Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 47615 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47615 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
“Okay, brother.” Pain gave me an encouraging smile. “Let’s get your girl inside and look her over. Yeah?”
“Yeah.” I knew the other man was managing me. Under other circumstances I’d pop him in the mouth. Just now, though, I needed his prompting. No one said a word or laughed or made fun of me in any way. In fact, everyone around us seemed to understand exactly what had happened. And, likely, how I felt. I looked around until I found Knuckles and gave him a nod of thanks. If not for him, I had no idea where I’d be right now.
I carried her to the couch where I set her down and took a seat beside her. Everything inside me screamed at me to pull her into my lap and hold her close, but I was all too aware I looked like a crazy person. Instead, I grabbed her hand and rested it on my thigh with my hand trapping hers so she couldn’t pull away.
The bruises on her face had darkened during the drive back, stark against her pale skin. I winced as I got my first good look at her after the haze of panic lifted. “Christ, baby.” I started to touch one reddish bruise, but pulled back, afraid of hurting her.
“Here.” Pain handed me a Ziplock bag with ice inside, wrapped in a thin dish towel. “Hold this to her cheek. It will help with the pain and swelling.”
I did as he asked. I knew he gave me something to do so I could focus on a direct task, but I didn’t care. As long as Ada got what she needed, I’d do whatever I had to, swallow however much pride the Fates thought necessary.
I knew I needed to pay attention to what Pain said so I’d know how to care for Ada later, but I was crashing hard. My mind was in a haze of adrenaline fog. No matter how many times the rush had happened over my lifetime, I’d never been able to manage the crash. Once my cell was locked, I could safely let it take me. That failing was the one thing I’d never been able to manage. When the rush left, I crashed hard.
“Your wrists aren’t nearly as bad as I thought they were. Some deep scratches but not as bad as the blood first suggested. I’m giving you a tetanus shot just to make sure.” He lay a tube of ointment on the table. “Once you shower, put this on your cuts and put a dressing on it tonight.” Then, he set a bottle of pills on the table. “No more than one every six hours for the pain.”
“Thanks,” Ada said in a small voice. “For everything.”
Pain smiled down at my girl. “You’re welcome. Is there anything the two of you need that we can get for you? That way you can hole up here and recuperate.”
“Can you bring a few pizzas?” I have no idea why I asked Pain that particular question. But once I voiced the request, I was suddenly ravenous. “Like four or five pizzas.”
Ada snorted. Then giggled. “I mean, yeah. With meat.”
“Lots of meat.” I held Pain’s gaze, just to see what he’d do. To my shock, his face split into a wide smile.
“I’ll get you six. With as much meat as they’ll put on them.”
“Pizza is a cure for everything.” Hannah gave me a big smile.
“You’re good.” Knuckles clapped me on the shoulder. “Knew you would be.”
Knight handed Ada her phone. “Cain’s men found it when they cleaned up the place. Smart move what you did. Calling and leaving the line open. We knew we were out of time and had to go in.” Knight squeezed Ada’s shoulder before he looked at me. “Take care of my baby sister.”
“With my life, Knight.”
He turned his attention back to Ada. “Call me if you need me.”
“Thank you, Knight. I think we’ll be fine.” She looked up at me and smiled. “We can help each other.”
Knight grunted. “We got your back, brother.” For the first time in my life, I actually believed someone did.
After everyone left, Ada and I sat quietly for a long time. We both needed a shower, but I thought we needed this too. Just to sit quietly with each other. Taking comfort in one another. Once we both settled, we could clean up.
Finally, Ada spoke. “Jag,” she whispered, covering my hands with hers. “Look at me.”
I lowered my eyes to hers. The bruises looked even worse up close, reddish purple and angry against her fair skin. But her eyes were clear and steady, pools of calm in the storm raging inside me.
“I’m here,” she said. “I’m okay.”
Something broke loose in my chest then, a flood of emotion I couldn’t name or control. I leaned forward, pressing my forehead against hers, breathing her in. Alive. Here. Mine.