Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 1827

"Boss! You're hurt?!"

Tarquin brushed it off. "It's nothing. How is Axel?"

Lowell's eyes were red. "It's bad. The doctors say it's up to fate now."

Tarquin's brow furrowed deeply. "...Did you contact Elysia?"

Lowell sniffled and nodded.

"I did. She's flying in on a private jet with Blossom and Dr. Benjamin. They should be landing any minute."

Knowing Elysia's exceptional medical skills, Tarquin had instructed Lowell beforehand: as long as Axel was still breathing when they reached a safe zone, call Elysia immediately.

He needed her to save him.

The reason he had Lowell make the call was because he had been knee-deep in a bloodbath in the Shan Territories and had no time to explain things to her.

"Did she ask for details?"

Lowell nodded again.

"She did, but I just told her Axel was hurt and needed her help. I didn't give her the specifics so she wouldn't panic."

"But once she gets here, she's definitely going to ask you. You should figure out what to say."

Tarquin gave a low grunt of acknowledgment. "I'll talk to her later."

Lowell asked, "What's the situation in the Shan Territories? Is Warrick dead?"

Tarquin stared through the glass at Axel, a deep crease forming between his brows.

"No, he went into hiding. But his side took heavy losses today. The Bauer family will definitely hold him accountable! His life won't be easy from now on."

Lowell clenched his fists, his jaw tight. "He'll get what's coming to him!"

Tarquin's expression darkened. "Just wait. His day of reckoning is coming."

"Tarquin!"

A familiar voice rang out from the elevators.

Tarquin whipped his head around and saw Elysia!

Axel's fate was completely unknown. Not only was his life on the line, but the doctors had already said his chances of survival were slim to none.

Understanding their silence, Blossom covered her mouth and broke down into agonizing sobs. Tarquin and Lowell stood there helplessly, entirely at a loss for how to comfort her.

Seeing her pure heartbreak, Tarquin turned his head back to the ICU window to look at Axel.

His heart ached, weighed down by a crushing sorrow, and an overwhelming sense of unfairness.

How could fate be so cruel to him?

Axel was the son of a hero!

His grandfather and father had been righteous, fearless narcotics officers!

They had both been brutally murdered by the cartels, leaving Axel as the sole surviving heir to the Rhodes family legacy!

To let Axel die at the hands of the same scum—wasn't that pushing it too far?!

Couldn't he just have a chance to live?

There was a kind, beautiful woman in this world who loved him. Couldn't he be allowed to feel a little bit of human warmth and happiness?