Chapter 4: Well fuck!.

I stare at him.

Then at my car, thn back at him.

Rain beats relentlessly against the asphalt, soaking us both to the tooth.

I could leave, gt back into the car and drive away, pretend none of this ever happened.

No one saw me, no one knows I’m here.

For all I know, this man could be a criminal.

Hell...The gun pressed against my temple a minute ago is proof enough that he isn’t exactly a law-abiding citizen.

So why am I still kneeling beside him??Because despite everything...My car did hit him. Maybe not hard enough to cause all this blood, but it knocked him down and if I walk away now...and he dies...I’ll spend the rest of my life wondering if I could have done something to prevent that.

"Damn it."

I blow out a shaky breath.

"You are officially the worst decision I’ll ever make."

He doesn’t respond.... I don’t think he can.

His eyes remain half-lidded, his breathing growing slower with every passing second.

The rain washes crimson streaks away from his side, only for fresh blood to replace them.

Definitely a bullet wound....Definitely not my doing.

Which begs the question...Who shot him?

And are they still nearby? The thought sends a chill racing down my spine.

I quickly glance around.

But I don’t see Nothing, the road is deserted.

Just darkness, rain and the stranger bleeding at my feet.

"Okay."

I slide one arm beneath his.

"We’re getting you up."

He doesn’t move.

"Don’t make me regret this."

With a grunt, I pull.

Nothing.

Sweet Mother of God.

"Do you weigh as much as a truck?"

He lets out the faintest sound.

I can’t tell if it’s a groan...Or a laugh?.

"Oh, fantastic."

I brace my feet against the wet road and pull again with everything I’ve got. This time he rises but he’s legs wobble beneath him before giving out completely.

"Oh!"

Nearly all his weight crashes into me and My knees buckle.

"Holy..."

He’s enormous, easily over six feet wit broad shoulders and aolid muscle.

Who even builds men like this?

It’s like trying to carry an unconscious grizzly bear wearing an expensive suit.

"Help..."

I mutter through gritted teeth.

"You could at least pretend to help."

Most of his weight rests against me as I wrap one arm tightly around his waist.

He’s warm, And alarmingly heavy.

My free hand catches his wrist, draping it over my shoulders. Every step toward my car feels like climbing a mountain.

We stagger. Stop. Stagger again.

"If we both fall," I pant, "I’m leaving you."

Another step.

The passenger door feels impossibly far away.

By the time we finally reach it, my entire body aches.

"Don’t..."

I huff.

"...you..."

Another breath.

"...dare..."

I yank the door handle.

"...fall."

Th door swings open.

Without another ounce of grace left in my body, I shove him sideways and

He lands heavily across the passenger seat with a dull thud.

"There."

I bend over, hands on my knees, desperately trying to catch my breath.

"I hope... you appreciate... this."

I slam the passenger door shut before jogging around the front of the car.

Rain continues hammering against the roof as I climb into the driver’s seat.

My wet dress sticks uncomfortably to my skin.

Water drips from my hair onto the steering wheel.

I start the engine and the heater roars to life.

Finally some warmth.

I shift into drive.

"I’m taking you to the nearest hospital."

"No."

I glance sideways.

His head rests against the window, eyes still closed.

"What?"

"No hospitals."

I frown.

"You’ve lost a ridiculous amount of blood, you probably need a blood transfusion or something."

"No."

"You need a doctor."

"No."

I grip the steering wheel tighter.

"You were shot."

Silence.

"I’m serious."

"So am I."

His voice is weak and barely above a whisper.

But there is something in it that makes my fingers tighten around the wheel.

Authority.

The kind that isn’t questioned.

"I said..."

His breathing catches.

"...no hospitals."

I stare at him.

"Are you insane?"

His breathing grows uneven again.

I shake my head.

"This is unbelievable."

Every sensible part of my brain screams at me to drive to the hospital, Ignore him and let the doctors handle it.

That’s what normal people do.

Then I look at him again, hs hand still grips the pistol loosely, he’s knuckles are white and Even half-conscious...He refuses to let go of it.

Fear coils in my stomach.

What kind of man would rather bleed to death than walk into a hospital?

Only one answer comes to mind.

A dangerous one.

I swallow hard.

"Fuck."

"This is such a stupid idea."

I flick on my indicator. Instead of turning toward the brightly lit emergency entrance only a few streets away...I take the next left.

Toward the one place no one knows about.....welllll asides my sister.

My apartment.

The stranger beside me says nothing. His head just slumps farther against the window.

His breathing becoming slower and heeavier.

I steal another glance at him.

"Don’t you dare die in my car," I mutter.

"You are absolutely not ruining Oli’s upholstery."

He doesn’t answer.

Outside, thunder cracks across the sky.

And for the first time all night...A strange feeling settles deep in my chest.

One I can’t explain.

I have the terrifying suspicion that the moment I opened my car door tonight...I unknowingly drove straight into the biggest mistake of my life.