Chapter 32
Esther was perched on a rock beside the pilot and I walked towards them. “How are you guys holding up?”
“Something’s wrong with my feet, boss, but I’m glad we’re all alive.” The pilot whom I keep forgetting the name he goes by replied. I gave a terse nod in reply before glancing towards Esther.
“Nothing’s wrong with me, I’m just concerned about everybody, most especially Nicolas and…” She trailed off when she glanced at Daven’s spot. I followed her gaze and saw what she sighted the same moment the words came out from her mouth. “What’s wrong with Daven?”
Daven’s head laid limp on the rock while his lips remained a little bit parted. I hurried towards his direction and touched his neck to find his pulse. I found it and breathed out a sigh of relief, he had slipped into unconsciousness again. A peak at the soaked cloth covering his wound told me something wasn’t right about the wound.
The sound of cars pulling into where we currently were made me more relieved on noticing the Lucas in the first car, behind him were two more cars with familiar faces.
“You’re not dying on us.” I said to an unconscious Daven before pushing up to my feet and heading towards the still running cars. Tristan was saying something to Lucas while Aria stood beside him with arms folded beneath her chest while the cold breeze blew her long hair around. I got towards them and glared at Lucas.
“Oh, hey boss,” Lucas started to say but I cut him off. “We waited for you for almost an hour man, the fuck you been at?” I demanded angrily.
“We took a different cut and almost got lost, thanks to the stupid gps. I’m sorry.” He replied quietly. I glared at him some more before heading towards Nicole and pulled her up gently.
“Our ride is here, Nicole.” She shrugged my grip away from her shoulder and glanced in Nicolas direction. “Can I sit with him at least?” She asked desperately.
I followed her eyes and took in Nicolas’s look with the aid of the car’s headlights. A blank expression sat on his face and other than his fingers moving over his clothes slowly, he didn’t make any other movement. On remembering how he was in so much pain when I got him out of his warehouse and when he got carried into the plane, I knew Nicole hopes of sitting beside Nicolas would have to be squashed because obviously, Nicolas wasn’t comfortable with being in physical contact with anybody except Tristan and I.
“Chim,” I started to say but Nicole cut me off immediately. “No! Don’t patronize me. Just let me sit with him, I promise not to touch him until he’s ready for me to. Please please.” Nicole pleaded while gripping my wrist hard.
“How about you give him space until tomorrow morning? Then we’d see how things go from there. Remember, he’s hurting a lot now. How’s that?”
She waited a few seconds before reluctantly nodding her head in agreement even though she wasn’t happy about it. I watched as she walked slowly until she was standing on the other side of Tristan. Tristan guided her into the first car before signaling for Aria to go in after Nicole. I watched as she hesitated a bit before glancing around until her eyes caught mine. Our eyes locked for a moment before she finally settled into the car.
I lifted Daven the way I brought him out from the car and deposited him in the back seat of the opened first car before gesturing for Esther to sit with him and hold onto his head. Tristan got into the driver’s seat of the first car while a guard got in the passenger seat. Lucas got back into his seat while the limping pilot got into the passenger’s seat.
“Where to? Home or back to the safe house?” Tristan asked the moment we crouched before Nicolas.
“Home, I think. It’s not like it’s fully safe in the safe house now since we left there hours ago.” I replied before turning my full attention on Nicolas.
“Hey Nicolas, we’re going home right now.” I said to him. After getting no response, I continued. “Want me to help you up?”
I knew it was going to be really embarrassing for him since it wasn’t in our nature to show weakness, but I also know that he was extremely weak and also in need of medical attention.
“Where’s Nicole?” He asked instead.”
“She’s in the second car already and she’s riding with Tristan. You’re riding with me.” I informed him, understanding just where he was coming from and how he wouldn’t want his twin to see him in his very worst state.
“Can they all leave first? I can’t really move away from this rock and my whole body hurts.” Nicolas whispered. I noticed the way he blinked a little before turning his face away at that little confession.
“Of course, we’ll be on our way now but won’t be too far away from you guys.” Tristan replied this time before pushing himself to his feet and heading towards the second car. He stopped at the first car and told Lucas to start moving.
Lucas drove away with Daven and Esther while Tristan followed suit with Nicole and Aria. Once they were all gone, I turned back to Nicolas and informed him.Property © NôvelDrama.Org.
“You know what happened to me, right?” Nicolas asked flatly.
I took in a sharp breath before nodding my head jerkingly in reply.
“Don’t tell Nicole what happened, please. It would break her and taint her heart.” He continued.
I didn’t bother telling him about the gunshot wound she sustained yesterday, he might as well find out himself when we all get home. Instead, I replied, “Of course, I won’t. That’s left to you if you want her to know or not.”
“She’s not going to ever find out.” He replied before wincing when he shifted a little on the rock. I bit my lips to stop myself from muttering an apology, I know how much he hates being coddled, my head told me that this wasn’t an exemption or Nicolas wouldn’t be happy with me.
I helped him up carefully and together we got into the car and zoomed off into the night.