Chapter 169 ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-NINE

Chapter 169 ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-NINE
Scarlett's POV

Stan lowered the stick, his tense shoulders relaxing as he recognized us in the dim light of the tunnel.

"Where is everyone?" Blue asked again, his voice weak and raspy as he kept leaning against the wall.

Stan quickly explained what was going on, telling us that he had already come down here with a group earlier with the map. They had successfully located an exit further down the underground system, and in fact, some of the guys had already left the institute completely to start scattering into the city.

"Where does it lead to?" Blue managed to ask, pressing a hand tightly against his bleeding shoulder.

"A bushy area some distance away from the main road to Bellamy," Stan answered, gesturing down the dark corridor.

I half-heartedly listened to their back-and-forth conversation, my eyes glued to the dark blood seeping through Blue’s shirt. I was just waiting for them to stop talking so I could finally dress his wound properly, and then find Rachael to make sure she was unharmed.

After a few minutes of explaining the tunnel layout, Stan looked closely at Blue's pale face and grimaced. "You are injured, boss. Let's get that attended to right away."

Before we could take a step, the clatter of the hatch opening echoed from behind us. Stan immediately assumed a defensive posture again, ushering us back around the bend just like he had done moments ago, his hands holding his stick ready.

We held our breath in the dark. But after an agonizing moment, Jax’s familiar face rounded the stone corner.

He had made it. Blue looked like he could almost cry from sheer relief. Jax only had a few minor scrapes and bruises across his knuckles and face, but otherwise, he looked totally fine.

"Nice to see you," Blue said, letting out a breath he had been holding.

Jax scanned Blue's slumping posture and blood-soaked clothes, his brow pulling down sharply. "Not nice to see you still bleeding out onto the floor."

"I was just about to get it attended to," Blue grunted out, straightening up with an effort.

However, Stan kept looking behind Jax. “What is it?" Scarlett asked worriedly.

Stan heaved a breath looking between Blue and Jax. "I cannot see Tanner, boss. When is he coming?”

Jax looked away. The moment fast turned somber and pain-filled. Then, Blue clasped Stan’s shoulder hard. “He got badly injured but he will be fine."

It was so obvious that Blue was desperately choosing to believe that statement. Thankfully, Stan understood and asked no further questions.

We all walked further down the passage, turning into a wider underground chamber where several makeshift seats and folding chairs had been set up.

I stopped in my tracks, shocked to find the infirmary nurse sitting down there on one of the seats. She was sitting right beside Rachael, sorting through an open metal first-aid kit.

"Rachael!" I gasped out, rushing over.

Rachael stood up immediately, and I threw my arms around her in a tight hug. She squeezed me back just as hard, letting out a shaky breath.

After pulling away, I walked over to the makeshift comfy corner, pulling lightly on a tiny pinch of Blue’s shirt to guide him toward a chair.

The nurse looked up at Blue's bloody shoulder and offered a small, sympathetic smile. "I hope it isn't too deep."

All the guys just looked at her grimly, nobody bothering to make a joke.

Blue sat down gingerly on one of the folding seats. The nurse opened her large box, reached out with gloved hands, and gently unraveled the makeshift bandage around his shoulder. As the wound was exposed, she clicked her tongue against her teeth and let out a low whistle.

She reached into the box and pulled out a small glass bottle filled with clear antiseptic. "This will sting," she warned unceremoniously.

She poured the liquid slowly over the open cut. Even with all his apparent extreme high pain tolerance, I could see Blue tense up, his muscles locking tight and his jaw clenching hard.

Rachael looked over at us, a small, teasing smirk playing on her lips despite the serious atmosphere. "Scarlett, why not distract him? That injury looks like it's definitely going to need stitches."

A sudden blush crept up my neck, warming my cheeks. Even though my relationship Blue was hardly a secret to anyone at this point, having it pointed out so directly still made me self-conscious.

Before I could say anything, Blue’s long arm snaked out, wrapping firmly around my midsection and pulling me in until I was standing almost flush against his side.

I hit Blue's chiseled abdomen lightly with the back of my hand. "Stop it."

The nurse, working on Blue’s injured side, simply continued cleaning the area, offering a sheepish smile as she prepared her needle and thread.

I looked around the small chamber, realizing Jax was nowhere to be found—he had likely gone ahead to check on the outer exit. Stan and Rachael silently slunk off toward another side of the tunnel to give us some space.

As the nurse began pulling the needle through his skin, Blue didn't make any sounds. Instead, his grey eyes remained intricately focused on my face, watching my every expression. He occasionally gave mild, subtle jumps when the needle pierced deeper, but his hand stayed anchored on my lower back, rubbing slow, soothing circles against my spine to keep me grounded.

When the nurse finally wrapped a clean, white bandage over his shoulder, she packed up her materials and left the space to go God knows where.

The second she was out of sight, Blue pulled me even closer, dragging me down into his lap. Before I could balance myself, he covered my lips with his.

I tried to pull back slightly, my cheeks burning as I whispered abashedly against his mouth, "Blue... there are other people here that could come around any second."

But Blue had zero intention of letting me escape.

His large hand moved up to cup the back of my head, his fingers threading tightly into my hair to hold me still. He dominated the kiss, deepening it with a fierce, demanding intensity that shut down all my protests. His lips moved over mine with a possessive rhythm, pulling me closer until there was absolutely no space left between us.

I let out a soft, breathless sound into his mouth, my hands automatically reaching out to grip his strong shoulders for support. It was rapidly beginning to turn very heated, the overwhelming warmth of his body sweeping away every lingering thought of the danger outside.