Page 30 of Scarred in Silence

“Don’t sweat it,” I wheeze out.

Dante stands over Max’s lifeless body, and the others in the room cleared out when the gun was pulled out.

“Fuck, man.”

He runs his fingers through his hair before he takes out his phone, making a call. The pain in my shoulder throbs, and I feel dizzy as fuck.

“Dr. Marlowe, it’s Dante. Lucien was shot.”

His jaw tenses.

“Yeah. I’ll see you in ten.”

He ends the call, sliding his phone into his pocket. Dante slides his hand under my back, putting pressure on the exit point. He helps me to stand, but I am weak. The blood pools underneath my hand as I cover my shoulder.

He grabs onto my waist as he ushers me outside.

“C-can I come with you?” I hear Astra call out.

“No,” Dante responds quickly.

She runs up in front of us.

“Please.”

I look at Dante and back at her, fighting through the radiating sensation in my shoulder.

“No, but you owe me.”

I continue walking with Dante, and she stays behind. She listened. Like a good fucking girl.

I don’t know why the fuck I felt obligated to take the bullet. Maybe it was because she looked so innocent. Maybe it was because she looked so fucking brave. Whatever the reason, I don’t regret it. Now she owes me.

She owes me a lot of things. One of them being—her life.

11

Lucien

“You sure, Cuz?” Varek says over the phone.

“Yes, I’m fucking sure. Can you do it?”

“Shit, I don’t have anything better to do. Sign me up.”

I grin. Perfect.

“Sweet. See you tomorrow.”

I end the call.

Someone has to stay with Astra while I go on a five-day trip. We planned this months ago. Dante and I want to expand operations, but the only way to do that is by networking. We are taking five days to travel and meet with potential buyers.

Everyone’s looking for drugs, and we happen to have one of the cleanest supply.

My cousin Varek is a scary dude. Astra would be a fucking idiot to try to escape from him. I couldn’t have anyone else watch her. They would give in to her, or be pissed off that I’ve kept her locked up for so long. Even though it’s only been a week. She needs this.

I grab the door and lower the ladder. I’ve gotten used to the stale smell in here, so it doesn’t even bother me anymore.