Give Me War - Kate McCarthy Page 0,44

in the middle as he takes my chin in his hand with a gentle, protective gesture. He turns my face towards him. “You okay, sweetheart? Where does it hurt most?”

“It doesn’t. I’m a bit banged up is all. I just feel …” My teeth begin to chatter. In fact, my whole body starts trembling violently, “… a bit woozy.”

“She’s crashing,” Mitch adds from the other side of Jared, eyeing me with concern.

“Of course she is,” Mac pipes in from somewhere and I realise she’s now at my back when her hands come to rest gently on my shoulders. “She was almost blown up. And she can’t breathe with you all in her damn face like that.”

Three collective sets of frowns shoot in her direction.

I ignore them all and snuggle further into the comfort of Jared’s arms, shivering when he presses a gentle kiss to the top of my head. “She can breathe just fine.”

An odd clanking noise interrupts the bickering. It only takes a second to realise it’s coming from inside the concrete drain behind me. A second after that, I’m pushed behind a veritable wall of massive bodies to the metallic clicking sound of guns being drawn. The paramedics halt their trek towards us.

“What the hell?” I mumble before another set of arms surround me. I tilt my head, looking up into eyes the colour of Fijian waters. “Henry.”

“Chook.” He huffs, and I know the sound barely scratches the surface of how he must be feeling right now. “What mess did you get yourself into this time?”

“A pretty big one by the looks of things.”

The warmth of his palm presses against my lower belly. “How are you feeling?”

My eyes widen. “You know?”

His face crinkles into a smile. “You stole my entire stash of Reese’s peanut butter cups.”

I don’t hesitate in throwing my friend under the bus. “That was Mac.”

“I saw you.”

“Well … so what?”

His expression turns smug. “You don’t like peanut butter,” he points out.

My eyes narrow. “You think you know me.”

“I do.”

“You can’t tell Jared,” I hiss quietly. “He doesn’t know yet. I want to be the one to tell him. It’s his Christmas gift, and considering my little shopping trip got hijacked, it’s the only gift I’ve got to give him.”

He mimics the action of zipping his lips.

Satisfied with that, I turn back to the wall and peer over Jared’s shoulder. “You know it’s probably just a rat.”

I’m collectively shushed like an errant child.

We all hear another clanking sound before a female voice calls out from inside the tunnel. “I’m unarmed!”

Air leaves my lungs in a rush. I know that voice.

“Henry, get her out of here.”

“Wait!” I call out before he can drag me away. I push my way in between Jared and Coby, the former and the latter both making a grab for me. “Angel?”

She appears into the sunlight, bloodied and staggering under the weight of Renny. Holding his arm around her shoulders, she’s half-dragging, half-pulling him toward the storm drain exit.

“Renny!” I rush forward and slingshot backwards into Jared.

“Do not move,” he booms, taking in Angel from the top of her head down to the Viper tattoo around her waist and hip. There it stays, where his eyes narrow.

“For fuck’s sake, I’m unarmed.” She adjusts her burden and when her eyes take in the lifeless Grudge they seem resigned. “Renny needs help.”

“Lower your guns,” I hiss, and call out for the paramedics.

They rush forward when the weapons are tucked away. Lowering a back board, they relieve Angel of her burden and immediately start on his vitals. Only when she knows he’s being taken care of does she start backing away in the direction she came from.

I start towards Renny when Mitch steps forward, right in my path. It’s not intentional. His eyes are roaming Angel, his face whiter than snow. They land on her tattoo like Jared’s did, only Mitch seems oddly stunned. It’s enough to make me pause.

“Francesca?”

He says that with familiarity, like he knows her. But that’s not Francesca. It’s Angel.

Her gaze lands on my brother-in-law and she falters.

“What are you …” He trails off, seeming unable to catch his breath.

“My god,” Jared mutters quietly, and I have no idea what’s going on.

Angel looks ready to run. “I need to get back.”

“Stop!” Mitch barks, prompted into action when she turns around.

She turns back, a resigned expression on her face. “I can’t do this.”

“It’s you,” he whispers. “You’re the one working with Rossi.”

I blanch, my eyes on Angel. “You’re a cop?”

“Why would you do