𝑅𝐸𝐷 𝑀 𝐴 𝐷 𝑁 𝐸 𝑆 𝑆

𝐸𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡

"What's going on? What's happening?" James yelled as Loren set me down on the floor. I winced as I forgot how to breathe. It wasn't like I tried to anyway. My chest rose and fell quickly, my throat sore from the screams that begged to get out.

"Tori? Can you hear us?" Alexei asked and knelt next to Loren, holding my hand. I nodded, my ears almost going deaf.

The pain was too much, too fast. My rib had moved again. I didn't know what to do or how to replace it. All I felt was the excruciating ache in my chest. Something told me it wasn't my rib because my heart kept squeezing.

"We are gonna lift your shirt alright?" Alexei was good at this. He was good at healing people. I didn't want him to heal me, though. He was already asking questions, this wasn't going to be good.

I closed my eyes, anticipating the look on their faces. I knew it was terrible. A mix of blue and purple. It was hurting so bad, I couldn't open my eyelids as Loren poked it gently.

"Loren" I gritted my teeth, my panic attack rising. How could I think I'd make it tonight? Well, I sort of did. As long as the fans didn't see me, that was good. They didn't, right?

"Victoria, what in the hell h-"

"Victoria?" It was William Grayson III, his deep voice. What was he doing here? How did he get past the security? And why was the rest of his crew following behind him?

"Get the fuck out" Gabriel ordered, his tone changing from sweet to defense mode. He was ready to fight to get them out. This didn't have to become something serious when there was no problem. Nothing was wrong and they had to stop acting like something was.

"Wow, what the fuck happened?" Kai asked and almost ran to me.

"Watch it Mori" Alexei pushed his shoulder and later on, he was met with Michael retrieving him by grabbing his collar.

William Grayson III and Damon Torrance stayed behind, watching it all happen. Gabriel and James were by their side, their eyes beaming with pride. We all knew Alexei could take Michael out. We were just waiting to see it happen.

Loren was still kneeling beside me, holding my hand in his. Kai's big hands traveled my bruises and I almost screamed as he pushed pressure on my ribcage. Tears sprang to my eyes, burning everything that was left to think about.

Alexei tried to punch Michael but he did it first. He pushed him to the ground and told him to relax. Which he didn't. Loren focused on me but I knew damn well how bad Alexei could get when he was angry

"Please, stop it" I exhaled in a shallow breath. Kai looked up at me, his eyes narrowed.

"Alexei" I clarified. He stopped what he was about to do and twisted his head to me. My mouth parted slightly and as my words were about to escape my mouth, Kai Mori put his right hand on my lips.

"Don't talk, it'll hurt more"

"And how do you know so much about this?" Loren challenged and Kai didn't look like he gave a fuck. He ignored his question and kept pressuring my rib cage, each time, more painful than the last time.

"I am gonna kill you" I finally screamed as he touched my rib that was probably broken. Everyone was in a circle around us, Damon next to my right. He was staring at me, at my bruised cheek. Why was he doing that? Why was he always staring at me?

"I'd like to see you try" He answered and took his phone. He dialed some number and I recognized the look on my friends' faces. It was pity. It surely broke me in half as I started panicking. Who was he calling? Why was no one contesting? Why were they doing nothing? They hated the four horsemen. Here they were, pretending they cared about me.

"Who are you talking to? What are you doing?" I tried to stand up but Damon stopped me, his hand brushing my hair out of my face at the same time.

"Her body's aching" Kai ignored me and continued to talk with someone on the phone. Not someone, the hospital.

Fuck my life.

"No, no, hang up" I begged, Damon's fingers never leaving my cheek. I looked at Loren who was shaking his head, the guys just staring at me like a broken toy.

"Baby, you need an ambulance. It's broken" Damon reassured me, his voice almost soothing.

Why did he have such an effect on me?

"It's not broken, okay?" I tried to convince myself. Was it broken? I didn't know, all I knew was that the four horsemen being here made me nervous and I couldn't breathe.

"She's right, it's not broken. It could be soon though" Kai hung up and ordered Loren and Damon to help me up. How did he know if it was broken or not? Well, that was a good thing, it wasn't broken.

"I can't go, no my dad's gonna-"

"Your dad has enough money, Victoria. It's gonna be okay"

I didn't mean to cry, but my tears kept going down my cheeks, my pleading hidden because my sobs were too loud. There was no way out, I knew that. Hope was lost.

But in that tiny moment, when Damon told me to shut up and stared deeply into my eyes, something switched on in my brain. Suddenly, my tears were rolling and they weren't stopping. It was that way, even as the ambulance was there.

They took me in and Loren had to stay with me. He couldn't look me in the eyes and I didn't ask him to do so. This reminded him of his brother and I didn't want him to fight for me if it was too painful. That was why he held my hand and told me it was going to be okay but, he never looked at me.

"Okay, Victoria? We are going to ask you some questions"

I stayed silent. Yelling at the sky, screaming at the world.

"Honey? Is that okay?" Even with my vision blurred, I knew I could trust her. Well, it was safe to answer her question. Or maybe it was the medication talking.

"When I go home, all the emptiness fills me up" I whispered and the last thing I saw was Loren crying as darkness welcomed me.