Blood Thirsty

Ch. 17: I like you

In the distance, someone might have thought fireworks were going off. There was a war waging in the air as gunfire ripped through the Greenhouse, hitting vases and tables, sending glass, porcelain, and wood asunder. Anthony tensed up, cradling Knox's head in his chest. Anthony didn't move. He knew better than to lift his head and check if the coast was clear. He had Knox in his arms, and that was enough for now.

Once the shots stopped, the silence was too eerie for Anthony to feel relieved. Anthony hugged Knox just tight enough to avoid choking him, pressing his face into Knox's golden spun hair, he asked. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, but Anthony, are you alright?"

"You're sure you're, okay?"

"I swear but—"

"Stay down," Anthony whispered, glancing behind his shoulder. There was no one in the windows or the doors. "Peter?" He called out.

"I'm alright!" Peter said from the workshop, his voice far away. He must've found a place to hide.

"Do you have someone you can call?"

"I already called my boyfriend."

"Anthony," Knox said his name, his face wide in shock. All the color had completely drained from his face.

Anthony grabbed his arms, pushing him towards the workroom. "Go with Peter. Find a place to hide and stay there until I come for you." Anthony jumped to his feet and ran out the front door. His eyes caught movement and Anthony grabbed the nearest body, throwing them against the green brick. Milan cursed, clutching Anthony's wrist.

"What happened? What did you see?"

"The car was attacked, too. I had to duck down, and I couldn't see anything." Milan struggled against Anthony's grip, but Anthony didn't budge. He just held on tighter. Milan relented, scowling at Anthony like an angry dog at its master. "It was another car, a black armored Lexus with no plates."

"Which way did it go?"

"Anthony!" Knox called again.

Anthony held onto Milan with one hand and pointed a warning finger at Knox. "Stay back. Milan, you go down the road. I'm not saying you'll see anything, but I'll go the other way. I need to get on the phone with my brother."

Knox walked towards them, and his panic restarted, walking over and through the rubble to grab Knox's arms. "I told you to go. I need you to stay back. Whoever shot at you could come back to make sure they got the job done."

"We both got shot at," Knox spoke up. His brow pinched. Knox glared at the top of Anthony's head. He picked to his curls, pulling out pits of glass that Anthony hadn't even noticed.

Knox couldn't frown deeper if he tried, checking every edge and corner of Anthony's person, squeezing his arms. He shook his head. "Your cheek. You're all scratched up," Knox said, an edge to his voice as if one little cut on Anthony's cheek was more annoying than nails on a chalkboard.

"I'd be better if you were somewhere safe." Anthony grabbed Knox's hand, keeping it by his side.

"I'm not leaving without you," Knox insisted.

Glancing over his shoulder, Anthony noticed Milan had disappeared and he let out a rattling sigh, his anxiety leaking into the air. That adrenaline spike burnt out, and Anthony almost dropped to the floor then and there.

"Well, then, let's go," Anthony decided. He had already taken out his phone and called for a car down the next street. Anthony didn't lighten his grip on Knox's hand. Police sirens screamed in the distance just as their Uber pulled up.