AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Where the hell am I?" I muttered, my voice croaky and weak.
"Ah, you're awake," said a voice that definitely didn't belong to Drake. I looked up and saw a guy standing in the doorway. One of those absurdly handsome types with blond hair and a jawline that could cut glass. He stepped into the room, his blue eyes full of concern.
"Don't worry, you're safe. You're in the Rogues medical bay," he said, flashing me a smile that probably made girls swoon on the regular. Not me, though. I only had one person I needed to see and that was Drake. I wasn't accepting substitutions.
"Where's Drake?" I asked, trying to sound firm despite the fact that I was sitting on a cot, covered in bruises, with a bandaged shoulder and connected to about a million wires.
"Drake's fine," Hot Blondie replied, looking me up and down. "But right now, you need to focus on getting better."
“And who the hell are you?”
“You can call me Legend,” he said with a grin.
I was in no mood for bullshit. Let alone a spiel about how I needed to focus on the important things. I needed to know how Drake was. I wouldn't be able to think about anything else until I knew. "Excuse me, but I need to see him. I understand you've been given your orders to not tell me anything that isn't wholly necessary. However, if you don't bring him to me, I will start screaming bloody murder." I spoke calmly but directly, adding enough steel to my voice to let him know I was serious. "Now, if you don't mind, please point me to someone who can actually tell me what the hell is going on and where the hell he is."
He opened his mouth to say something else while reaching for my IV button to give me another hit of whatever the hell was in the bag attached to my arm. I didn't want more drugs though. I didn't want a fogged-up brain. I wanted to think clearly.
Spotting the scalpel sitting on the tray next to my bed, I grabbed it and flicked my wrist to the side, brandishing it just how Drake had taught me. Sure, I was weak, achy, and disoriented, but I'd be damned if I was going to let anyone keep me from getting to Drake. He'd saved my life. If he needed help, then I needed to figure out how to get to him.
"I might not be able to fight my way out of this fresh hell, but I can take a vital part of you with me," I threatened, trying to look as menacing as possible considering my current state.
Hot Blondie's eyes widened, and he took a step back, his hands raised in a placating gesture. "All right, take it easy. Let me see what I can do."
"Thank you," I said, still holding the scalpel. I had no intention of actually using it on him, but the threat seemed to do the trick, so I wasn't going to let go just yet.
He left the room, and I slumped back onto the cot, my heart pounding. I didn't have long to wait, though, because a few minutes later, the door opened again and there he was.
Drake. Like an avenging Angel out of the shadows with those piercing blue eyes that made my insides melt like butter on hot toast.
"Daphne!" he choked out, rushing to my side. I immediately dropped the scalpel, and he pulled me into a careful embrace, mindful of my bandaged shoulder.
The moment his strong arms were around me, cocooning me in his warmth and chasing away the fear, desperation, and worry, I let my body sag. “Thank God you're okay. I woke up and you weren't here, and then the hot blonde wouldn't let me see you.”
He chuckled, the vibration of it like a hum against my chest. “Hot blonde, you say?”
“He was very attractive, but he wasn't you. Where are we?”
Drake only held on tighter, a shudder running through his body. "I'm so sorry. I should have protected you better," he whispered into my hair.
"It's not your fault," I murmured into his shoulder, inhaling the comforting scent of him. "I'm just glad you're here now."
He pulled away, his eyes searching my face for any sign of serious injury. "Are you okay? Not in too much pain?"
I shrugged, wincing slightly at the movement. “My shoulder aches. But I didn't trust the meds. I turned off my IV.”
Drake's jaw clenched. "That’ll be from the surgery. You can trust the medications. We're somewhere safe. You had some bullet fragments in your shoulder that they had to remove, but then you didn't wake up for the longest time. You scared the shit out of me. You'll have to forgive Legend. He had strict instructions not to let you leave until I could see you again. He should have made sure you were comfortable."
"Hey," I said, grabbing his hand to keep him from storming out of the room. "To be fair, I did threaten to cut him with a scalpel and turned off my IV, so he couldn't really help me.”
“You did what?” He was making his angry face with his brows drawn down and that muscle in his jaw ticking.
“It's okay. I'm here, you're here, and we're both alive. That's what matters, right?"
He sighed, his anger fading as he looked into my eyes. "You're right. I just… I can't stand the thought of you getting hurt. I made mistakes. I thought I was so fucking clever taking you off the board. I should have known the lengths Massimo would go to in order to get to you. You are here because of my hubris."
I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Oh, please. This whole mess isn't just because of you. A madman decided that he wanted more and could just take whatever he wanted, including me. You’ve been trying to end this. And we will. I'm going to help you. I'm tired of running scared."
Hot Blondie chose that moment to reappear in the doorway, looking sheepish. "Sorry to interrupt, but I, uh, just wanted to make sure everything was okay in here."
