If you only knew...

58.Aftermaths

Xavier's POV

Nate speeds through the streets, desperately trying to put distance between us and the brutal thugs chasing our car. I sit in the back seat, glancing at Lisa, whose fragile figure is slumped against the door. The aftermath of her harrowing ordeal is visible in every bruise and cut on her body. A deep gash runs along her arm, and her cheeks are marked with a purplish hue, revealing the brutal torment she has endured. The urgency of our escape pulses through the car, but all I can focus on is the weight of her pain beside me. It is unsettling to see her like this.

The truth is, I also feel anything but fine. I shift in my seat, trying to find a position that would ease the pain in my abdomen. The leather is cold against my skin, and I wince as I adjust my weight. My fingers brush over the fabric of my hoodie, seeking out the spots where the pain is most acute. I can almost pinpoint the exact locations of the brutal kicks—each one a memory etched into my flesh.

The metallic taste of blood lingers in my mouth, the bitter consequence of the brutal violence I had just faced from The Tiger. It is a taste that seems to seep from my insides, a visceral sign of the damage done.

My neck aches with a haunting intensity, as if I can still sense the phantom grip of his hands clenching tightly around it, a chilling reminder of that moment.

I take a moment to steady my breaths, and with great effort, I turn my gaze toward Lisa and ask,

"What did they do to you? Did they ask about your accomplices?" My voice trembles slightly, a mix of concern and compassion, wanting to pry the answers gently, mindful of the weight of her recent trauma.

Tears stream down her face as she recounts the harrowing scene. "It was just as I jumped down that they stormed in," she gasps, her voice shaky. "They were lying in wait for me. As I called you for help, they yanked my earpiece away and began to pound on me. I was helpless as they dragged me into that dark bunker. They were so intent on killing me, but first, they demanded to know who else I was operating with and for whom I was working for." Her voice trembles, and I can see her body shivering with the memory of the attack.

"Did you tell them anything?" Nate's voice cuts through the tension from the driver's seat, icy and accusatory.

"No! I didn't..." Her words falter, thick with fear. "I tried to keep everything to myself, and that's why they started torturing me." Tears spill down her cheeks, raw and desperate.

"Good," he snaps back. "At least you did one thing right. But let's be honest—you deserved to end up there." His words land like blows, making her sob even harder.

"That's enough, Nate," I interject, my voice steady and calm. "She... helped me." I hesitate for a moment, my gaze drifting to her, sad at the sight of her struggling to staunch the bleeding from her arm. "Now isn't the time to pile on."

Nate falls silent as he suddenly turns the wheel. "I think we lost them for now," he notes, veering onto a road that leads us away from the city's chaos.

"Where are the girls?" I ask, a wave of concern washing over me.

"They're safe at a bar not too far from here."

"Don't go to them!" I plead, my tone urgent and insistent. "They could be watching us right now, and we can't risk putting them in danger too. We need to stay low for a bit. If everything stays clear, we can swing by, pick them up, and finally head home."

I glance back at Lisa, anxiety tightening my chest. "You need medical care. That wound doesn't look good."

Nate's gaze hardens with concern. "We all know she can't go to any hospital, Xavier. They've seen her face; their reach is everywhere."