Page 31

Aries

“Stay down Ari!”

Boone shouts from somewhere across the room.

I don’t move a muscle as my entire body shields an unconscious Taylor.

Gunshots ring out over my head and at one point, I think I feel a bullet graze my back, but I don’t care.

My mind is on a warpath, and I will kill anyone who threatens to take a step towards Taylor without a second thought.

More masked men come flying through the doors and I hear a whimper come from beneath me.

“Hang on, Butterfly. I’m gonna get you out of here.”

Bang. Thud. Bang. Thud.

Fucking hell. Whoever sent these idiots to their death wish must have hired an army, because there has to be at least twenty bodies on the ground and a dozen more standing, waiting to meet their fate.

I feel something, rather someone, bump against my feet and my head whirls around, ready to end the sorry son of a bitch that threatens the love of my life.

“Don’t shoot. It’s me!” Zoro’s hands fly up for a brief second before he aims his gun somewhere behind me, pulling the trigger. Taylor winces beneath me, and I curl myself tighter around her.

“I’m so sorry, Butterfly.” My words are no more than a whisper, and I feel her nod beneath me.

I let out a sigh of relief. She can still hear me. That’s a good sign, but I need to get her the hell out of here.

I feel Zoro hit the back of my legs once more, and then another shadow falls on me. I look up to see Indy now standing next to me, his boots hitting my side.

One by one, members of Braveheart flank to my side, using their bodies as shields.

“Start moving towards the med bay. Where is she hit?” Zoro asks.

Carefully, I lift my body off my girl and my face pales. Crimson red covers the ground, and blood that should never see the light of day covers my hands.

A bright red ring with droplets of blood flow from her right shoulder. And judging by the color of her usually sun-kissed skin, we need to move fast.

“Her shoulder. We need to move. Now.”

I don’t bother looking back at Zoro and slowly stand. I feel a tap on my back and duck my head as a bullet flies overhead.

I make the mistake of wasting a second to look at Taylor’s almost lifeless body and feel bile rising in my throat.

Stop it, Aries. Get her out of here. Now.

Bending down, I whisper, “I’m sorry, Butterfly. This is going to hurt.”

As soon as my hands move to her side, she lets out a cry that sends shivers up my spine and somewhere behind me, I hear one of my men mutter, “Fuck.”

Tears well in my eyes as I bring Taylor to my chest, her head falling to the side.

“ARIES! Move now. Doc is in there.”

Slowly, so I don’t jostle her too much, I tuck her tighter against my chest. My head moves to hers as we shuffle towards the med bay door. “Stay with me. I can’t lose you.”

A hand on my shoulder stops me from advancing and I curse under my breath as gunshots echo throughout the Clubhouse.

Taylor’s light eyes flutter open and my stomach sinks. They are full of pain and guilt smacks me in the face.

“I love you, Ace.”

My voice is weak and no more than a whisper.

“No. Don’t you dare tell me that right now. This is not goodbye. You are not leaving me.”

A weak smile spreads across her face as a single tear cascades down her face.

More gunshots ring out and my head whips in every direction, confused why we aren’t moving. And then I see it. A group of masked assholes are blocking the door to the med bay.

Anger rises in my chest and I move to pull my gun out of its holster at my waist, when a cold hand on my cheek stops me.

My gaze darts down and I see Taylor’s glassy eyes staring up at me. “Say it back, please.”

“No.” My voice cracks and tears stream down my face.

“Yes.”

“No.”

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Her eyes narrow. “Yes.”

I can’t help but laugh at her stubbornness shining through, even in her current state. “No. I’ve been dying to hear those words come out of your mouth for eternity..”

“So dramatic. It hasn’t been that long, you big b-baby.” Taylor’s words are almost unrecognizable as her eyes fight to stay open, but I swear I hear a faint chuckle.

My foot slips as I pivot and I glance down, my face going pale at the puddle of blood on the ground.

And it’s not blood from the enemy who threatens to plunge my soul into eternal darkness. It’s from the girl who is the wind beneath my cut as I fly down the road on a hot summer day.

Droplets hit her face, my tears mixing with hers.

Taylor’s eyes flutter closed and I feel the air whoosh out of me. “We need to move. She’s fucking dying!”

My grip on Taylor tightens, and my hand briefly moves to my holster.

Not giving it a second thought, I raise my arm and start firing at the men blocking the med bay. And with the added protection of my men and Tucker joining us, I am able to knock down every single piece of shit in my way.

And as the last one falls to the ground, I make a break for it.

Tucker runs at full speed past me and I hear Boone yell something behind me, but I pay no attention. The door flies open and I race inside, lock eyes with Doc, and he signals me to place Taylor on the bed.

Immediately he begins working on her, and I move to the other side of the bed.

My tattooed hands move to grasp her face and tilt it towards me, her eyes slowly opening at the feeling.

“Tell me,” Taylor pleads, her voice straining.

My gaze darts to Doc and I can read the uncertainty on his face, even though he is refusing to look in my direction. He moves rapidly, hooking Taylor up to every machine.

“I’m here. What do you need?” Reagan says as she comes flying into the med bay. Doc immediately puts her to work.

A hand on my face pulls my attention away from Reagan, and Doc and I look at Taylor.

“P-Please Ace,” Taylor begs, her entire body shaking.

Fuck .

Tears rapidly stream down my face, and my forehead falls to rest on hers.

Placing a gentle kiss to her lips, tears clog my voice as I say, “I love you, Hellhound. You are my dreamcatcher. You are the air I breathe and the sunshine in my dark and gloomy world. I love you more than life itself. And I will love you until my last breath. P-Please don’t let that moment be right now. Because there is no me without you.”

Her bright green eyes shine with tears and a weak smile forms on her face. “D-Damn. Never thought I’d see the day Aries Clark cried over a girl.”

Leveling my gaze with hers, I say, “Not just any girl. My girl. My goddamn woman.”

A loud beeping echoes throughout the room and Taylor’s eyes start to flutter closed, a smile still on her face.

“No. Taylor, stay with me,” I shout.

A wince rattles her body, but she manages to keep her hazy gaze locked on mine. “I love you, Ace. Thank you for saving me. I will love you more than this lifetime and far beyond.”

As the words leave her mouth, her eyes fall closed and the machines around her scream.

The world stops spinning, everything fades into the distance and all that is left is a single bright light shining over a lifeless Taylor covered in crimson.

She’s gone.

A blur of motion passes in front of me and I don’t register that Reagan has pushed me out of the way until I’m staring up at Taylor from the ground,

I try to peer around Reagan to catch a glimpse of Taylor, but she and Doc are moving so quickly, it’s pointless.

My back hits the wall and tears cloud my vision as I sink to the floor, my face falling to my knees.

Taylor is gone. She’s leaving this earth because she protected me. This girl that was once a thorn in my side, who stole my money, who is now my life raft and savior, is gone.

And it’s all my fault.

She spent her life protecting others, myself included, and now she is leaving at the mercy of being a hero to someone who doesn’t deserve an ounce of her bravery.

My vision blurs and a shadow falls over me, Boone’s face coming into focus as I wipe the tears away.

His face is full of a rare sighting of sadness. “Aries. Talk to me, brother.”

“S-she’s gone and it’s my fault.”

I don’t bother waiting for his reply and fall forward into his chest. Every emotion hits me like a freight train on a course of mass destruction.