem.

Both men seem to come to their senses. Zel walks away and retakes his seat. Seth runs a hand over his head.

“Sorry,” he mumbles before sitting down. Malia quickly takes the chair beside him. She rubs his shoulder as he leans forward on his knees. Hawk and Many both retake their seats.

We sit in silence for another hour before the doors swing open and Doc walks out. His scrubs are covered in blood and sweat is pouring down his face.

Everyone stands on their feet. Well, all except Gabriel.

“Talk to me, Doc?” Seth says.

Doc removes the little surgical cap off his head and twists it in his hands. He turns to Fem.

“I’m so sorry. We did all we could do.”

I gasp before covering my mouth. A piercing scream leaves Fem’s lips before she drops to her knees. Brooklyn goes down with her, trying to console her. Malia pulls Seth into her arms as he weeps onto her shoulder. Many is silently staring off in space with tears streaming down his face. Zel has his face buried in his hands while Hawk is back sitting with his head leaning against the wall as tears fall from his eyes.

I’ve only known these men for a short period, but never have I seen them so broken. Their father is gone. Although Priest had no blood tie to any of these men, he was their father. And nothing can change that.

Out the corner of my eye, I watch Gabriel climb to his feet and walk out of the room. I’ve been giving him his space. Something told me that he needed it. However, now my gut tells me he needs me.

“Gabriel,” I call his name as I follow him out the waiting room and into the hallway. He stops but doesn’t turn around to face me.

“Go back inside, Summer.”

“No.” I walk up on him slowly until I’m standing right behind him. “You promised me you wouldn’t run anymore.”

His breathing is so labored his shoulders and back expand with every deep breath.

“I’m not running. I just….I need to get out of here.” He tries to walk away again, but I rush to stand in front of him. I place my hands on his chest to stop him. His eyes are red and they glisten with unshed tears.

“You can’t run off every time things get hard. You have to face it.”

“I can’t,” he whispers. “Not without him.”

I cup his cheek guiding his gaze to mine.

“Yes, you can. Because he taught you how.”

He shakes his head, but I keep talking.

“Your brothers need you right now. You all need each other. You have to stay for them.”

“He’s gone.” He shuts his eyes. “He’s gone.” His voice breaks, and he falls to his knees, burying his face in my stomach. His body shakes with his sobs. The tears fall down my face as I hold tight to the man I love. The man that has been everything I needed him to be when I’ve needed it.

“I’m here for you, baby. I’m right here,” I say as I stroke his hair and place kisses on his head.

Maksim walks up. His blood-shot eyes stare at me. He goes to his knees beside his brother and wraps his arm around him.

“I got you, little brother. No matter what. I got you. Priest was a good man.”

We stand there for what feels like eternity. Gabriel cries into my stomach while Maksim continues to inform him he will be with him until the end. I fight my own emotions as I try to wrap my head around the fact that Priest is dead.