Wicked Honey (18+)

Chapter 40

*48 hours later*

"Keep fucking driving" I growl at Landon.

His knuckles whiten on the steering wheel as he gives me another sideways glance. "Ivy_"

"Don't. Don't stop." I pant.

He glances down. Down to my side. Down to where the blood is leaking from between my fingers.

His brows furrow and he grips the wheel tighter. My vision blurs for a split second before I shake my head. Willing it back.

"You're going to bleed out." He says calmer than I expect. Mumbling something in Italian at the end.

"I'd rather bleed out than live the rest of my life in an arranged marriage to a mafia boss." I stare at the horizon. The sky was almost totally dark. The moon the only light in the sky and even that was only a sliver. "If we go to the hospital," I breathe in and cringe. "He'll find us."

"But you'll at least make it through the fucking night." He argued, flashing me another concerned look.

"Landon," I groan, pressing on my side. "You won't make it through the night if we go to a hospital. My father will gut you."

Landon was quiet for a few moments. The only sound was that of my shallow breathing and the rhythmic thrum of the tires on the road.

"I can't believe that dumbass shot you." He mumbled.

"I think you can believe it." I glance down at the leather seat glistening with my blood.

"It was meant for me." He deadpans.

"No shit." I mumble. "I don't think shooting the bosses daughter is in your little rule-book."

Landon only shakes his head.

The pain in my side was only starting to worsen. Every breath in felt like a poker being shoved through my stomach. But I tried not to show it. If Landon knew, then he'd find a hospital and we'd get caught. He'd be killed and I didn't know what would happen to me but it certainly wouldn't be good.

"There might be a first aid kit in the back. Once we get a little further from the compound, I'll see what we have." He speaks more to himself than me. Eyes focused solely on the road like he can't make himself look at me. At the reality of this situation.

I'm not sure how much time passes. It might've been just a few minutes. It could've been an hour maybe two. My thoughts all started to fuse together. But I felt the car pull to the side of the road and stop.

The noises were muffled.

Someone shifted me, my hand felt sticky as it fell into my lap. Someone was speaking to me. Saying my name over and over, but my eyelids felt so heavy. I couldn't keep them open. I let them fall shut and I was met with a blissful sort of sleep. Like I was just floating in blackness.

I could picture them.

Arrow's smile. His bright warm features. So welcoming and safe. He was so perfect that it made me wonder how I'd ever been attracted to another man.

Except for Grey. With his dark eyes and the angry harsh lines of his face. His jaw. The way the muscle feathers when he's pissed.

They were so different. So unbelievably opposite. And I was in love with both of them.

***

Everything is white when I try to open my eyes.

The walls. The bed. Even the monitor beeping steadily beside me is white.

It started to beep faster as my heart began to race as the memories came flooding back. Escaping the compound. Getting shot. The car ride.

Why the hell had Landon brought us here? Where was he? Had my father found us? Was Landon_

"Hello, Mrs. Ryle," A nurse rushed in. Clearly ready to soothe me. "How're you feeling?"

My tongue feels dry in my mouth. My head is pounding and my skin is cold and clammy. It also currently feels like someone played a game of Fruit Ninja on my side. But I don't say any of that. "Where is Landon?"

"Your husband is right there Mrs. Ryle."

I look over my shoulder to see Landon tucked into a chair in the corner, asleep. I take a breath and try to calm my rapidly beating heart. The monitor was annoying as fuck. The nurse must've noticed because she pressed a button and it stopped.

"Your husband told us about the mugging. He's already spoken to the police_"

"The police?" My voice hurts my own ears and I wince.

The nurse nods slowly. "You had a gunshot wound Mrs. Ryle. We had to call the police." I just nod once. "Do you remember anything from the incident? Your husband couldn't provide much."

I shake my head. "No, I'm sorry, I don't remember anything."

She pats my leg and gives me a grim smile. "That's okay, are you in any pain?"

I tell her my head hurts a bit. She gives me some drugs and does a quick exam. Jotting things down here and there before she leaves the room. I exhale deeply and let my head fall back against the pillows.

"I'm sorry, I had to tell them we were married or they wouldn't give me any information."

Landon's voice startles me but I just shake my head staring at the ceiling. How long do we have until my father shows up? "What are we doing here, Landon?"

I see him lean forward out of the corner of my eye. "You were going to die. Then I would've just fucked my own mafia for no reason. So here we are."

I scoff but regret it as pain shoots down my side. Hissing, I clench my jaw. "Well great," I grit out. "Now what? We wait until someone shows up to kill us?"

Landon opens his mouth to speak but someone speaks over him.

"Cmon now Poison," My head snaps to the door so fast I think I might've given myself whiplash. "You've got a better idea than that, don't you?"