Twisted Veil of Devotion

Part 15

Ryan POV: 

I was being discharged today, and Officer Martinez was coming to pick me up. The bandages on my shoulder and thigh were tight, and every step was a reminder of the pain, but nothing compared to the ache in my chest. 

I had just spoken with Stella's parents, and my own. The weight of my promises to them hung heavy over me, promises I wasn't sure I could keep, but I was damn sure going to try. 

I promised them I would do everything in my power to get Stella back, even if it turned me into something I wouldn't recognize by the end of it.

Stella's face lingered in my mind, her laugh, the way she lit up when she teased me. I clenched my fists. I had failed her. But not again. This time, I was going to end it. Zane was a dead man walking.

I limped out of the hospital's entrance, seeing Officer Martinez already parked, waiting for me in his car. The sun was glaring, and the noise of the city washed over me like background static. For a moment, I let myself breathe.

Then it happened. The sharp crack of gunfire split the air, and instinct kicked in.

Pop. Pop. Pop.

"Shit!" I ducked down, adrenaline surging, as bullets ricocheted off the pavement and the cars around me. I barely made it to cover, throwing myself behind a nearby vehicle. The glass shattered from the force of the gunfire, raining down in shards over the asphalt. My heart pounded as I gripped my side. The stitches threatened to tear as I crouched behind the car.

Another round of gunshots echoed through the street. I heard the unmistakable roar of an engine, and when I peered through the shattered windows, I saw it, a black van speeding towards me, guns blazing from the windows.

They were targeting me.

"Zane," I hissed through gritted teeth. This was his doing. He wasn't wasting any time. After taking Stella, now he was trying to take me out. Coward.

I could hear the chaos behind me, people screaming, running for cover as the gunfire ripped through the street. I had to move, had to do something. But I was pinned down, the car I was using for cover taking all the hits. Glass and metal exploded into the air as the van circled around.

I scanned for an opening, my pulse thundering in my ears. I had no weapon on me, and my body was already worn from my injuries. For a second, it felt hopeless. But I couldn't die like this. Not when Stella was still out there.

That's when Officer Martinez came through.

I saw him sprinting from his car, gun in hand, firing off rapid shots at the van. He didn't hesitate. His shots hit their mark, but the van veered off, tires screeching as they swerved and peeled down the street. They were retreating, for now.

I stayed low, panting heavily, waiting for the all-clear. Officer Martinez ran over to me, his face grim, eyes scanning the street for more threats.

"You alright?" he asked, his voice tight with concern.

"Yeah," I lied, my shoulder screaming in protest. "I'll live. That was Zane's men, wasn't it?"

Martinez nodded, holstering his weapon. "No doubt. He's got the whole damn city on edge looking for you. This is just the start, Ryan. We've got to get you somewhere safe."

Safe? Nowhere felt safe anymore. Not until Zane was gone.

I gritted my teeth, pushing myself up slowly, using the wrecked car for balance. Every move hurt, but I forced myself through the pain. "We have to move fast," I said, my voice hoarse but determined. "Zane won't stop until I'm dead, and he still has Stella."