Part Sixty-Seven

Lee looked up and for a moment he didn’t understand what he was seeing. Kelley was holding Marella in his arms, her shirt was torn, her lip swollen and bloody and in that moment he forgot about his own pain, both physical and emotional.

Kelley placed Marella on the floor but kept his arm around her. Mason had stood up too, his own eyes red from crying. Connor had called them at six am to give them the news of Blain’s murder. Lee hadn’t been able to process it.

He stood up and his hand instantly went to the wound near his hip, the one healing the slowest. Tears now welled in his eyes as he took Marella in, noting the exhaustion on her face. “Marella.” His voice trembled and Kelley nodded his head at Mason.

Lee didn’t even register them retreating or the door closing a few seconds later. Lee took a step towards her and he noted her limp. Against his doctor’s advice of not doing anything, he picked her up and walked towards the bed.

His wound pulled but he didn’t care. He sat down on the