Fleeting Moments(54)

I wince as he pulls my shirt from my body. It’s begun to stick to the blood and each piece he cuts off makes each wound throb a little more. Eventually I’m down to my bra and panties.

“Get me some water and rags,” Heath orders. “Now.”

“Jesus, she did a good job,” Johnny grumbles. “Fuck.”

“Scaled the fence like a damned warrior,” Tank grunts. “You should have seen her.”

“That’s because she is a warrior,” Heath says, his voice low and thick. He swipes a piece of hair from my forehead, stuck from sweat. “Aren’t you, Lucy girl?” My bottom lip trembles, and he cups my face. “You’re okay, you hear me?”

“Josh is your brother.”

The room falls silent.

“Yeah,” he says, his voice tight.

“And he hurt you.”

Pain flashes in Heath’s eyes. “Yeah.”

“He tried to kill you.”

“He’ll pay for that,” Johnny growls. “He’ll pay for every second of pain he brought upon us.”

I look to him. “Did he hurt you, too?”

“Not directly, but in hurting Heath, he f*cking messed with me.”

I smile weakly. He smiles back.

“Here,” Sheldon says, placing a bowl down. “Saltwater.”

“Might hurt,” Heath says, lifting a soft white rag and wringing it out. “Sorry.”

I close my eyes as he places it down onto a gash on my leg. A hiss escapes my lips, but I don’t cry out. That pain is nothing in comparison to the throbbing ache in my wrist.

“I’m sorry, baby,” he murmurs, doing it again.

I keep my eyes closed and let him clean the blood from my skin. A while later, another voice enters the equation. “What have you boys done this time?”

I open my eyes to see an extremely attractive man staring down at me. He’s got long, brown hair, and hazel eyes. He looks gentle—not nearly as scary as the rest of them. He’s got kind eyes, ones that make me trust him without even knowing his name.

“Jacob,” Heath says, standing and extending a hand. “Thanks for coming.”

“What did she do? Walk into a lion’s den?” Jacob says, staring down at me.

“Scaled a barbed-wire fence.”

His brows shoot up. “I won’t even ask.”

“Good idea,” Heath mumbles. “This is Lucy, my girlfriend.”

His girlfriend. My heart swells with happiness.

Jacob looks to him. “You have a girlfriend?”

“Shut your mouth, man.”

Jacob grins, then kneels down in front of me. “Hi Lucy, I’m Jacob. I’m a doctor, so don’t freak out that these dodgy f*ckers have some nut job working on you.”

“Good to know,” I croak.

“Let’s have a look at your wrist first, yeah?”

I nod cradling my wrist.

He lifts it carefully into his hands, and I wince in pain. It takes everything in my power not to jerk back because I just want him to put it down.

“Sorry to say, Heath, but this is without a doubt broken. Without an X-ray machine, I can’t set it. You’re going to need to take her to a hospital.”

“That’s a big risk.” Heath grunts, running a hand through his hair. “They don’t know we’re here. At least, I think they don’t, but those main roads will be being watched. I’m already creating a dangerous situation now they know I’m alive.”

“I’ll take her,” Jacob offers. “Nobody knows my car.”

“I can’t leave her alone,” Heath growls.

“Hey,” I whisper, reaching over and taking Heath’s wrist. “I’m a big girl; I’ll be okay.”

“That’s beside the point,” he grumbles, holding my eyes.

“I’m going to be okay.”

He sighs. “All right, take her in, but keep me updated.”

“You know she’s in good hands, man,” Jacob says. “Come on. Help me get her to the car.”

Heath reaches down and scoops me into his arms. “I’m so sorry, honey.”

I reach up with my good hand and cup his face. “I’m going to be fine.”

“Blake, give her your phone.”

Blake doesn’t hesitate. He hands me his phone.

“Call me if you need.”

I nod, and he places me in Jacob’s truck. He leans down, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. “I’m going to end this, I promise.”

I stretch forward when he goes to pull back and kiss his lips again. “Don’t get hurt while I’m gone.”

“I f*cking hate that you’re going seconds after I got you back.”

“I’ll be okay.”

“I’m sorry they got hold of you.”

“Hey,” I whisper. “Don’t do that. We’ll talk when I return.”

“Okay, baby.”

“Okay, handsome.”

He takes one step behind him and closes the door, tapping the truck roof.

I close my eyes and let the pain bring darkness again.

***

“How’re you feeling this morning?” Heath asks, tucking me carefully into his arms.