"Move out of the way!" Xavier barked at the cars ahead, his voice sharp with panic. The drivers seemed clueless, meandering like they had no idea where they were going.
He slammed his foot on the accelerator, not caring in the slightest about the speed limit. Rules didn't matter—not when Xander had been shot. Shot while shielding him from their father. The weight of that sacrifice sat heavy on his chest, stirring emotions he couldn't even begin to name.
In the rearview mirror, he saw Anastasia and Samantha in the back seat. Xander lay across their laps, unmoving, as Samantha desperately pressed her hands against the gunshot wound on his chest. Tears streamed down her face, her entire body trembling.
"Don't close your eyes," she whispered when she saw Xander's lids begin to flutter. "Don't." Her voice cracked.
