Chapter 60 Here's what you're going to do

Chapter 60 Here's what you're going to do
Ariel

“What is it?” Kael asked in a tight-clipped voice the minute he picked up the call.

“Kael? What do I do? I just… I was going to drive home but then he came out of nowhere. And he held a gun to my head and was asking me all these questions, and then he wasn’t saying anything so I thought… I don't. He’s bleeding badly and he’s not moving.”

“Hey hey, calm down. Take a deep breath. What are you talking about?”

“Vincent. He sneaked into my car and was asking me all these questions about why you asked me to meet you but then he stopped talking and i thought… i don’t… He’s bleeding.”

“I think he got attacked or something. I don’t know what to do.” I heard him hesitate for a moment as I paced around in short circles. The alley was dark and secluded and each glance at Vincent’s body in my back seat kept sending waves of panic through me.

“Where are you right now?” he asked finally, his voice surprisingly calm. “T–the park…” 

“Okay.”

“Should I take him to the hospital? St Vale—”

“No!” He shut the idea down before I could even complete my statement. “Then what do I do? He’s barely breathing and he’s… he could die.”

I heard him go silent for a moment again, which actually felt like hours. "Okay, here’s what you’re going to do. Have you confirmed that he’s still breathing?”

“Yes?” I wasn't so sure now with how still and pale he looked under the light. “Check again and feel for his pulse.”

“You’re coming, right?” 

“Do what I said."

“But… okay." I leaned into the back seat again and placed my palm against his neck daintily. It took a while to find it, like the last time and his breathing was barely present when I placed a finger under his nose.

“He’s breathing but it’s very shallow.”

“Now confirm where exactly the bleeding is coming from.”

“W-what? I don’t think I can do that.”

“Why? Are you squeamish?”

“No. Not really. It’s just…”

“Then do it.” I glanced down at the soaked top and took a deep breath. “Okay.”

Okay. Here we go. I slid my hand over the fabric and took yet another deep breath before lifting it up. I let out another gasp just at the sheer amount of blood spread across the bandage on his torso. 

Now I was really curious about what could have happened. “What is it?” I heard Kael say faintly through the phone. “I…uhm… he’s… There's a bandage wrapped around his abdomen. I think that’s where the injury is.”

“Okay…”

“There’s also a bandage around his head and leg. He’s… he’s bleeding so much.”

“Okay.” He went silent for a while again. “Here’s what you’re going to do. Are you having anyone over at your apartment tonight?”

“N-no. Why?"

“You’re going to take him there.”

“Wait. What? My apartment.”

“Yes. Be fast. We don’t have much time if he’s truly bleeding as much as you said he is.”

“Take him to your apartment and lay him down on a bed. Then grab as many towels as you can find and a bowl of water. I’ll be with you in an hour.”

“An… my apartment? H-how? Why? I can’t take him to my apartment.”

“Why not?”

“Because… he’s injured. He’s heavy. I can’t possibly carry him all the way to my floor by myself.”

“A–also, people will stare. What will I say I'm doing with an injured man in hospital clothes who looks like he’s about to die very soon?"

“Give him a jacket or something.”

“But…”

“Ariel! Get him to your apartment. If he dies…” He didn’t say anything after that and just cut the call, but I caught the threat. He was threatening me? H-how? I wasn’t the one who did this to him. In fact, if anything. This was my chance to get revenge on him for… pretty much everything. 

I couldn’t believe he was threatening me right now.



I kept glancing at Vincent through the rearview mirror the whole way back to my apartment building. He still wasn’t moving and his blood had soaked through the jacket I'd found for him into my back seat. I was anxious and ruminating in my mind about how I was going to get him up to my apartment.

Since we had an elevator connected directly to the parking lot within the apartment building, I knew it was fairly going to be easy getting him to my apartment floor, but from the elevator to my apartment itself – that was the main problem.

What if somebody sees me? What if I get him to my apartment but suddenly, it makes headlines tomorrow? I can just imagine the articles…

Oh God. I glanced at him through the rearview mirror again. I’ll just have to find a hat for him, muster up enough inner strength to carry him myself to the elevator and then to my apartment and pray that no one sees me or gets suspicious.

Oh fuck. Jonas's words popped into my head right at that moment. “Remember 9 am.” Shit. Shit. Shit. What do I do? Jonas can’t find out about this. 

But it’s only for tonight. Kael was going to come get him and he’s going to be out of my hair, right?

I didn’t have an answer for that.

By the time I got back to my apartment, it was a little after midnight. I nodded to the security guys by the access gate, hoping deeply that they don’t see Vincent under the jacket I'd spread over him right before driving into the parking lot. Thankfully, my windows were dark but still, my paranoia was going through the roof. 

They nodded back and lifted the barrier for me to go through. I breathed a temporary sigh of relief. Now, the next step was getting him to the elevator and onto my floor. Hopefully no one gets in while I'm doing that.

I barely managed. 

By the time we got out on my apartment floor, I was already exhausted and holding on to his huge frame with every last bit of strength I could muster. Jeez, he was heavy as fuck!

Okay. Here we go. My apartment was right at the end of the hallway. I just had to get him in without alerting my neighbours. I managed that too or so I thought, until I got to my door and glanced back to see a man staring at me. Or should i say… Vincent.

I flashed him an awkward smile and then laughed. “Funny how drunk people can get, right?”

He raised his eyebrows and then walked away. Oh fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Breath. Breath.

I fished out my keycard from my pocket and twisted open the doorknob once I heard that familiar beep. I dragged him in and straight into the guest bedroom.

Exactly five minutes after that, I heard my doorbell ring.

Oh fuck. My heart skipped. That was Kael, right? Right?

But how did he get up to my apartment without the security guard calling to check him in.

Oh my God, what if it wasn’t Kael?

Shit, what if it was Chloe?!