Roll For Initiative

53. Lucian

H er wet, naked body. That kiss. Fuck I would have given anything to make that moment in the bathroom last longer. Oh well, we have all the time in the world now. It’s dark outside. The doctor said they would be back in a few hours for her for the last tests. Hopefully, we can go home in the morning. Home. My home. I can’t believe she is coming to live with me. I mean, sure, it might only be temporary, but that gives me time to test out the whole "move to California with me" speech.

She’s currently snuggled into my chest with her arm wrapped around me. Her poor fingers have splints on them. She’s such a strong woman. Most people would have fainted from the pain alone, but she fought. She fought him hard, too. They found DNA under her nails, but it will disappear in the evidence lock-up, most likely.

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

"Hello. I’m here to take her for the cat scan." The nurse says.

"Cassie, hunny. Wake up." She barely stirs. "Cass." She shoots upright. She was panicked like she was just in a nightmare.

"What? What happened?"

"Nothing, baby. You're ok. The nurse is just here to take you for the CAT scan."

"Oh. Okay. What time is it even?"

"Close to midnight, I think. I’ll be here when you get back, so don’t worry." Jayme is currently snoring on the couch. "Jayme will be too." She smiles. I love it when her nose crinkles when she smiles. It’s adorable and makes her look so innocent.

The nurse helps her get into the wheelchair and takes her away.

The sound of the door closing wakes Jayme.

"Hm, Lucian? What time is it?" Jayme yawns and stretches. Thankfully, the couches aren’t too uncomfortable here.

"Almost midnight. Cassie will be back in a bit; they took her for the cat scan."

Jayme shoots up. "Did you send a guard with them?" I’m confused.

"No why? They were just going for the test. Jayme, what is fucking wrong?"

"The doctor earlier said they needed to do an MRI to check her brain swelling.... not a CAT scan."

The sudden realization of what he means hits me hard, and we rush out into the hallway. Jayme’s men, Marco and Jace, are standing in the hall.

"Where the fuck did they go?" He demands. "Why didn’t one of you go with her?" The guards are stammering.

"The nurse said she would be back shortly. We went to follow, but she said that no one besides authorized personnel was allowed. We assumed she was fine since it was the fucking nurse. Sorry, boss."

"Which way did they go," I ask.

"Down the hall, then they turned left. What is wrong?" Marco asks.

"The doctor earlier said they had to do an MRI to check to make sure she didn’t have any more brain swelling; the fucker who came in just now said they needed to do a cat scan."

"I mean, they are both tests, right? Don’t you think you are overreacting?" Jayme just shoots him a look that even makes me back away in fear.

"Lucian, let’s go. Marco. Jace. Be useful and be on guard in case shit goes south. I’ll deal with you two later. You better pray it was just a misunderstanding on the nurse's part." We take off down the hall and turn left. Fuck, it’s just the elevator. Jayme pulls out his cell.

"Elias, I need you to tap into the hospital's security footage within the last 3 minutes. I need to know what floor the nurse took Cassie to." There’s a long pause. "Ok. Ok, thanks. Stay monitoring and tell me if anyone leaves the fucking building." He shoves it back into his pocket and pulls out two earpieces.

"Here. Put this in. When Elias calls back, he can keep us informed about where she is. He said the elevator got off on the basement level. The only thing down there is the morgue, laundry, and the exit to the parking garage. He also said she looked like she was asleep. The feed in the hallway and the elevators was nonexistent." We hop in the elevator and hit the button for basement level.

"What does that mean?" I’m freaking out now.

"It means someone didn’t want to be seen coming up here. Thankfully, there are two separate feeds for the basement level, and they only cut the signal of one. Lucian don’t freak out. I need you mentally here with me. We will get her back, I promise. Then I’ll personally capture Theo and show you how we make people pay for messing with our family." He puts his hands on my shoulders, shaking me a bit to help center me.

"I promise we will get her back. Just breathe." I can only nod. The doors open, and a brightly lit empty hallway meets us.

"Elias, what you got."

*Ok. So they went down the hall you are in. When you come to the path that leads to the right, take it. Then go down to the split and hang a left. They are at the exit to the parking garage, but they are waiting just inside the doors. I’m not sure what they are waiting on.* Elias informs us.

"Still got the gun I gave you?" Jayme asks me.

"Mhm.” I pulled the gun from my back waistband; I grabbed it from my bag just before we ran out of the room.

"Safety off for this one. And please don’t shoot me." He chuckles.

*Ok, stop. They are just around the corner and up to the right. It’s the nurse, someone dressed as a doctor. And A large bodyguard. Cassie is still passed out in the wheelchair. I don’t see any blood, so they probably used a sedative to knock her out.*

"Thanks Elias. Please stay on just in case we have to chase." He turns toward me. "Ok, Lucian. Don’t shoot unless I tell you. We don’t want to risk hitting Cassie. On my signal, you come out from behind the corner. Ok."

"Ok, and Jayme? Thank you. For everything."

"No problem. I told you; you are family now. We protect our own. She’s part of that now, too. I’m sorry, though."

"Why are you sorry?"

"Blackmore most likely figured out who I am, and that’s why he came back after her. He might think she is connected with me. That she was a spy we sent to infiltrate his life."

"We have to get her back, Jayme. Look what he did to her when he just thought she slept with us. What the fuck do you think he is going to do now?" We are whispering, but my voice cracks. I can’t lose her.

"I know, I know. Hopefully, he won’t be able to lay a finger on her."

*Boss. They are stepping outside. I don’t have a full visual, but it looks like a limo* Silence *It’s Blackmore. You have to go now.*

We dash around the corner and rush through the doorway. Jayme takes aim and fires at the guard first. Headshot. The guy drops instantly. The phony nurse and doctor run to the other side of a random parked truck to use as cover as they start returning fire. Meanwhile, I see Blackmore setting Cassie in the limousine's back seat.

"Theo!" I scream. "Let her go, or I’ll fucking kill you." I ignore Jayme's plan from earlier and make a B-line for Theo. He holds up his arm, and there’s a flash of silver, but I don’t react in time.

I’m knocked back with a powerful force I have never felt before. It feels like I got kicked in the shoulder by a mule. Stars dance across my vision as I land flat on my back. The wind is gone from my lungs and my chest and arm is feeling warm and wet. What the fuck happened.

"Go, go. Fucking drive, you idiot." I hear Theo scream as tires screech and echo throughout the parking garage. I can’t stand up.

"Lucian, fuck. Lucian. Stay with me.” “Elias, get Marco down here now. Shit. Blackmore shot him.” “No, he was hit in the shoulder, but he is losing a lot of blood." ... "No, the other three are dead; it is just Theo and the driver. Blackmore got away, though, with Cassie... Yes, I know what I need to do but I need to get him help first."

I think my earpiece flew out when I was hit. Shot? I was fucking shot. I open my eyes and try to sit up.

"Cassie. He took her."

Jayme pushes me back down. "Shh. Don’t move. You've been shot. Don’t worry, we will get her back. I have Elias tailing the limo now with a drone. We will know where they are going."

"Boss, we got a doctor."

"Fuck that’s a lot of blood." I hear Jace say as I fall unconscious. The fucking bastard shot me, and he took my woman.