Page 26

Chapter 26

Eden

Even with the high tensions in the bar tonight, it was quiet. No bloodshed—just the way Gilly's is supposed to operate.

Ambrose, though, has inherited Gus's superstitious wariness. He's a big guy; ex-military who still sports the standard military buzz cut after a decade. We're the only ones left at Gilly's, and I've just finished closing. I fist my keys, walking to the door with him as my shadow, right on my heels.

"Ambrose," I warn, glancing back at him, and he shrugs. Gritting my teeth, I set the alarm, exit, and lock up Gilly's. "Goodnight."

"Nice try, Ed." He motions for me to walk down the wide pathway that leads to the sidewalk and street.

I point at my car parked on the street down from Gilly's. Two vehicles are in front of it, and no one's around. "I'm right there."

"Gus's orders."

"And who is Gus's and your boss?" I snark. But I'm tired and not ready to pit in for an argument just on principle. "Pains in my ass, the lot of you," I mutter, making Ambrose chuckle.

Sighing, I walk to my car with Ambrose slightly behind me. I'm about to tell him to walk beside me, but I hear him grunt in shocked pain, and his body hits mine. I stumble forward with his body weight almost taking us both down and feel wetness on my neck.

My brain instantly connects the dots: Ambrose has been shot.

Ambrose's training and skills take over; he's injured but still in the game. He drags me to the parked cars at the sidewalk, pulling me down.

I turn to rapidly inspect the damage: a wound is pouring blood under his collarbone, no exit wound on his back. I put pressure on it while he's braced up against the tire, ashen, and has his gun out.

"From the entry of the bullet, the shooter is across the street." We're protected by the parked cars… at least for now.

"Get your ass in your car and get out of here," he grits, fisting his gun. "I'll give you cover."

"Not a fucking chance." I shrug out of my jacket, take his gun in my bloody hand, and put his hand over his wound, using my jacket to staunch the blood flow. "Put as much pressure as you can."

"Ed."

He's already weakening. "Now, Ambrose," I grit, taking stock of our situation.

It's almost three in the morning; the street is deserted.

The shooter is close. Help won't get here fast enough.

Especially since I can hear the soft thud of boots getting closer.

I only have Ambrose's weapon.

We're too far from Gilly's door; we'd be in the wide open if we made a run for it. Glancing at Ambrose's soaked shirt and his deathly pallor, I don't even know if he'll make it to his feet.

"Go, Ed," he rasps.

"No."

I flick the safety off Ambrose's gun, listening for the attacker. They're on the street, and from the sound of the steps, the attacker is coming up alongside the parked cars behind this one. I look underneath the car we're crouched behind, but don't see any feet of other attackers.

We're sitting ducks here, so I pop up with the gun ready to fire and see the assailant dressed in black combat gear, a balaclava, and gloves. Flashbacks of watching Aiken attacked by three in similar garb hit me, but I shove them back as I pull the trigger and fall to the ground.

I wasn't exposed for more than a few seconds. My heart is hammering with adrenaline because I fully expected to get shot.

The pained grunt tells me I hit the attacker, but before I can celebrate or plan our next move for getting us out of this alive, a body comes flying over the hood of the car. They grab my hair as they slide off the vehicle, tucking into a roll and ripping me along with them like a rag doll.

I have no time to contemplate where the hell this bastard came from as heat and pain lance through my skull. I can't stop my cry of pain as my hair is used like a goddamn leash. Ambrose reaches weakly for me but slumps to his side and doesn't move again.

A strong arm comes around my neck from behind. On instinct, I tuck my chin at the first feel of the arm to prevent it from fully choking me out or crushing my airway. I sink my nails and teeth into their forearm, not doing the damage I hoped because of the fabric of their long-sleeve shirt, but I have a flare of satisfaction from the pained grunt. Both attackers sounded like males.

My gun fell out of my hand when I was pulled ass-over-tea-kettle by my hair, and my assailant kicks it out of reach.

Panic rises. There are at least two attackers; I'm in the clutches of one, my gun is gone, and Ambrose is bleeding out. He's either dead or will be soon.

The arm is trying to clamp around my neck, but before it can tighten, I twist like a corkscrew, somehow getting low enough to pop free. Without hesitating, I lunge for Ambrose's gun. My hand closes over it as my shoulder hits the pavement. Ignoring the pain from the impact, I roll, swinging the gun up to shoot.

Before I can take the shot, the assailant jerks back violently and then stumbles. The deafening crack of a gunshot splits the air, then another. I watch, transfixed, as the assailant is spun around by the impact of the bullets. His back gapes open from the exit wounds. He crumples to the ground, lifeless, blood pooling around him.

I spin toward the sound, my gun raised, my instincts and Ohith's training taking over.

Lixin jumps out of the way, holding his hands up, a Desert Eagle in his right palm. "Ed, it's me!"

I scramble to my feet, keeping my gun raised, and take stock of the carnage. The guy I shot is lying in the street, his head at an odd angle. The one who grabbed me is lying with a crater in his back after Lixin's kill shot.

I shake my shock off and rush to Ambrose. "Call an ambulance, Lixin!"

I flick the safety on the gun and kneel beside Ambrose; he's lying on his side, unmoving. Turning him over quickly, I put both my hands over the still-bleeding wound.

He's still bleeding. That's good, right? Means his heart is still pumping. Right? Right? Fuck, I don't know!

Lixin kneels beside me. "Eden—"

"Do it, Lixin!" I shout, twisting to face him but keeping the pressure on Ambrose's chest. It's still moving with shallow breaths. I think it is, at least. "Don't you fucking die on me, Ambrose. And you call a goddamn motherfucking ambulance , Lixin."

"We can't involve the cops. The ambulance involves cops."

I snarl at him, then grab the gun I had placed beside me and press it against his forehead, flicking the safety off in one movement. Consequences be damned for my actions. "I will fucking end you if Ambrose dies here in the street."

Lixin's dark eyes never waver from mine. "Okay. I'm going to call and get my doctor and team here." He puts the Desert Eagle in his shoulder holster and pulls his phone out. "Keep pressure on his chest."

I drop my gun and push down hard with both hands. I'm covered in blood; Ambrose is ashen. Lixin is speaking on his phone beside me, but I'm not focusing on that. "You don't get to die protecting me, Ambrose. I'm your boss and get to tell you what to do, and I'm telling you, there's no dying."

My throat is thick, and my eyes burn, but I hold the tears at bay. The only thing tethering me to my control is that I can feel a pulse.

"My doctor is on the way," Lixin reassures me. "I need to let the Chamber know you've been attacked, Ed."

I nod, continuing to keep pressure on Ambrose's wound, feeling helpless that there isn't anything else I can do.

"Lixin, put pressure on Ambrose's wound," I say as a thought flutters into my head.

He finishes his text, slips his phone into his pocket, and obeys, but looks at me curiously when I stand. "What are you doing?"

I don't answer. Instead, I go to the dead assailant with the hole in his back. Crouching down, I roll him over and pull off his mask.

He's pale—almost as pale as Axin—and has short, blonde hair. I don't recognize him.

My bloody hand reaches into my back pocket to grab my phone, and I snap a picture.

"What are you doing?" Lixin asks again. "I need you to go into Gilly's and get off the street. I'll stay with Ambrose."

That would be the smart, safe play.

"No."

I lean closer and twist the guy's head. A tattoo is on the top of his neck, behind his ear. Three snakes coil around each other, looking like they're eating one another with a trident in the middle. I snap a picture of that as well.

"We'll deal with this, Ed. Get inside Gilly's."

"Is Ambrose still breathing?" I stand and stalk over to the other assailant.

Lixin huffs a laugh and grumbles something about me being a pain in his ass.

The assailant I shot has a wound in his stomach, but it shouldn't have been fatal that quickly. I pull off the mask, but I don't recognize this guy, either. He's smaller than the other, with dark hair and tanned skin. I twist his unnaturally tilted head. It moves easily—both because he's dead and rigor hasn't set it and because I'm pretty sure his neck is broken. Behind his left ear is the same tattoo.

I snap the pictures, contemplating as I turn to Lixin. "Did you snap this guy’s neck?"

"I wasn't about to let them take out Gilly's owner-operator."

"One alive would've been nice." I grit my teeth, then stalk back to Ambrose. Shouldering Lixin aside, I resume being the one to keep pressure over Ambrose's wound. His breathing is shallower and weaker. "How is it that you're here, Lixin?"

He shifts to the other side of Ambrose and adds pressure on my hands. "I heard Amazu might've been giving you and the staff some trouble tonight. I wanted to pop in just to make sure everything was good."

Before I can respond, tires squeal around the corner. Lixin moves to protect me until we see it's Dom's blue and black Bugatti Chiron. It screeches to a halt, and Dom and Hugo get out, guns raised, sweeping the area before Dom runs over and crouches beside us. "Why is Ed still outside?" He glares at Lixin.

"Don't fucking talk about me like I'm not sitting right here, Dom," I snap.

He flashes me an apologetic look, but then glowers at Lixin.

"The threat has been neutralized," Lixin grits out.

"How do you know it's fully neutralized? There could be others in the buildings across the street or on the rooftops." Dom looks over his shoulder, jerking his chin at Hugo, who stalks off to ensure the threat truly is gone.

"How the hell did you get here so fast?" Lixin looks at Dom with narrowed eyes, his hands still over mine on Ambrose's chest.

"We had a race that was only three blocks away." Dom stares at Ambrose, then looks up at me. "We need to get you inside."

"I'm not leaving until I know Ambrose is getting medical help."

"See what I'm dealing with," Lixin mutters.

"If someone else were here, they would've attacked already or have hightailed it out of here," I reason.

"Are you okay,?" Dom asks, staring at me intently.

"Once Ambrose gets help and is okay, I'll be fine."

He shifts his attention to Lixin. "And you just happened to be in the area?"

"Yes," Lixin barks, then calms. "After Massimo and Ash's update about Amazu, I came to make sure there wasn't any trouble."

Dom frowns but nods.

The sound of a vehicle speeding nearer makes us stiffen, and they pull their guns.

Lixin re-holsters his Desert Eagle. "It's my doctor and team."

A crew piles out of a dark van with a stretcher. Another van pulls up, and those men go directly to the two dead bodies in the street.

The group of Triad soldiers with the stretcher nod respectfully to Lixin. Lixin and Dom move out of the way so they can bring the stretcher alongside Ambrose and lower it. A short Chinese man with gray hair is directing them; he's pointing at me, but I don't know what he's saying.

"Ed. You need to back up and let them work on Ambrose," Lixin translates. One of the soldiers is ripping open a pack. "They'll stuff the wound and then transport him to my private clinic. Everything will be done to save him."

I'm staring down at Ambrose, feeling like he won't make it if I lose physical contact with him.

Dom crouches beside me. "Let them do what they need to."

I nod, then sit back on my heels, giving them space to get close to Ambrose and pack his wound. When they lift him onto the stretcher, I stand and go to the doctor.

"This is Dr. Wang Lei," Lixin introduces us. "Ambrose will be in good hands."

"He doesn't die. Got it?" I say through clenched teeth, the weight of my guilt nearly bringing me to my knees.

Dr. Lei bows respectfully to Lixin and me, then follows the soldiers and his patient on the stretcher to the dark van. The street is empty when both vans pull away.

Dom grips my elbow. "Inside. Now . Don't fucking fight me on this, Ed."

Lixin strides beside us, and Hugo brings up the rear, having cleared the area.

"Massimo and Ash should be here soon," Hugo reports. "Amazu isn't answering."

"He's probably passed out," Lixin grumbles.

I unlock Gilly's, and we enter. It's past three in the morning, and this night shows no signs of ending anytime soon.