Chapter 46: The Bloody Warning

Chapter 46: The Bloody Warning

Tim jumped up as Lisa stumbled through Sarah’s door, her bloody figure swaying before she collapsed onto the floorboards, pink hair matted, face pale. “Reggie’s coming for you both!” she gasped, her voice weak, hands clutching her side where blood seeped through her shirt. Jack rushed in behind Tim, his face darkening, boots loud on the wood. Tim dropped to his knees beside her, hands shaking as he pressed on the wound. “Lisa, hold on,” he said, his voice tight, fear mixing with the heat still burning from Jack’s rough kiss minutes ago. Sarah stood frozen, watching, her earlier warnings silent now.
Lisa’s eyes fluttered, locking on Tim. “Jack, he hid me,” she rasped, coughing blood. “Cellar, after I framed you, to save your secret.” Tim’s stomach sank, Jack’s “for us,” that kiss, now this, piling up fast. He glanced at Jack, who stood stiff, fists clenched. “You beat her too?” Tim asked, his tone sharp, pressing harder on Lisa’s side, blood warm under his fingers. Jack shook his head, fast. “No, Reggie did that,” he said, his voice low, rough. “I locked her to keep us safe, our thing.” Tim’s chest tightened, “our thing,” love strained, Jack’s lies twisting it again.
“Safe?” Tim snapped, looking up, his hands steady on Lisa despite the shake inside. “She’s dying, your safe?” He remembered Jack’s shop, their quiet nights, Jack’s hand guiding his over a wrench, a grin, love growing, now clashing with this mess. Jack stepped closer, his shadow falling over them. “I didn’t want this, Reggie took her,” he said, his voice cracking a bit. Tim ignored him, tearing his sleeve to wrap Lisa’s wound, her breathing shallow. “Stay with me,” he told her, soft, his focus on her, Jack’s eyes burned into him, jealousy flaring, love bending hard.
Jack crouched beside them, too close, his hand brushing Tim’s arm. “She’s not yours to fix,” he said, his tone sharp, possessive. Tim shoved him back, gentle but firm. “She’s hurt, back off,” he said, his voice steady, anger bubbling. Lisa groaned, her hand grabbing Tim’s. “He’s right, Reggie beat me, wants you,” she whispered, blood flecking her lips. Tim’s heart thudded, Jack’s “fix it,” that kiss, now jealousy, straining what they had. He thought of Jack’s laugh in the shop, warm, their hands brushing, love real then, messy now.
“Stop touching her,” Jack said, louder, grabbing Tim’s shoulder, pulling him up. Tim stood, facing him, blood on his hands. “She needs me, you did this,” he said, his voice breaking, torn, Jack’s love pulling, lies pushing. Jack’s jaw tightened, his hand dropping. “I did it for us, you’re mine,” he said, stepping in, too close again. Tim’s breath caught, Jack’s “mine,” that shop night, rain outside, their first kiss soft then rough, love straining under this fight. “Yours? Then why’s she bleeding?” Tim asked, his eyes locked on Jack’s, heat fading into hurt.
Lisa coughed, weak, pulling Tim’s sleeve. “He’s coming, Reggie, run,” she said, her voice fading. Tim knelt again, ignoring Jack’s glare, tying the sleeve tighter around her side. “We’re not running,” he said, firm, his care for her clashing with Jack’s need. Jack paced behind, boots scuffing, jealousy thick, Tim tending Lisa cut him, love tested raw. Sarah finally moved, grabbing a cloth from the kitchen, handing it to Tim. “She’s right, trouble’s here,” she said, her voice low, eyes on Jack like he’d brought it all.
Meanwhile, Mia stood outside Pete’s truck, parked near the diner, the town buzzing loud, her pics hit the paper that morning, Carl’s blood, Reggie’s gun, drugs glaring on the front page. People crowded the streets, some holding signs, “Close Paul’s!” others yelling back, “He’s family!” She’d met Dan the reporter again, his words still ringing, ring tied to a city supplier, town hall dirty. Pete leaned on the hood, watching the split unfold. “Town’s breaking,” he said, his voice grim, nodding at the raided shop down the road, cops taping it off.
Mia clutched her phone, pics glowing, Carl dead, Lisa gone, drugs real. “They’re scared, supplier’s cutting ties,” she said, her voice steady, braid brushing her cheek as she turned. Dan had called, city supplier panicked, pulling cash, ring teetering but not down. “Some back Paul, say he’s jobs,” Pete said, pointing at a group waving “Support Local” signs. Mia’s stomach twisted, her pics sparked riots, others defending Paul, kids and families caught in the drug web’s shadow. “It’s bigger, hall’s in it,” she said, firm, the town’s danger clear.
Pete kicked the tire, dust puffing up. “Protests’ll push, ring’s shaky,” he said, watching a bottle fly, glass shattering near Paul’s shop. Mia nodded, pacing a little, her shots of Reggie, Carl’s body, drugs hit hard, splitting folks, some rioted, smashing windows, others stood by Paul, claiming he’s clean. “Supplier’s out, hall’s next,” she said, stopping, her fight growing, town teetering, jobs at risk, kids near the edge. She’d started with Jack and Tim, but this was streets, homes, everything now, her pics the spark, the ring wobbling.
A news van rolled up, camera flashing, protests loud, chants mixing, “No Drugs!” clashing with “Paul’s Ours!” Mia watched, her proof out, Carl’s death, drugs glaring, town hall’s dirt leaking slow. “They’ll dig, supplier’s done,” Pete said, his voice low, eyes on the crowd. Mia’s chest tightened, ring’s web cracking, town split, her pics pushing it, danger real, kids and jobs hanging on what came next. “Tim and Jack, they’re in this,” she said, quiet, turning to Pete. “Gotta warn them, fast.”
Back at Sarah’s, Tim wiped Lisa’s blood off his hands, her breathing steady now, shallow but alive. Jack stood by the window, staring out, his back stiff, jealousy simmering, love strained. Tim looked at him, chest aching, Jack’s kiss, “mine,” that shop warmth fading under this mess. “You okay?” he asked, soft, stepping closer. Jack turned, eyes hard. “You’re mine, not hers,” he said, his voice low, raw. Tim’s throat caught, love pulled, conflict pushed, their bond bending. Then glass smashed, windows breaking, loud and sudden, Reggie’s crew outside, shadows moving, surrounding the house. Tim grabbed Jack’s hand, tight, fear spiking fast.