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“Fuck!” Handing Nico my gun, I rush to her side. “Della, baby, wake up for me.” Pressing my fingers to her neck, I feel a faint pulse; her breathing is labored and slow. “Someone find me an IV and some saline; she needs fluids.” Picking her up, I carry her to the lone mattress in the room and lay her down.
Blood coats her mouth, chin, neck, and chest, and I realize that she felt more than my injury; she experienced it, as well. Ripping her shirt off, there is blood seeping through her flesh, but oddly, no wound.
“What the fuck is happening?” Carter whispers as he holds her hand.
“I felt her heal me; you saw it, but I think she must have been so weak she took on the wound, too, but then her body began healing itself again.” What a fucking mess. But it’s the only thing that makes sense.
“I’ve got Graves,” Asher’s voice shouts through the comms, and as much as I’d like to go fuck her up right now, Della needs me more, and I’m staying by her side until I know she’s taken care of.
“Malice, put her somewhere.” Tasking my brother with her means McCall won’t get to take her off to some government site where the law’ll punish her. No, this fucking bitch is mine.
“With pleasure.” The grin on his face is unmistakable through the line.
“I’ve got the perfect place,” Johnny says as he leaves the room to hunt out my brother. I know between the two of them, they’ll have her ready for me when the time comes.
Checking Della over for other injuries, I find red spots in weird places on her body, and I’m immediately enraged because I think I know the cause. “Here.” Brave hands me an IV and saline bag like I asked.
“Sorry, baby,” I whisper as I sanitize the spot where her vein runs in the crease of her elbow. Inserting the needle, I’m quick to set up the saline and open the line fully before squeezing the bag, hoping this will help her come around.
As the bag empties, I’m handed another. “Need to get her to a hospital,” Carter urges as I scoop her up into my arms.
“Get us the fuck out of here,” I tell the man who will be my father-in-law one day soon. “Hang on, baby.” Kissing her temple, I hold Della as close to my body as I can and follow behind Carter while Nico and Brave keep us protected from the back.
A helicopter lands just as we exit the building. Asher, Carson, Malice, and Johnny are waiting. The fucking doctor and a couple of her henchmen are shackled on the ground at their feet while a few other prisoners are sitting in the back of the truck I’d jumped out of on arrival. Cowboy is off to the side with the girl still clinging to him.
As medics exit the chopper, they come directly for me, and as much as I want to tell them to back the fuck off, I can’t. Not when Della is in desperate need of medical attention. As I try to climb in with her, I’m shoved back out, being told there’s not enough room. Frustration eats at me until I’m told where they’re taking her and that there’s another chopper on its way.
Watching the bird take flight hurts deep in my gut, and I’d kill to be holding her hand right now, but I know she needs more than I can give. “Hey, man, she’ll be fine. Della’s a hell of a fighter,” Cowboy says next to me, and it’s then I notice the girl in his arms is out cold.
“She okay?” I ask.
His eyes stare down at the young girl, and I sense his anger before our eyes meet again. “Her parents sold her to these assholes.” Fuck.
Glancing around at the other captives, I wonder how many there were to begin with and how this bitch got her hands on them.
CHAPTER 17
Della
Everywhere hurts. It’s like someone took a sledgehammer to my body to see how much I could take, waited for me to heal, and started all over again. I can’t move, breathing is hard, and even trying to remember the last few days hurts my brain.
I’m in absolute agony, but once the beeping penetrates my mind, I realize I’m out of hell. I have a vague sense of Holy holding me, but I can’t pull the memory forward.
“Sshhh, baby, I’m here, just rest.” My entire body shivers at his voice in my ear, and then I explode with pain. It’s overwhelming and unbearable and almost makes me wish I were dead. “No, no, no, stay still. I’m going to call the nurse.” It’s then I feel Holy holding my hand, and I squeeze because I don’t want him to leave me.
“Stay,” I rasp, but I don’t make a sound. His thumb brushes across my knuckles and helps me relax again.
“Just pushing a button; they won’t be long.”
I want to ask how long I’ve been here and what happened, but I just can’t muster up the energy.
And he’s right, it’s not long before someone quietly enters the room, almost like they understand that any noise will be hell on my senses. “Hello, Della. My name is Selena Whitman. I’m a registered nurse here at Knox Medical Center. For the most part, I’ll be your main caregiver. Mr. Sinclair was very adamant in his needs for you, and while my bosses aren’t pleased, I’m kind of jealous and completely understanding of his need to give you the best and most comforting care while you’re here.”
I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. “Don’t try and talk, baby, just listen to Selena. She’s good at what she does.” Jealousy roars its ugly head at his familiar use of her name. It’s ridiculous and enraging because I shouldn’t even be concerned about that, but here I am, silently fuming and unable to move or even open my eyes.
“I’m going to remove the bandages from your eyes; it’s why you’re likely having trouble opening them.” Now that she’s said something, I feel the tape on my forehead and cheeks. She’s fast and easy in her movements to take them off. “Keep your eyes closed, Della. I’m just going to use a damp cloth to moisten your skin and make it easier, then I’ll dim the lights overhead so you aren’t bombarded with stimulation.” I nod gently as she gets to work.
The entire time, Holy holds my hand, drawing circles on the inside of my wrist and gently rubbing up and down the soft skin of my forearms. He keeps me distracted and soothed until Selena tells me to take my time in opening my eyes.
