I managed to maneuver so I was sitting on my ass, back against the building.
Did she say bleeding?
“Try not to move,” she said softly, her eyes frantically scanning me before she glanced over her shoulder.
Does she think the person is coming back?
The thought of that made my breathing pick up, the sound whooshing through my ears like I was stuck in a windstorm.
At the sound of footsteps, I froze, panicked that my attacker was coming back, but Capri and Brinley both rounded the corner, horror on their faces.
My friend whipped a phone out of her back pocket. “Ineed an ambulance at…” Dusty looked up at Capri, who rattled off the address, which Dusty repeated into the phone. “Yes, we’re safe, but there has been an attack, and my friend is injured.”
I was only safe because of Dusty. But what if she hadn’t come out and around the corner in time? What had she done to free me from that monster's grasp? Staring at her, I tried to get my mouth to work to ask, but my lips trembled, and my body shook as the reality of what had just happened sank in.
Questions rattled around in my already scrambled brain. Who was the guy? Why did he attack me? And what was he about to say? Would we ever know?
The women all had their phones to their ears, but now all three were on the ground around me—like a circle of protection—as sirens sounded in the distance. My head pounded, blood trickled slowly down my face, and I needed…
“Jett,” I whispered.
Brinley’s hand lightly touched my arm. “He’s coming, sweetie.”
Before any more could be said, the once quiet street was filled with noise and buzzed with activity. Multiple police cars, along with the ambulance, pulled up at the same time. People were suddenly everywhere, but one familiar face in particular put me a bit at ease.
“Let me through!” Lake yelled, pushing her way past the cops.
Dusty, Brinley, and Capri stood, backing up slightly to give our friend space to do her job. It was a relief to have her show up.
Lake squatted down beside me, her gaze scanning my body like Dusty had moments ago. Her eyes landed back on my head, and I wondered just how bad it was because it hurt like the dickens. I started to raise my arm, but her hand softly stopped my motion.
“Sweetie, don’t move, okay? I promise I will take care of you as soon as I can.”
As I moved my hand back to my lap, Lake began to ask me questions in a soft, soothing tone. “Can you tell me what happened? Where are you hurting, honey?”
I was unable to form a reply while my body still trembled with fear and my pulse thrummed wildly. I felt like I couldn’t get any air again.
Lake gently touched my hand. “Take a deep breath; you're safe now.”
There was that word again.Safe. While I knew nobody was going to get to me, I still couldn’t seem to grasp it fully.
“I want to get you to the hospital,” my friend said as a stretcher was pulled up beside us.
Not wanting to go, I tried to shake my head but winced at the pain that sliced through it. I couldn’t seem to gather all my thoughts. Only one was clear in my mind.
“Jett,” I quietly said again.
I knew he would make sure Griffin was okay first, but I really needed to see my husband. Something inside me said he was the only one who could make me feel truly safe.
Lake turned to the group of ladies who were talking to a couple of police officers. Dusty’s face was contorted in anger as she waved her free hand around, animated and clearly pissed off.
“Where’s Jett?” she asked the group.
Dusty stopped talking, her eyes softening as they landed on me, but it was Brinley who answered again, just as she had earlier. “He’s on his way.”
Turning back to me, Lake grabbed something from her partner and began putting it around my neck. “See that, sweetie? He’s on the way. Let’s just get you ready for transport.” She gave my hand another soft touch. “This is just for precaution until we get you checked out,” she said of thecervical collar she just fastened on me. “I’ll clean up your head a little bit when we are in the ambulance.”
I blinked in understanding. It was as if words beyond my husband’s name had eluded me. Tears gathered in my eyes until my lids were too full to contain them, and they began cascading down my cheeks—a waterfall of emotions.
