Mafia's Heartbeat: A Dangerous Love

Chapter - 25

The Lees had won the fight, but the victory felt hollow as Hyunjin held Felix in his arms, blood soaking through his fingers. Chan quickly called for medical assistance, his voice urgent as the rest of the group closed ranks around their leader.

"We need to get him out of here, now!" Minho shouted, his voice shaking with uncharacteristic fear.

Changbin and Jay helped lift Felix carefully, moving him toward their getaway car as Hyunjin refused to leave his side, his hands trembling as he kept pressure on the wound. Felix's breathing was shallow, his face pale as he looked up at Hyunjin with hazy eyes.

"I'm fine," Felix muttered, trying to reassure him even as his body betrayed him.

"Don't you dare say that," Hyunjin said through gritted teeth, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. "You're going to be fine. You have to be."

As they sped away from the scene, the lights of the city blurring around them, Felix's family rallied together, knowing that this fight was far from over. ATEEZ had struck a blow, but the Lees would make sure they paid for it.

And no one would be safe from the storm that was coming.

The ride back to the Lee family skyscraper felt like an eternity. Felix lay in the backseat, Hyunjin by his side, his face pale but determined. The tension in the car was thick as Minho drove, his knuckles white against the steering wheel, while Heeseung barked instructions over the phone, making sure the family's private doctor was ready by the time they arrived.

Chan, sitting in the front passenger seat, constantly glanced back at Felix, worry etched into his features. Jake, who was in the car behind them with Sunghoon, couldn't stop thinking about the image of Felix falling to his knees. Jake's heart ached with guilt. He should've seen it coming, should've been quicker, should've protected Felix better.

Hyunjin kept applying pressure to Felix's wound, his hands trembling but firm. "Stay with me," Hyunjin whispered again, his voice low and pained. He could see the strain on Felix's face, the way his breathing had grown shallow. Felix looked up at him, eyes half-closed but still flickering with that same determination.

"I'm okay, Hyunjin," Felix said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. His lips curved into a small, weak smile, but the pain in his eyes told a different story. "Just a scratch."

"Stop talking," Hyunjin demanded, his voice sharper than intended. "Save your strength. We're almost there."

Felix chuckled weakly, but it turned into a wince. The bullet hadn't gone deep, but it had hit dangerously close to his side. His shirt was soaked with blood, but Hyunjin wouldn't let him slip away—not like this, not now.

As they arrived at the skyscraper, the car skidded to a stop in front of the entrance. The family's private doctor was already waiting, accompanied by medical staff, who rushed out to meet them. Felix was quickly lifted onto a stretcher, Hyunjin still refusing to leave his side as they carried him inside.

The doctor worked on Felix immediately in one of the skyscraper's private medical rooms. Hyunjin, Minho, Heeseung, Jake, and the rest of the family waited outside, their nerves frayed. Sunghoon paced back and forth, running a hand through his hair. Jake sat on a bench nearby, staring at the floor, his mind racing with thoughts of how close they'd come to losing Felix.

Seungmin and Chan arrived shortly after, their faces tight with concern. "How is he?" Chan asked as soon as he reached Minho, who stood like a sentinel near the door to the medical room.

"He's stable," Minho replied, his voice rough with the weight of the situation. "But he lost a lot of blood."

"Hongjoong managed to get a shot in," Jake muttered, clenching his fists. "We should've been more careful. We should've anticipated it."

"It's not your fault," Sunghoon said, placing a hand on Jake's shoulder. "We didn't expect them to have backup. But now... now we need to plan our next move."

"ATEEZ is going to pay for this," Minho said, his voice low and dangerous. "This doesn't end here."

Hyunjin, who had been silent since they brought Felix in, finally spoke. His voice was calm, but there was a terrifying edge to it. "I'm going after Hongjoong. He's not getting away with this."

Minho nodded. "We all are. But we need to be smart about it. ATEEZ will be on high alert now, expecting retaliation."

Heeseung crossed his arms, his mind already working through the logistics. "We need to gather all of our forces. Call in everyone—our cousins, bodyguards, anyone loyal to the family. ATEEZ may have gotten the upper hand today, but they won't see what's coming next."

Sunghoon chimed in, his voice firm. "We also need to figure out their weaknesses. ATEEZ has a tight-knit group, but there's got to be something we can exploit." 

Hours passed, and finally, the door to the medical room opened. The doctor stepped out, pulling off his gloves and looking exhausted but relieved. "He'll be okay," the doctor said. "The bullet missed anything vital. He's lost a lot of blood, but he's strong. He'll need rest."

Hyunjin immediately moved to Felix's side, not waiting for any further explanation. As he entered the room, he saw Felix lying in bed, pale but alive. His eyes fluttered open as Hyunjin approached, and a small smile formed on Felix's lips when he saw him.

"Hey," Felix said, his voice hoarse.

Hyunjin swallowed hard, his emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He sat beside the bed, carefully taking Felix's hand. "You scared me," Hyunjin whispered, his voice cracking. "Don't ever do that again."

Felix chuckled weakly. "I'll try my best."

The rest of the family entered the room, one by one, relieved to see Felix awake. Minho stood by the door, arms crossed, his expression unreadable, but there was a glint of determination in his eyes. Jake moved to Felix's other side, squeezing his brother's hand briefly before stepping back to give him space.

"We need to strike back," Jake said, looking at Felix. "We need to send a message to ATEEZ."

Felix's gaze hardened. "They think they can come after us and get away with it." He winced, adjusting slightly in bed. "They won't."

Hyunjin nodded. "We'll make sure of it."