Page 88 of Leading the Blind
He climbed to his feet, feeling something wet on his shirt, right at his ribs.
“Damn it. You too, mate,” Fred said. “You’re bleeding. Kicked you good, he did.”
“Nate got kicked?” Bax didn’t understand. “Someone needs to get Coke on a stretcher.”
Dillon was wailing in his ear, trying desperately to wake Coke up.
“No, mate, you got kicked. That’s not someone else’s blood.”
“I’ll be okay. Jason, where are you hurt?” Bax pulled away from Fred.
“Get him out of here.” He looked over at Ace, who was right there in the arena, hissing the words out. “What the fuck have you assholes done? Get him in the back before the cameras see his eyes.”
Bax nodded, stumbling over his own feet to get to Jason. “Mini. Come on. Eyes down. AJ will bring your glasses.” Was Jason hurt or was he just stunned? What if his brain was all swole? He took Jason’s arm, flicking out his earpiece so he couldn’t hear Dillon shouting shit.
“Coming. Eyes down. I got knocked winding.” Jase was talking sense. Praise God.
“Come on. We got to get off the floor. They need room to get Coke out.”
“Gramps? What happened to him?” Jason let him walk them out. “What happened to Gramps?”
“Quiet. You fucking walk, you stupid little shit.”
Jason pulled off his helmet, spinning across to smack Ace right in the chest. “What did you say to me, asshole?”
Ace puffed up and got up in Jason’s face. “You just get your ass to the back. You’re gonna be lucky if I don’t strip you of every fucking event win you’ve had this season.”
“You try it. I didn’t cheat. I didn’t break one single fucking rule. You fucking try it, and I will sue you and the league until you glow in the dark.”
“Come on.” Bax said it to both of them, because this was not the time or the place. “Damn it, Coke is hurt, Ace. Get him help.”
“It’s your fault he’s hurt.”
“Get out of the way.” Doc zoomed by him, the EMTs carrying a stretcher.
“I—” Ace started.
“You listen to me. We get Coke out. You walk out there with me and we have the big check for the cameras. I will then announce my retirement. Otherwise I walk straight out of here to the media. Fair?”
Jesus, when had Jason gotten so goddamn fierce?
Bax reckoned when he’d decided he needed to do this and make their life off it.
“Fuck.” Ace stalked ahead of them, and Bax tugged Jason along.
“Your glasses, Jase,” AJ said.
“You stay with Gramps, Bax. I’ll be right back.” Jason took his glasses. “I got this.”
“Yeah.” What the hell? He wanted to be with Jason, but Doc chugged back with Coke, and he could hear Dillon talking to the crowd. They still had the damn show to end.
Right. Stick with Coke. Sammy was out there, but he saw Beau running to him.
“Come on. Sports medicine.”
“Okay. I— What’s Jason doing?” He let Beau turn him, guiding him away. Damn it, he wanted to help somehow. Someone.
“Accepting his check. Cowing Ace. Sam’s got him. You need to get your belly cleaned up.”
