Jail Bird. by Em. Z. (best free ebook reader .txt) 📕

I looked up at him with a small smile. "I love-"

My next words were drowned out by a gunshot.

Victor let out a loud cry, as he jerked forward. I had to hold him up, as he seethed in pain.

"Victor? Victor!" I shrieked as he fell to his knees.

Horror filled me. What if they shot him through the heart? What if they hit an artery?

He clutched his shoulder with a horrible grimace, grinding his teeth as blood soaked his sleeve. I looked around to see who'd shot him, and I saw the waitress I'd been talking to earlier, dropping the gun and fleeing. My blood ran cold. Hadn't she just told me that she was brand new here? That her boss was really demanding, when in all reality her manager seemed really sweet?

She wasn't talking about her manager.

Oh my God. I'd been talking to one of Ike's.

I knew my face had turned sheet white as I stared into Victor's pained eyes. I didn't even notice the sirens far off, as panic overloaded me.

"You're going to be okay." My voice was high and hysterical with panic, as I gripped his face in my shaking hands.

"Jane...don't...don't leave..." He groaned, as he gripped his shoulder tighter.

"No, no I promise, I'm right here! I won't leave you, I promise!" I gasped as sobs started to escape.

He gripped my hand, tightly in his, before he passed out. I let out a shriek as hands gripped my arms, struggling.

"No, I have to be with him! Let me go!" I screamed.

"Don't worry, ma'am, we're taking him to the hospital where you can meet us!" The man grunted as I struggled.

"No, no! I promised I wouldn't leave him! I have to go with you!" I cried.

"Hey, Bert, let her go, she can ride in the back." A woman called in an authoritive voice.

Ignoring the growing croud as Bert let me go, I ran to the EMT, rushing back to Victor's side. They were wrapping his shoulder up, getting him ready for transport. 

What would have happened if I left? Would they have shot him? Would he be lying there alone, bleeding on the street?

I followed them as they rolled him into the truck, biting back a sob as I looked at his pale, sweaty face. 

"Poor dear." I heard an old lady say softly.

"She looks like she saw a ghost."

"Bless her heart."

I ignored the whispers, climbing into the truck and grabbing his hand, watching as they strapped him in. I was shell-shocked. I couldn't speak. As soon as I sat down, I was locked in that position, staring at his face, his hand held tightly in both of mine.

The ride to the hospital was a blur. I vaguely remember the woman from before talking to me, but I wasn't able to answer.

"Ma'am!" I blinked a few times, looking up at the woman. "We're here." She said.

I watched as they rushed Victor out of the truck. I had to let him go because they were taking him into surgery to get the bullet out of his shoulder. 

I watched them rush him off, sinking to my knees in the middle of the hall. I knew he'd live, but...it was all my fault he was here in the first place. I couldn't live with myself if they'd actually killed him.

"Ma'am?" I looked up at the woman, my eyebrows raising slightly.

She looked sympathetic, and it brought back my old self a little bit. I didn't like sympathy.

"I don't know if you heard me earlier. I'm Valley Sails, the chief of the police station down this way. You're Jane Harison, correct?" She asked.

"Yeah. That's me." I said, standing up.

"Your father is the notorious Bank Snatcher, right?" She led me into the waiting room, sitting me down.

I sighed heavily. "I own a black Camaro."

"Huh?" She asked, confused.

A small smiled curved at my lips. "Nothing."

She gave me a crazy look. "Okay. Anyway, I just wanted to ask you a few questions, about that man in there." She said.

"Victor Price. Chief of police in the city of Waco in Texas." I said.

She seemed surprised. "And you...know this man well?"

"Yes. Actually we're in a close relationship." I said.

"A close relationship. I see. And he knows about your relations with-"

"Being related to a criminal doesn't make me one too." I snapped.

She held up her hands, as if in surrender. "Okay, okay, I was just asking. Anyway, do you know why someone would want to harm Mr. Price?"

I snorted. "He's a police officer. He arrests scum every day. But other than that, yes, there is Ike." I said.

"Ike?" Valley inquired.

"Yes. Ike is pretty much the scum of the earth. A part of a gang that my Dad has been trying to pay off. Ike laid his claim on me a long time ago. He wanted to take my virginity, and has been trying to since he caught me when I was eighteen. Listen to me. Ike is very jealous. I want you to keep watch over Victor, you got that? You search anyone who goes in that room, make sure they are really who they say they are. I couldn't live with myself if Victor got hurt." I told her seriously.

"And you're not concerned with your own safety?" Valley asked, concerned.

I snorted. "I haven't been concerned with my own safety in a long time." I muttered.

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, my life isn't very important right now. I have a brother, a mother, a father, and now the love of my life to take care of. I put those things before anything else. Including my own life."

Valley looked sorrowful. "That's a very selfless thing to say. And I'm very sorry that you had to say it." She said.

"Yeah, my life's a real peach." I said sarcastically.

She frowned. "I'll go and call a couple of men to watch over Victor for you." She said.

"Thank you." I said, watching as she stood.

I watched as she left the room, and then pulled my phone from my pocket, dialing Logan.

"Hello." His deep voice brought back my guilt, and panic.

My throat suddenly felt tight. I couldn't speak. How could I tell him that his brother was in the hospital because of me?

"Hello?" He sounded confused now.

"Uh...L-Logan. I have to tell you something." I said hesitantly.

"Jane? What is it? What's wrong?" He asked.

I took a deep breath, and then broke down. "He got shot." I blubbered out, almost incoherent.

"Jane, who got shot? What are you talking about?" He asked in alarm.

"He tracked me down and we were talking and an employee of Ike shot him and I'm so sorry Logan!" I cried.

"Jane, calm down, it's not your fault." He said soothingly.

"It is all my fault!" I sobbed pathetically, "If I hadn't left none of this would have happened, I'm so stupid!"

"Okay, Jane, wait there, I'm on my way." He said.

"O-okay." I sniffed.

So for the next three hours, I paced. The doctor came out and told me he was out of surgery after an hour, but I couldn't see him while he was recovering. When Logan got there, I began rambling.

"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have left, this is all my fault I don't know what I was-"

He didn't say anything, he just pulled me into a tight hug. He held me close, rubbing my back. 

"It's okay, Jane. He's fine. I caught the doctor on my way in, he said that Victor was fine." He assured softly.

Soft sobs escaped my lips as I buried my face deeper into his chest. "I-I couldn't believe it! I was so afraid that she'd hit something vital! And th-then he passed out a-and-and-"

"Shh, Jane, it's okay. It's not your fault. I promise you I'm not angry at you." He said, cutting off my blubbering.

He just held me while I cried, rocking me side to side while occasionally murmuring assurances. 

We pulled away from each other when the doctor came in. "He's completely stable now. He lost quite a bit of blood from the wound, but will be fine with some rest. I recomend he stay here for at least a few days, just to moniter the wound." He said.

"Thank you. Can we see him?" I asked hopefully.

"Are you family?" He asked, glancing at Logan,

I bit my lip, but Logan chimed in.

"Yes, she's my sister in law." He said, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

I looked up in surprise, and he gave me a small smile.

"Well then he's in room two sixteen." The doctor said, smiling warmly.

I smiled back, letting Logan lead me from the room. We walked down the hall, both of us silent. We got into the elevator, and I hugged myself to keep from breaking down again. It was hard to imagine Victor without a smile, pale and injured. It was going to be hard to see him like that.

"Where is Mom and Kent?" I asked, realizing they weren't with us.

"I dropped them off at a hotel to check us in. They'll be visiting us a little later." He explained.

I nodded, watching as the doors slid open. Logan led me down the hall, stopping at number two sixteen. I swallowed thickly and looked at Logan. 

"I don't think I can do this. How can I look at him when he got shot because of me? What if he hates me? What if-"

"Hey. This is Victor we're talking about. He'd take a bullet for you any day." Logan said softly, and then nudged me toward the door.

I gulped yet again, and hesitantly set my hand on the knob.

I pushed the door open, and a tight gasp escaped my lips at the sight of him.

"V-Victor?" I asked, close to sobbing as I watched him weakly turn his head.

"Jane." He croaked, a small smile turning up his dry lips.

Logan put a hand on the small of my back, encouraging my frozen body to stumble forward. I rushed to take his outstretched hand, my eyes wide. Being shot in the shoulder really takes it out of you, apparently.

His skin was pale, and his forehead was sweaty. He would occasionally wince when his shoulder shifted. He gripped my hand tightly in his, despite his appearance.

"Jane, I-I asked f-for you but th-they said that I-I needed to re-rest." He rasped.

Logan handed me a cool paper towel, and I went into protective mode, softly shushing him as I dabbed the sweat from his forehead. He closed his eyes, letting out a soft sigh.

"Thank you."

I bit my lip, fighting back the tears that were building in my eyes. He looked so terrible. 

"Does it hurt?" I forced out, my voice cracking.

He let out a long breath, before nodding.

I couldn't help it, a strangled sob escaped my lips. "I'm so sorry, Victor."

He gave my hand a squeeze, his eyes opening to reveal his golden eyes. "Don't be. s'not you're fault." He slurred, his eyes drooping.

I watched as the drugs he'd been given took him under yet again, dropping down into the seat beside his bed. Logan quietly dragged a seat up beside me, putting a hand on my shoulder as I silently cried, guilt overwhelming me.

I was glad that he was here with me. I needed him at this moment. Maybe I wasn't his sister in law, but he felt like a true brother right then. Of course