“No, no,” I whisper, adding pressure to the wound with my hands. Mason takes off his shirt, then hands it to me, and I try to contain the bleeding. My brain is scattered, and I know how dangerous it is for us to be standing close to the burning vehicle and inhaling the smoke, but I can’t think straight.
“Who would do this?” Lennon cries, and Sophie begs Maddie to open her eyes.
“Where is the fucking ambulance?” I ask, feeling helpless, and need them to come faster.
Mason is bent over, checking her pulse. “She’s breathing, but her heartbeat is weak. I think she might have gotten knocked out from the blunt force, but there could be internal bleeding in her brain.”
I look at him with worry in my eyes as adrenaline pumps through my veins. I’m in so much shock, I barely notice the sirens in the distance or the police car pulling up. Moments later, there’s a firetruck and the EMTs bring out a stretcher, and I move back slightly so they can examine her.
“What’s the patient’s name and age?” one of them asks me, but I can’t move my lips. I’m stunned into silence.
“Maddie, she’s twenty-one,” Sophie answers.
“Any allergies?” the other asks as he places a brace around her neck.
“No. I don’t think so,” Sophie responds again, looking as worried as me. Mason holds her close while Lennon stays close to the house with Hunter and Aaron.
The EMTs talk to each other and count to three, then lift her up onto the stretcher. “She’ll need a scan of her head and probably some stitches,” one of them informs us as I stand. “We’ll take good care of her, don’t worry.” I watch as they stroll her to the back of the ambulance, and that’s when I finally snap out of it. Maddie needs me, and I can’t be lost in my thoughts right now. Whoever did this will fucking pay. I don’t give two shits about that G-Wagon, but the fact that Maddie’s unconscious has me seeing red.
“You all need to back up. It’s too dangerous until we get this fire contained,” one of the firemen come over and warn us.
“I have some questions first.” I hear a familiar voice, turning to see Blake and his partner walking toward me. Of fucking course.
Narrowing my eyes at the asshole, I grunt. “I don’t have time for this right now.” I follow behind Maddie as they load her inside, adding an oxygen mask to her face and checking her blood pressure.
“We need your statements and to write up a report considering your car exploded,” Blake says sternly. “You think you’re getting out of this that easy?” He steps closer, lowering his voice so no one else hears. “I know this shit is your fault.”
I flex my jaw. “Still pissed you didn’t get that second date, huh? Go fuck yourself,” I whisper-hiss loud before stepping into the ambulance.
The EMTs look at me.
“I’m riding with her,” I demand before the back doors close, and they drive off. I take Maddie’s hand and rub my thumb across her knuckles, hoping she can feel me comforting her. I grit my teeth thinking about what happened. One button is all I pushed, and a goddamn bomb went off. The vehicle has keyless-go too, so as long as my keys are on me, all I have to do is touch the handle and it unlocks. So whoever did it probably hoped I’d be next to the vehicle when it exploded so that I’d blow up with it. Two days ago, I moved the G-Wagon into the street to get to my truck and left it there since I don’t drive it anymore, so this had to be planted between then and now.
What the actual fuck? None of it makes sense.
Someone was watching me and planned this recently.
I’ve sent some bad guys back to prison over the last year, ones that weren’t happy I caught them, but for some reason, this has Victoria’s name written all over it. However, she bought the G-Wagon and when our deal ended, she wanted it back. If it was her, I don’t understand her motives, but then again, I never have, not until it’s too late. Unless her plan was to kill me and get the ultimate revenge so I couldn’t use those pictures against her ever again.
We finalized the divorce last weekend, and she seemed fine in court that it was over. It’s not like we ever loved each other, and the marriage was strictly business. She said she’d pick it up when she could. So if it wasn’t her, I’m gonna have to explain what the hell happened, and at this point, I have no idea. My mind goes crazy with theories, but I need to focus on Maddie right now.