Fight Me(28)

When I approach the ambulance, I see Will bent over Erin who is sitting on the sidewalk. She looks up at me as I approach, her green eyes filled with fear and relief. I feel like I can finally take my first deep breath since receiving the call to respond.

Will is checking Erin’s neck and head for injuries as I crouch down next to her. I can’t control my shaky hands as they reach out and touch her face. “Are you alright?” I ask in a voice I barely recognize.

“I’m okay. Just a bump on the back of my head.”

“What the hell happened?” I ask as I watch Will feel around the back of her head. He must touch the part that she hit because I see her wince in pain.

“I was coming out of the library to walk down to the bank and make the daily deposit. A kid came up behind me and tried to grab the money bag. When I wouldn’t give it to him, he pushed me into the brick building and I hit my head.”

“You wouldn’t give him the money bag? What the hell, Erin? No amount of money is worth getting yourself killed over,” I thunder at her. I can’t control the rage I’m starting to feel at the thought of Erin being seriously hurt or killed by some stupid kid looking to score a few bucks.

“Well, excuse me if I wasn’t just going to hand over the library’s money to some kid who is probably looking to score a hit or some alcohol,” she fires back at me, irritation and anger marring her beautiful features.

“Kids, do you think we can hold off on the lover’s quarrel until after I finish my assessment? I’d like to move her off the cold concrete and into the back of the rig as soon as possible,” Will says with a stern look.

“Yeah, sorry,” I mumble to my brother. Erin is still shooting daggers at me and I decide to take a moment to step back and find out what’s going on with the suspect.

I stand and head towards Maddox who is already talking to the first responding unit. “What do you have?” I ask with authority and attitude. I can’t help it.

“The suspect took off on foot down Main towards Walnut Street, heading East. The third unit is searching the area now for him.”

“Why don’t you guys head out too and help search? We’ll stay here and follow the victim to the hospital and conduct the interview.” Officer Neil stares back at me and I can tell he wants to question my decision to stay, but he doesn’t press the issue.

“Alright. We’ll head out and help search.” Neil and his partner head towards their squad car.

“That was smooth. You should have just whipped out your dick and peed on the ground around her to mark your territory.”

“Fuck off. I’m not dealing with this shit well right now.”

“Clearly, Captain Obvious,” Maddox smarts off. “They’re loading her in the ambulance. Let’s head over there and see what’s going on.”

When I approach the ambulance, I see Will already in the back, hooking Erin up to a monitor. “Are you taking her in?”

“Yep. I think she needs to have the bump on her head checked out. We’ll meet you there.”

“I’m riding with you.”

“No,” Erin and Will both say at the exact same time. Of course, I completely ignore both of them as I step up in the back of the ambulance. I turn towards Maddox who is already shutting the doors. He throws me a quick, “meet you there” as he shuts the last door.

I sit down on the bench across from Will as he finishes hooking up the monitor to Erin’s chest. I try to contain my growl as I watch my brother paw all over Erin from under her shirt, but I’m not very successful.

“If you can’t sit there and be quiet, I can have you removed,” he says with a look that tells me to settle down. Now.

“Why don’t you ride with Maddox, Jake. I’m fine except for a horrible headache. I don’t want to fight with you or argue about why I did what I did. I just want to rest and try to relax and get rid of this headache,” Erin says as she closes her eyes and lies back against the gurney. When she does, her face winces in pain, again, at having bumped the tender spot on the back of her head.

I lean forward and take her hand in mine. Her fingers are freezing cold from having been outside far too long so I take one in my hand and rub it back and forth between my large paws trying to warm it up. When that hand starts to feel warm again, I grab the other and repeat the process. Erin finally looks relaxed as she rests on the gurney with her eyes closed.

It doesn’t take too long to get to the Emergency Department at Rivers Edge Health Center. I throw open the back doors and step aside as the staff come out of the hospital to help escort the patient inside.