Saving Calen

22.

Calen's POV

I hear gunfire get closer as I slump into Aylah's arms.

It's as if my entire nervous system has relaxed finally and I can barely move. The pain is worse than before and my jaw is clenching impossibly hard.

"Suck it up, Calen. We've got to get a move on." I hear a familiar voice chirp.

I see Caden standing at the door of the cell, gun drawn. He looks at me, and for just a moment, his eyes soften. My brother is a lot of things, but soft isn't one of them. The sight is unnerving.

He tosses some clothes at me, and my body flinches back.

"It's okay, Calen. I've got you." Aylah's sweet voice floods my ears. I slump forward and press my forehead to hers.

"Get dressed. Now." Caden demands.

Aylah let's go reluctantly. I notice for the first time that she is covered in blood.

"What the fuck, are you okay? Where are you bleeding?"

I start to do a blood sweep as she grabs my hands.

"Calen, I'm fine. Please get dressed we have to go." She pleads.

I furrow my brows but the gunshots tell me there's no time. I throw on the clothes and vest. My body screams at me to take everything off and my head feels like it's been inside of a pressure cooker. I take a step and nearly fall to my knees. Cadens by my side in a flash, lifting me up by my shoulders.

He lets me lean on him.

"Thought that might happen. Aylah, you got this?" She looks at him with fury and nods before stepping in front of us with her own weapon up.

I give Caden a curious look and he just shrugs. "She said she was coming to help save your sorry ass, so I had to train her."

I stare in absolute shock. "YOU trained HER?" I ask.

Aylah's gorgeous head of hair whips around.

"Damn straight he did, baby. I bet I'm better than you now. Now are we going to head out? You boys done with your little reunion?"

I blink a few times before falling head over heels all over again.

"Yes, ma'am." We say.

...

We take the stairs up and hit the open air.

I squint my eyes and stop moving, the pain in my head increasing ten fold.

"Come on, Calen." Caden grunts, trying to drag me with him. My legs give out and I fall to my knees.

"Fuck, man. My head."

Waves of nausea come through me as I bend over and wretch. A hand rests on my back and I can barely make out Aylah's small frame.

"Let's get you safe and clean, okay?" She says softly. She gently lifts my arm and I wince, my ribs screaming in protest. The heave me up and we slowly make our way to the van.

Once it's in sight I see a bunch of people standing near it. Two rush us.

"Oh thank god." 

Cole.

"Long time, no see" he says, voice thick with emotion.

Fucking Archer. I lift my head and give them both a smile that looks more like a grimace.

"You look like hell, come here put him in the back."

Archer takes my other side and Aylah runs ahead to the trunk. A large blanket and pillows are laid out. They all try their best to lower me into the trunk gently but it's useless. I finally get in and lay down on my side. The door is shut.

I close my eyes to try and minimize the amount of pain my head is in. Her hand cups the side of my face and I hum in appreciation.

"I'm so sorry, Calen. I'm so sorry." I hear the pain in her voice and my heart shatters.

"It's okay. I'm okay. It wasn't that bad." I lie.

She moves so that my head rests in her lap. The gentleness a stark contrast to what I've been forced to grow accustomed to.

"We got videos." She whispers.

The hole that had been growing in my chest threatens to swallow me.

"Oh." Is all I reply.

Her gentleness turns more firm as she presses her lips to mine. It's not the soft, nurturing kiss I know, but rather hard and bruising.

Fucking intoxicating.

I move my mouth with hers, matching her energy. In that moment, I know she's changed. So have I. We have grown together the way two gnarled trees would. We're inseparable, broken, but impossibly strong.

She pulls away and runs a finger down my lips, a smirk playing on her lips.

"We'll fucking ruin them."

...