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“You got shot. Fuck.”
His voice breaks, and it kills me that I can’t see him.
“I’m...I’m okay.” I whisper, but we both know that’s not the truth.
I’m not okay. Nothing in my body feels okay. Everything hurts, from my head to my toes, and if I don’t stop shivering soon, I’m afraid my body will pass out just from sheer lack of energy. There is a heaviness in my chest that makes me feel that with every breath I take, I’m supporting a large brick. My body is trying with everything it has just to lift that chest for a breath, a mere breath.
It hurts.
God dammit it hurts.
“Hurts,” I gasp, trying to bring a hand to the pressure on my chest, as if that will take it away.
“I know. I know it does. I’m gettin’ you out of here. Jackson will come. I’m not goin’ to let anything happen to you.”
I squeeze his hand weakly when he lifts mine, and I hope it’s enough to reassure him because I know right now, he’s deathly afraid. So am I. I can feel my body shutting down, each piece of me slowly shrinking within itself, until eventually, I won’t be able to hold my eyes open, and the darkness will take me, only I might not return.
That is terrifying.
“Cade,” I manage, forcing every ounce of strength into my words. “If anything happens to me, make sure my baby girl knows how much I love her.”
“No,” he rasps, taking my face. “I’m not tellin’ her because nothin’ with happen to you. Do you hear me?”
His voice cracks, and it breaks my heart.
We both know this situation is terrible, and I might not come out the other side.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper. “For getting us into this.”
Stroking a finger down my cheek, he murmurs low. “Don’t you ever be sorry. You’re brave, incredible, and passionate. You have shown love for someone you don’t even know. You risked your life for a girl in this container because you couldn’t leave her. You’re the bravest, most fearless woman I’ve ever met.”
“I...Is she okay?”
I can’t see anything else because I can’t move my head enough to look around.
“She’s sleeping,” he assures me, “but she’s perfectly okay. I’ll make sure I get her out when I get you out.”
“Promise me,” I beg, my eyes fluttering closed again.
“I promise.”
With that, I let the emptiness consume me once more.
Hopefully, not for a final time.
23
Addison
The next time my eyes open, it’s to a stark bright light and the chaotic sounds of gunfire, roaring voices and screams. It’s as if I’m in a bad movie, and I can’t turn it off. I can’t focus on anything. I don’t even know if this is real or some kind of hallucination. The light is so bright, and so blinding, that I can’t keep my eyes open long enough to let them focus.
“Get her out of here!”
Dad?
Trying to force my eyes open again, I groan in pain as I pitifully attempt to move my body.
“I got you, precious. I got you.”
