Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 59950 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 300(@200wpm)___ 240(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59950 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 300(@200wpm)___ 240(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
Once she has it secured, she reaches up, placing a hand against my cheek.
Fuck, how was I ever mad at her? This woman is incredible.
“We’re nearly there, can you walk?”
“Yeah, baby,” I murmur. “Let’s move.”
The pressure against my shoulder helps enough for us to move through the woods and closer to where someone will hopefully be waiting. Ava sleeps through the lot of it, only stirring a few times. Serenity hushes her back to sleep and she snuggles into her mama, not bothered by the fact that we’re bounding through the woods. That baby will sleep through anything. She has always been so calm.
We reach the road, and I can see headlights. I pull Serenity behind me as I try to focus, making sure we’re going toward the right car. Motorcycles rumbling in the distance alerts me to the fact that Spike has the club on board and they’re making their way closer. When Cade gets out of a large black truck, holding his gun out, I know we can move.
“Go straight to the truck, get in, lock the door,” I order, pulling Serenity and Ava close as we cross the road.
Cade spins toward us and then lowers his gun when he realizes who it is. Shoving it into his jeans, he moves closer. “You’re hit,” he growls, his eyes dropping to my shoulder.
“I’m good. We gotta move. Anyone could be watchin’.”
He doesn’t hesitate.
We get in the truck and get the fuck out of there.
Once we’re in a safe location, Cade stops the car and dials Spike to find out what’s happening.
“Talk to me,” he demands, his voice rough.
“Whoever it was managed to get away. They think it was Hound or someone workin’ for Hound, but we can’t be sure. He fucked off into the darkness when they went after him. They’re scourin’ around now, seein’ if they can find anything. You all good?”
“We’re safe,” I mutter from the background. “Need a location to go to, got to stitch up my shoulder.”
Serenity’s eyes flash, but she doesn’t say anything.
If she had her way, we’d be on our way to a hospital. But right now, that can’t happen. It’s too risky.
“Go to the southside warehouse; we have men surrounding it, keepin’ a look out, it’ll be the safest we can get right now.”
“On it,” I growl.
Cade speaks to Spike for a minute or two longer about swapping cars so we’re not followed, then we hit the road again.
We can’t stay still for too long.
The risk is just too big.
We need to finish this.
Now.
“YOU GOOD?” CADE ASKS, holding the knife in his hand, his eyes scanning over Serenity before meeting mine again.
“Do it,” I growl, holding a bottle of whiskey in my hand. “Just get it out.”
The bullet is lodged in my upper shoulder, and we can just feel it stuck there. The only way to avoid infection and the hospital is to get it out, but that means Cade has to dig into my flesh with a sharp knife to get deep enough. Then we have to stitch it up. I’ve been stitched up before, it’s not new, but being cut while I’m awake isn’t going to feel good.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Serenity whispers, holding onto my hand even though I’ve told her not to. I’ll crush it when he starts cutting, and I don’t want to hurt her.
She refuses to let go.
“Got no other choice, baby,” I murmur. “Do it, Cade.”
Cade hesitates for only a second, then he meets my eyes and nods before taking hold of my shoulder and plunging the knife into my flesh. My roar fills the quiet warehouse, and nobody speaks as I bellow with agony when the searing pain shoots through my body. It’s fucking excruciating when you know it’s coming, and even though I can feel how tightly I’m holding Serenity’s hand, I can’t bring myself to let it go.
“Nearly there,” Cade yells over my roaring. “One more ...”
He twists the knife and then the sound of a bullet bouncing off the floor can be heard amongst my growls and curses. He presses a clean towel over the wound to try and steady the bleeding, giving me a moment to calm down. The pain is out of this world, and I’m panting, a fine layer of sweat trickling down my body.
“Hey,” Serenity says, her voice soft, “you’re good, honey. You’re good.”
My jaw is so tight it fucking burns, and I can’t get my body to relax.
“Just finish it,” I manage to grind out.
Spike appears with a first-aid kit, and he hands it to Cade who quickly gets to work stitching the wound, but not before he pours something that fucking burns like acid onto my open flesh.
By the time he’s done, I’m so tense it feels like I might just pass out, but, instead, I force myself to my feet and take the joint Spike hands me, walking outside as I inhale, waiting for the sweet fucking relief.