I’ve had some time to think over things, and while I’m still furious at Ana for not taking more care, I know really the anger and fury I feel are fear. Ana has always been so fearless, but I saw the terror in her eyes when she told me. And all I did was blame her and turn away.
I won’t lose her because I’m afraid.
“I get her,” Brutus says as he lumbers off after her, returning only a moment later with a slightly pale but otherwise fine looking Ana. I look over her, assessing, and she catches my eye to nod at me.
“Sorry,” she mutters. “Hangover.”
Emilio looks at her suspiciously, then me, but still says nothing.
“So, what the hell happened?” Ana asks, making her way over to Ethan to look closer. “I thought this was supposed to be a subtle break-out?”
“Well, it went all right at first,” Ethan says, hissing as he lays back again. “Ax talked to the guards, they were turning a blind eye. Ax had the locks under control and everything.”
“So, what happened? How did you do this?” Sammi asks.
“It was just bad fucking luck,” I spit out, pacing the room to contain my frustration, “We got out and released the others. It was going fine until a fucking Watch member leaving a brothel saw us, recognized Ethan right away.”
“Oh, shit! They’re going to look for him here!”
I shake my head, catching Ethan’s eye briefly. There are some things we don’t need to tell them.
“Ethan took him down, caught a blade for his troubles.”
“We hid the body,” Ethan continues, “but it won’t take long for them to realize he’s missing.”
“We’re going to need a new plan. No way those new guard friends of yours will help us more now,” Emilio comments from his vantage on the side of the room and everyone nods.
“Maybe we should just leave,” Sammi says as she frowns down at Ethan’s leg. “Taking out Tahar and has men was a nice idea, but it’s not worth our lives.”
“Today, we can make decisions. For now, we need to get Ethan out of town. Emilio, can you gather us some blankets and supplies?”
The old man nods and walks off and I turn to Brutus and one of Emilio’s men. “You two go stand guard outside for The Watch. If they come this way, tell us.”
I look over at the remaining three in the room, Sammi muttering over Ethan as she runs a hand down his face. I resist the urge to laugh at Ethan’s face. No, his leg wound may be serious, but it won’t pain him for long with a woman watching over him.
“Sammi?”
“Mmm?”
“Do you know how to stitch? Ethan’s leg needs to be sewn before we can move him. I can do it,” I tell her, holding up my hands, “but it may not be as clean or nice as a woman’s touch.”
Sammi looks at my large palms and down to Ethan’s leg. She looks pale but to her credit, sits up straighter.
“Get me what I’ll need and leave us, I’ll take care of it.”
I nod before turning to Ana who is watching me closely. I know she’s going to put up a fight with what I’m going to tell her to do and hope she has the good fucking sense to listen anyways. Taking her arm gently, I pull her away from Ethan and Sammi, who are in their own world anyway.
“I have to go, but need you to stay here,” I tell her without preamble, and I see her body tense.
“Why?
“I won’t risk you,” I tell her before swallowing deeply. “I-I won’t risk our child.”
Her eyes widen and I meet her gaze.
“Y-you mean-”
“We’ll talk later, okay?” I tell her, bringing a hand up to trail down her cheek. The bruising is completely gone, her glowing skin shining beneath my touch. “For now, I need to know you are safe while I do some things.”