Page 47 of London Has Fallen

“No, but something did happen and I don’t think now is the time or place to discuss this considering we have at least six men on our asses.” I heard the fuckers a couple miles back trailing us.

“Well, let’s go then,” she snaps, clearly pissed off because she is missing some information but I would bet my testicles on the fact she wouldn’t want the triplets to know she had a fucking mental breakdown.

“I’m not leaving my brother!” Adonis growls as he steps up to London, she doesn’t back down and presses in closer to him.

“What the fuck are you on about?” she grits out.

“Artemis isn’t coming with us,” he answers. She flicks her gaze to me and studies me intensely for a minute. When her face scrunches in confusion, I breathe easier but then her features smooth out and understanding dawns in her gaze before she steps away from Adonis and moves to close the space between us. She reaches out and places her hand on my chest. I can feel my brothers gazes on us the whole time but ignore them.

“He can’t know you helped, can he?” She poses it as a question for the benefit of the triplets but her and I both know that I’m fucked for helping her.

“No, you need to take them back now and make sure they don't do something stupid like come back here for me.” She nods while the triplets curse me out behind her.

“You helped me, so I’ll help you.” I stare at her skeptically for a moment trying to gauge her meaning. That second costs me. A roar of pain rips free as I feel the blade of her knife imbedded in the side of my thigh. I drop to my knees as my brothers rush forward trying to subdue her but she fights them off. “Shut the fuck up!” she screams, silencing them.

“You fucking stabbed my brother, you bitch!” Ares yells, his hatred for her is clear in his gaze.

“He can’t walk out of here uninjured, you dipshit! Me stabbing him just saved his life. Do you really think your father would have let him live if he walked out of here unscathed with the four of us?” They open their mouths to fight back but I cut in before they can.

“She’s right.” Their gazes swing to me. I use the tree beside me to help me to my feet. “Go with her, if you run you will make it on time, I’ll follow behind.” I can see the unease in their gazes. “Run, get back to Cronos. I’ll come find you when I get back to Blackwood, I swear.” It takes them a minute but they reluctantly nod. I turn to London next, asking her without words to protect my brothers. She doesn’t owe me a thing but she is my only option right now. I can see she is still haunted by whatever the fuck happened before but she pushes past it to nod.

“You have my word.”

“Run. The four of you need to make it back together.” I stand here, gritting my teeth to hide the pain I’m in as I watch them run like their asses are on fire. I failed to mention that if I’m caught out here by Costa’s men, I know without a doubt they are ordered to kill me so, I hobble like a cripple down the trail. I have to stop every couple steps to catch my breath, the pain is blinding and robs me of breath each time I take a step. Sweat coats my forehead, I can feel the blood trailing down my leg and soaking my boot but I try as hard as I can to ignore it. It’s taken me nearly thirty minutes to get as far as I have. Granted, it’s not fucking far at all and I know without a doubt that I’m about to be caught.

“You look pale.” I snap my gaze up to see London jogging back toward me. I push off the tree I’m leaning against and flinch in pain.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I snarl.

“Easy tiger,” she says as she reaches my side and wraps my arm around her shoulders, taking some of my weight to help me. I feel like a prick but I lean on her more than I should, I need her help and right now she isn’t mocking me about it so it’s a win for me.

“Why are you here?” I ask again after a minute.

“I passed the finish line, shot your father the middle finger and made it known to who I assume are the other leaders that there was a team out here trying to kill us. Your father acted the part and said his men had gone rogue. I high tailed it out of there and came back to help.”

“Why?” I ask as I force us to a stop, she huffs.

“I was hoping if the sex didn’t get me an A that saving my headmaster's life would at least get me an A+.” I can’t help the laughter that bursts free. She shoots me a wink and not a second later joins me.

As we finally exit the woods I’m drenched in sweat and feeling dizzy and light headed. London is bearing most of my weight now, she grunts with each step and doesn't make a single complaint. There is no doubt in my mind that if she didn’t come back I would have died by the hands of Costa’s men or been eaten by rabid animals when I passed out. I spot a line of Escalades in the parking lot. I ignore the Godfathers as I run my gaze over the faces of people only coming to a stop when I see the four of my brothers standing off to the side with Amelia. Cronos is the first to spot us. One look at me and he sprints toward us, coming to my other side to help London. He’s careful not to knock the blade that is sticking out of my leg. Amelia shouts for him to bring me to the back of the car.

When we reach the back door, London releases me and tries to step back. I reach for her but she shakes her head and darts her gaze over my shoulder, warning me that Costa and the others are watching. I release a sigh and nod stiffly as Cronos helps me into the back seat.

“Cronos, you drive and London can ride shotgun while the others get in the back. I need to patch his leg and stabilize the knife until we get back to the clinic where I can get a better look,” Amelia–Max orders. Everyone jumps into action, obeying her orders. I reach for my door but a hand darts out stopping it from closing. I turn to see Costa standing there, his eyes burn with indignation.

“Get patched up, the club is closed for the night so meet me there, we need to talk,” he forces out through clenched teeth.

“He won’t be going anywhere tonight,” Max says from beside me. Costa doesn’t spare her a glance, keeping his gaze on me.

“Don’t make me wait,” he snarls.

“We’d love to meet you there tonight to discuss how the trial was botched, Mr. Argyros,” London says from the front seat. Costa stiffens, I can see his jaw ticking with rage so I cut in.

“I’ll be there as soon as I’m done.” At my agreement he steps back and slams the door closed. The only reason we are able to drive out of here still breathing is because the other Godfathers are here and he can’t outright kill us in front of them, they would band together and overthrow him. I may be in pain now but I know without a doubt, I will be in even more when Costa is finished with me.

London

I sit in the chair opposite the bed Artemis currently is asleep in. Max had to remove the blade, clean the wound and stitch him up. He lost a fair amount of blood and was instructed to rest. He tried to argue and fight, so I sedated him. I know that knocking him out will make things worse for him with his father but the moment he wakes I know he will leave and go to him, only for him to come back here bloody and beaten again. He doesn’t need to say it but I’ve pieced it together that he takes these beatings so his brothers don’t have to.