(LINCOLN POV🖤)

The last thing I remember clearly was the gunshot going off, instead of doing something I stood their frozen like a coward.

While the girl that I thought would run away when ever times got tough just saved Mike and I by herself. I don't know how I managed to get captured by that witch Cassandra, but I did, and he is not going to like this one bit.

I was waiting for the bullet to come but it never did. Yet the bang went off when I opened my eyes I reacted as quick as I could grabbing the blade from her hand and throwing it straight at him seeing him fall to the ground.

I looked down and saw Bella laying their lifeless while she was bleeding out of her abdomen the two men have been taking out but Cassandra still got away but I didn't understand I had only heard one gun go off as quickly as I could I took off my denim jacket and quickly started putting pressure on her wound to try and stop the loss of blood.

"Mike you got your phone?" I asked the blond head looking at him while keeping the pressure on Bella's wound. He nodded at me and reached for his pocket wincing in pain because of having to move his leg.

"Ring Boss, tell him to get back up here now and one of our ambulances Bella's hurt" I ordered him, the pain from my injuries seem to be non-existent because my whole mind is focusing on keeping Bella alive and breathing.

"Ok boss, I understand see you soon" I heard Mike say from behind me.

"He said he will send men in to help us take care of this but to get Bella out to the alley way the ambulance will be there" he said to me, I slowly nodded my head.

"Ok, how bad is your leg" I asked him.

"Not bad it's just a graze, I will be fine just get Isabella out of here and to the paramedics and quick" he said to me, I knew out of all of us Bella is by far the worst her bullet hit the worst place. Let's just hope it hasn't hit any of her main organs.

I picked her up carefully this was dangerous she should be lying flat. One wrong twist and the bullet could hit something or lodge deeper. I went through the halls and to the back entrance of the club that led to the alley way. Thank gosh when I got there the ambulance was already there with a stretcher ready to take her. I laid her down gently and watch them load her into the ambulance.

"Sir are you coming with us?" one of the paramedics asked I was ready to shake my head no when I heard a voice behind me speak up.

"Yes, he will" I saw Jeremy behind me looking at Bella with a worried gaze, he may put up a tough man act, but he cares about that kid a lot more then he would like to admit.

"We will meet you up there soon Mike will be in the next ambulance after you two, get the wounds checked and Bill is already up there waiting for Bella" he said patting me gently on the back. I nodded my head and got into the ambulance the paramedics were putting pressure on her wound and looking at her vitals the best they could because of the situation that had fell upon us, watching them was like a blur not knowing what the next second could bring.

She was never supposed to be there, she was supposed to go to the car and stay there where she was safe and out of harm's way. But no, I had to go and stuff everything up and yet she is the one in the stretcher fighting for her life. It should be me the bullet was for me, but no this kid is to stubborn for her own good.

Not once in my life have, I ever felt remorse of any sort since I was a teen even then I would not feel sorry for anyone. But this foreign feeling has hit me like a ton of bricks, my heart was clenching in anticipation and worry. What was he going to do when he found out? But most of all, can I handle being responsible for this kid's death? Knowing that she willingly saved me after I had hurt her so many times.

She is so kind and bubbly I know what went on with Cindy and Lucas as well as the Hunters kid. Yet I used it against her when all she did was stand up for Caroline. Lucas is weak, that is the cold hard truth, he can't stand up to his parents and will do anything and everything to stay in their good books. What I could never work out was why do they want to inflict pain on their own flesh and blood. But when I think about it, they have always been jealous and twisted people. Seeing Bella and how kind and strong she is I can see why they would be envious of her. She had it all without even trying or wanting it, yet they had none of it.

The ambulance movement had stop and that made me snap out of the daze I was in and soon hop out of the vehicle following the paramedics in I reached the hallway and watched as they took her through the doors where her fate would be determined. I felt a hand land on my bare shoulder, which made me remember that I had no shirt and all the wounds were on display as I turned slowly around. My eyes locked with Bills dark ones, I opened my mouth to try and make the words fall from my lips but nothing was coming out I was like a fish out of water. After all what was I supposed to say to him, I was hopeless if that kid dies it's all my fault and one more good person won't be here to spread there positivity around.

"I know what you're thinking, she will make it Bella may be a sweetheart but that doesn't mean she is not strong, she is a fighter like him she is exactly like him. It is too early for her" he said pausing for a moment "It is not your fault Lincoln, I should have never sent her there that is my fault and I will take full responsibility, you tried but Bella would be a wreck if she knew she could have done something but didn't" he sighed out.

"Yeah but she would be a healthy wreck and not fighting for her life" I said to him shrugging his hand off my shoulder. Bill and Jeremy took me in and gave me a home since I was sixteen years old, they were only in their early twenties at the time. They let me be there family like there little brother and I will never forget that or be able to thank them enough.

A nurse approached me and asked me to come with her to one of the examination rooms to fix my wounds. I was about to reject her offer when Bill gave my shoulder a tight squeeze in warning, he may be like family to me, but he is still my boss and I have to follow orders. So, I swallowed harshly and gave a sharp nod.

I hopped up on to the examination table and waited for the doctor to come into the room. All the times I was cruel to Bella all I ever wanted to do was prevent this sort of thing form happening to her, just like it happened to my little sister their personalities are completely different but the fire in their eyes are exactly the same.

My little sisters name was Mildred, except she hated that name, so we all called her Milly. She was a rebel child to say the least, my parents hands were filled and when dad would go to work away well mum would be on edge always scared Milly would get hurt or do something dangerous, she didn't mean to do things so recklessly but that was just her personality and her way of doing.

As she got older and older, she got more and more reckless and even wanted to join the Mafia when I was in my early twenties and she was just turning seventeen. I didn't hesitate to tell her no; I didn't want her involved in this sort of thing. But she was so stubborn she didn't like being told no, she went and asked Jeremy and Bill about joining but out of respect for me and my wishes they said no to her. I wish I hadn't stopped her now if I had just said yes to her and let her join the Phoenixes then she would possibly still be here I would have been there to protect her. But by telling her no, I pushed her in the hands of the most horrible people that could ever walk the face of this earth the people that run and is involved in the sex rings.

They told her lie after lie until she agreed to work with them to be one of their fighters, to train her and make her powerful. She was so blindsided that someone was willing to give her power I guess that is what she wanted all along she never wanted to just be a fighter.

The last time I saw her was when she screamed at me that she hated me. As soon as those words left her lips my heart went cold, I put walls up twice as tall as the ones that stood before them. They took her, I have tried and tried to find her but never did. Jeremy told me it was time to face the truth and that is she is gone. Apart of me still hopes that around the next corner I will find her there standing there safe and sound and most of all happy. But deep down I know Milly is gone but that is something I cannot accept fully but then again what brother can just let it go.

I never wanted the same fate for Bella she deserves so much better, after seeing how my approach with Milly ended, I knew I couldn't do the same with Bella. So, when I saw how delicate she was I thought maybe just maybe I could scare her into leaving, but she was tougher than she looked. The thing that I didn't realise was Bella is not Milly. Bella doesn't seek power or goes doing dangerous things; she is what a true leader should be. Someone that looks after and takes in consideration others wellbeing, don't get me wrong she has so much more to learn and a far way to come yet. But maybe just maybe Jeremy is right after all.

I bowed my head and the only thought I could think of was...

"Please let Isabella be ok we need her here"

(WORDS 1902)