Me first?
"It’s ok...you can go first. I’ll be slow so..." I said in a shaky voice.
"You go first. It’s safer that way. If you fall, I can catch you. If you get tired halfway, I can wait for you or push you up..." Hayden said, his tone as emotionless as always.
"Ok..." I agreed hesitantly.
"Ladder’s ready!" I heard a man’s voice shouting down from above us.
Hayden moved towards the ladder and began pulling on it to test its stability. Once he was satisfied that the ladder wouldn’t come falling down, he gestured for me to start climbing up.
Well, here I go...
It was a long climb but somehow, I managed to make it all the way to the top. Hayden followed after me without any trouble. I felt dead tired, and I was sure that my body would be aching the following morning. I made a silent promise to myself to exercise more.
"Take her to the nearest hospital," Hayden instructed one of his men.
"What about you?" I asked in panic.
"I’m fine. You go along with them," Hayden said as he brushed aside my concern.
This wasn’t making any sense at all. I was pretty much fine with some small scratches here and there because Hayden shielded me with his body. That means that Hayden is in much worse shape than I was no matter how I looked at it.
"You need to go to the hospital, Hayden," I said, desperation clear in my voice as I pleaded with him.
He needs medical attention. Why can’t he see that?
Not only that, none of the other men spoke up about taking Hayden to the hospital either. What is wrong with the world that they live in...?
"Take her..." Hayden commanded his men once more.
"He...played with something that’s mine..." Hayden said. His tone was light but there was a dark and deadly look in his blue eyes.
Luka didn’t miss the look in Hayden’s eyes, and he could guess what that ’something’ that Josh played with was.
"Hmm...I understand you, Hayden. No one likes it when someone else’s touches their toy without their permission," Luka replied as he grinned at the younger man.
"He was one of my best friends too, so obviously, I had to teach him a lesson," Hayden said with a shrug. The wound at the back of his head had stopped bleeding already and the pain didn’t bother him all that much.
"You could have gone easy on him. He’s not...made like us...you know?" Luka said as he looked up at the dark sky through the parting in the branches of the trees.
"I told you. I went easy on him. He was very lucky that I wasn’t carrying a gun," Hayden said defensively.
"A broken nose, two fractured ribs and countless other bruises..." Luka recounted with a sigh.
"What’s that? Sounds like a shopping list from your grandma," Hayden said with a laugh.
"My grandma is long dead...stupid..." Luka replied before laughing along with Hayden.
"You better comfort me after my old man’s done with me," Hayden spoke up after a short pause.
"Sure...although, I’m sure you’ll rather be comfort by that little missy," the old man said as he flashed Hayden a knowing smile.
"Who knows..." Hayden mumbled.
"Why don’t you just marry her for real, Hayden?" Luka asked, curiously.
"I’m not marrying anyone except Amelia," Hayden said firmly.
"And let me guess, you still don’t plan on taking over the group after your old man either..." Luka said before sighing loudly.
"You’re right. So don’t get your hopes up. She’ll be gone when her thirty days are over..." Hayden said casually.
--To be continued...