chapter 24: Escaped

Ian
Whenever things are going right, one should never be happy because that's when everything starts to go wrong.
I didn't understand how my dad said his entire world collapsed when Mom got shot. I always thought, how could someone's world get destroyed just because of one specific person? But when I saw the familiar person pointing the gun at my Autumn, my entire world stopped.
I ran towards her, screaming her name. "Autumn!" I pushed her, and she winced in pain. "Are you okay?"
I instantly held her close to my chest.
"Ian. I... I am okay," she said but the tone she used felt like she was just assuring me.
I gazed into her beautiful green irises. I could never get tired of looking at them. She gave a forceful smile.
When I grabbed her waist, she shrieked. As she was wearing a red top, it was hard to decode the blood oozing from one side of her waist, though I was familiar with that semi-liquid substance.
Fear got into me, seeing her hurt. She got shot! I took out my handkerchief from my pocket and pressed it on her wound.
"Ia��"
"Shut up!" I let out and carried her in bridal style. Then I put her in my car. I got in and started driving. "We need to get to the hospital."
I was freaking out. I could do nothing. The thought of her getting hurt was eating me alive. I was near her and I was supposed to protect her. But... I couldn't.
"Ia��"
I cut her off, not letting her speak. "Just try to bear it for a few minutes. We will be there soon. Okay?" I mumbled to calm myself, "She will be fine. She will be fine."
Autumn must be suffering a lot, which was why she was calling out my name.
��Ia��"
"I know it's painful. I am so sorry. I couldn't protect you, even though I promised to. I��"
"Ian freaking Beckett!" she screamed.
"Autumn, I know it's my fault. ��" she cut me off.
"Oh, shut up, for god's sake! I am not hurt."
I looked at her in disbelief, trying to control my burning anger in which I failed miserably. "What do you mean by you're not hurt? You are bleeding!"
She rolled her eyes. "Nothing happened to me. The bullet just grazed the side of my waist which is why it's bleeding. This is really nothing. Stop freaking out."
"What?" I asked. "How... you got shot! Someone tried to kill you." And I swear, that person won't live long. I, myself, will shower my entire love to that person.
"Whoever that person was, his aiming sucked. He never got trained." Autumn lightened the situation with her beautiful laugh. She was definitely hiding her pain. She spoke, "Anyways. Don't drive to the hospital. Let's just go home and call our family doctor."
I curtly nodded and changed the direction of the car. I loved the way she called our mansion, 'home'. I still cannot believe this woman likes me and the feeling is indeed mutual.
I kept my eyes on the road, without saying a word. The horrible scenario, which would have occurred if I didn't push Autumn on time, was eating me alive. I tried to protect her, yet she got hurt. Even though the bullet just grazed her, she still got wounded.
Autumn spoke, "I wonder who would do that. Lennox got caught, so who's this new person? And why was he trying to shoot me?"
It was not a he. It was a she. She tried to kill my wife. She tried to kill Autumn!
I looked at Autumn with the corner of my eyes. She was still in pain, which she tried to cover with her smile. She pretended to be okay because I would lose my mind. But my dear wifey didn't know that I lost my mind when I saw her aiming the gun at Autumn.
Alana Oakley. After I put Autumn in bed, just wait until your death knocks on your door. You have no idea who you messed up with. I clearly saw you, I thought.
Soon, we reached the Beckett mansion. I opened the door and carried her up in the bridal style again.
"I can walk. You don't have to do that, you know?" she deadpanned.
"But I am doing that."
She rolled her eyes but sealed her mouth. Steven spotted us while he was eating a sandwich. "Woah! It's still like between you guys or it turned into lov��" I cut him short.
"Call the doctor, Steven." I added sternly, "Now."
I took her inside our bedroom and placed her on the bed. I instructed her, "As long as the doctor isn't here, I'll stay with you. After he treats you, just go back to sleep. Okay?"
Autumn held my hand. Each time she touched me, I felt that I was getting electrocuted. She had no idea how much her touch affected me.
She makes my hormones go crazy. Heck! She drives me crazy in every possible way.
How can I like her so much? How do I even tolerate her? What is this type of feeling? Does liking someone from that sense feel like this?
"Aren't you gonna help me undress?" My breath hitched at her words. She spoke in a low seductive tone, "Tell me, Ian."
Control, Ian.
"Did the bullet pierce your head and took your brain away?" I retorted as I tried to free my hand from her grip, but she pushed me towards her.
Damn! She was strong. Why did I marry her, remind me?
"I hurt my waist. Mr. Winer, our doctor, always sends his son, John, since he's retiring. And do you want me to open my top in front of John?"
I clenched my jaw. The thought of someone else, more like some other guy seeing her made me feel like stabbing that person infinite times. Let alone someone trying to touch her. Only I could do that.
I took my phone out and dialed Steven, saying, "Tell Mr. Winer to send his daughter, not John."
Steven chortled. "I know you, bro. I already told him to send Sabrina."
I smiled, while Autumn looked at me in confusion. "Thanks, bro."
"Anytime," he said before cutting the call.
Soon, there was a knock on the door. "Come in," I announced.
Sabrina, who was almost of our age, entered the room. "Hello, Leader and L.L." She bowed.
I nodded. "A bullet just grazed one side of her waist. Make sure I see her perfectly fine after I come back. If something goes wrong, I bet on my gun ��"
"��that L.L will shoot Ian Beckett," Autumn mumbled in frustration. "You just love exaggerating things. I am perfectly fine. I didn't di��"
"Just don't fucking finish that sentence." I glared at her. She immediately became quiet. I hate it when she even thinks of that word.
"Don't worry, Leader. You will see her perfectly fine when you return."
"Thanks, Sabrina." With that, I dashed out of the door.
"What happened to Autumn?" Steven asked. I walked towards my car and he followed me. When I didn't answer, he again asked, "Who are you going to kill?"
"Alana Oakley."
"Yes! Finally," he let out, almost jumping in excitement. "What did she do though?"
We were on the way to her house.
"She tried to kill Autumn." I continued, "And I bet on my gun, I will kill her in the same way she wanted to kill my wife."
"Let me arrange everything beforehand, " said Steven and made a few calls.
By arranging everything, he meant that he would appoint a few of our men to clean her body and remove the proof of our existence in that place. Also, a few of them would handle the cops.
Being the deadliest gang, one of the benefits was we had a link with the cops. They were working for us, while we paid a handsome amount of money to them. If someone doesn't work for us, we threaten to kill his family because the mafia doesn't show pity. They are ruthless.
We reached Alana's house. It was easy because all the guards fainted. Steven made sure of that too.
I rang the doorbell, but she didn't open the door. Being patient, I continued to ring the doorbell. Steven was entering through the back door with my other men.
"Ugh! Who's here to ruin my sleep? I had a tiring day today and ��" she screamed when I pointed my gun on her forehead. "Ian! What are you... what... drop the gun, Ian, please."
I asked coldly, "Why did you try to kill her?"
"Kill...who?" she whimpered.
I kept my eyes on hers, already throwing daggers through them. "You know the answer very well, Alana Oakley."
"I tried to kill Autumn because she snatched you from me! She embarrassed me in front of the entire world! That bit��"
Bang!
Before she could complete the sentence, I shot her right between her eyes. She tried to kill my Autumn. She even called her bitch. And over the top, she was trying to play dumb! She didn't deserve to live.
I cleared the muzzle of my gun with the tissue. "You try to shoot my family, I shoot you. Ian never tries to do something. What he thinks, he always does," I said, looking coldly at her lifeless body.
Soon, she was lying in a pool of blood. Steven looked at her dead body and then back at me. "Handle it," I deadpanned, stepping out of the house.
After I reached home, I went to Steven's room to change my clothes first. If Autumn is awake and finds blood on my suit, she will ask plenty of questions. I don't want her to stress out. She had enough trouble for today.
I saw her sleeping peacefully on the bed when I got in. I smiled looking at her beautiful face. I leaned down to caress her hair.
She started having peaceful and deep sleep, which was a good thing. She had insomnia. I hate that Lennox for ruining her life. I will make sure she learns to live again. She was so much livelier before we took the training.
Who could say by looking at her innocent face that she was a chatterbox?
However, I love the way she is. If she ever becomes quiet, I will die out of boredom. Besides, her becoming silent is very rare as she cannot survive without talking.
I wonder how I will survive without her. Since birth, we have been together and I am glad, we still are.
I kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, wifey," I whispered into her ear. Then I plopped next to her, trying to pull her into my chest. I was afraid that she would wake up and beat the heck out of me.
Though she didn't wake up, her next stunt made me more amused at her. She wrapped her arms around me and placed her head on my chest. She was safe, in my arms. While admiring her, I didn't realize when I dozed off.
When I got up, Autumn was still sleeping. I managed to get up and pulled the blanket over her.
I took my phone and saw eight missed calls from Aubree. I had put my phone on silent last night because I was afraid that Autumn would call me while I was killing Alana. Later I saw that she did call me. I wasn't wrong. I phoned Aubree back. She picked it up on the second ring. "Ev, what's wrong?"
"It's about Lennox," she sounded so tense.
I couldn't help but ask, "What about him?"
"Someone from inside was definitely helping him cause that fucking bastard escaped!"
"What?"