Page 32 of Last One Standing (Saint Brothers #5)

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

ANGEL

We were all in the same holding cell. I wasn’t sure why they’d done that other than maybe hoping we’d talk to each other and give ourselves away.

We weren’t idiots. Four was in the corner with Lizzy pressed against him.

Her eyes were red rimmed, and she looked shell-shocked.

While she’d known we weren’t golden boys, she’d also understood we weren’t like the monsters that killed Darby in cold blood today.

She was Lizzy’s friend, and Darby was our responsibility.

And now she was dead. Maybe we did deserve to be locked up.

I made eye contact with Shep, whose face had looked better.

He’d clearly been hit a few times. The EMT had patched him up some, but just the bare minimum.

JJ rested his head on Shep’s shoulder. Nick and Gabe were whispering to one another.

Nick had been brushed by a bullet on his arm and had a bandage on it.

Gabe wasn’t shot but he had fallen onto the table, getting a piece of wood in his leg, so he too was sporting a bandage. Four was unscathed, I didn’t know how.

As I peered down at myself, I had cuts on my arms. I knew I had some on my face, but the blood that soaked through my clothes wasn’t my own. It was Darby’s.

“Angel, Gabriel, Shepard, Jaxon, Four, Elizabeth, and Nicholas.” An officer came, unlocked the cell, and pulled it open. “You’re free to go at this time.”

What the…? We all stood in unison and without a word followed the officer out. When he led us to the main area of the police station, I was shocked to see Agent Carmichael standing there with an expression that could only be described as that of a disapproving father.

“Thank you, Officer.” Carmichael waved us out of the building.

Once outside, Carmichael handed us each a bag with our belongings, and it was Gabe who spoke first. “How are you here right now?”

He peered around and spoke low. “I was called…by your brothers. Seems there’s a situation in this town, and you all got yourselves tangled with the unlawful.”

“Since when do you mingle with the morally gray?” I lifted a brow.

Carmichael glared at me. “When said morally gray might be police.”

Ah. Okay. “How’d you get us out? We clearly killed people.”

Carmichael shrugged. “I have my ways. Right now, I think it’s best you all get off the street and back home. Stay there and keep safe. Don’t make this harder for me.”

Nick chuckled. “Do you even believe we won’t?”

“Sadly, no.” Carmichael sighed. “Your cars are still at the shop, but you’ll have no trouble getting them.”

“I’ll call a ride.” Nick pulled out his phone.

“Seriously, get your cars, go home.” Carmichael narrowed his eyes at each of us.

I didn’t have the energy to do much else. Once the car came—Nick had ordered a minivan so we’d all fit—they drove us to the shop.

“Hell, man,” the driver said once he pulled up, clearly referring to the shattered remains of our shop, the yellow tape, and obvious carnage.

None of us answered; we just piled out and over to our cars.

“Can someone take me home?” Lizzy asked.

“I think it’s best you stay at our house, Lizzy.” Shep gently smiled at her. “I know you probably don’t want to be anywhere near any of us right now, but it’s not safe for you to be alone.”

Her eyes snapped up to Shep. “I’m not alone. Hazel is with me, and I can’t leave her at the apartment by herself.”

“I’ll text Phoenix to call his sister and have her go to the house. She can pack a few things for you both. Is that okay?” I wasn’t sure what I’d do if she refused.

“Please, Lizzy.” Four pressed a kiss to her temple.

“Fine.”

We had two cars between us. Four and Lizzy got into mine while JJ, Shep, Nick, and Gabe went in Shep’s.

The drive home was quiet. I had no idea what was going on in Lizzy’s head.

Four sat in the back with her, and I met his gaze in the rearview mirror.

He was unreadable, but he had to be filled with rage.

Lizzy had been put in danger, and she was his world.

I’d half expected to show up at the house to police presence, considering what went down today, but there wasn’t a cop car in sight. I pulled into the driveway, Shep right behind me.

“I’m going to bring Lizzy up to my room,” Four said.

“Okay. I’ll let her know as soon as Hazel arrives.” I wanted to apologize to Lizzy, but it wasn’t the time.

Inside, it was just as somber. Mason rushed to Gabe and was immediately wrapped in his arms. Matt had returned since we’d left and embraced Nick.

JJ and Shep moved to the couch and practically collapsed on it.

Kona and Pika sat on the other sofa. Kona’s eyes were haunted; that was the best way to describe them.

“You’re hurt.” Matt was already unwrapping Nick’s bandage. “Let’s get this and you cleaned up.” He pulled Nick up the stairs. There was no way anyone was talking tonight, so there was no argument when Gabe and Mason also went to their room.

“How about you?” Kona’s voice was small.

“What about me?”

He gestured to my whole body. “You need some help too.” It wasn’t a question.

“I have to wait here for Hazel to arrive. Pika can chill with me and Noel if he wants.” Phoenix spoke softly.

Pika nodded. “I’m cool with that.”

Kona stood and came over to me. “Where do you keep your first-aid kit?”

“I have one in like every room in the house.”

He smirked. “Your room then—that way you can shower.” He didn’t say anything about my blood-soaked clothes, but there was no missing them.

“Okay.”

Once we were in my bedroom, Kona shut the door and led me to my en suite. I began to take off my shirt, but he stopped me.

“I know you don’t see it, but you’re in a state of shock. Let me help you like you’ve been helping me.”

I stared into his caring eyes and acquiesced.

“Sit on the toilet seat.”

I did and watched as he turned on the shower, reached under the sink for a small garbage bag, and opened it. “There’s no salvaging your clothes.”

I lifted my shirt over my head and tossed it into the bag, my jeans, socks, even my briefs, which had blood on them, followed after. Once I was naked, Kona tied the bag and tossed it by the door.

To my surprise, Kona began divesting himself of his clothes as well.

“What are you doing?”

He froze. “I was going to join you, help you.”

I reached out and grabbed his hand. “You don’t need to do that.”

He smiled and brought my hand to his lips and kissed the palm. “I know I don’t, it’s why I want to, Angel.”

I didn’t argue with him. Not when he stood before me, naked, and pulled me into the shower.

Not after he washed my body and took care of my cuts.

Not even while he pulled the sheets back on my bed and cuddled next to me.

Maybe it was selfish of me to hold him close, needing a comfort I rarely ever took.

And when he wrapped his arm around my midsection and rested his head on my chest, a piece of me melted. He’d been through his own war, and yet I’d had a bad day and he was being a rock I hadn’t known I needed.

It was late. We’d been at the police station for hours. I should have been hungry, but all I wanted to do was sleep…sleep and hope that once I woke up all this would all be a horrible nightmare and Darby would still be with us.