“Let’s move,” Mitch announces. The SUV swings around the corner, and Finn and I look at each other.Ready. “They’ve taken them down. No casualties.”
I don’t wait for the car to stop before the door is open and I’m out, running for the old detached garage at the back of the property with Finn hot on my heels. I need Ashton, but if she’s hurt, she needs Finn.
One of Grandfather’s agents waves us in, and I don’t wait.
“Jamie,” Ashton gasps, and I swing to the right, following her voice and sprint across the stained cement floor.
“Ashton.” I drop to my knees in front of where she sits with a medic examining her knee and look at her beautiful face. Her cheek is split, blood dried against her skin covering the bruise blooming beneath it, and I swear to everything I love in thisworld, I want to find her father and kill him myself. “Where are you hurt, Ashton? Tell me what happened. Tell me what you need. Tell me what I can do, please, baby.”
“Jamie,” she cries and throws her arms around my neck as I wrap my arms around her. “I was so scared I’d never see you again.”
Finn moves the medic aside and slides in, carefully evaluating Ashton’s knee. “Fuck, Ash, what happened?”
“He kicked my knee...I think it’s broken or shattered. It’s bad,” she tries but fails to get control of her voice. “I’d kicked him behind Hart & Soul when they tried to take me. I tried so hard to get away,” she cries. “I kicked him, so he wanted to hurt me,” she tells us between heaving sobs. “And then they killed him.”
“Who, baby?” I ask, not following her. “Who was shot? Who had the gun?”
“The man who took me from the parking lot and then shattered my knee was working for my father... And my father shot him point-blank between the eyes.”
My heart stops as I gently gather her face in my hands. There’s no way to reconcile any of this. “He’s never going to hurt you again, Ashton. I promise you. I’ll make sure no one ever hurts you again.” I’ll put twenty-four-seven security on her if I have to.
“I love you, Jamie,” she cries and presses her head to mine. “I love you. I didn’t know if I’d ever get to tell you that again.”
“I love you, Ace.” I brush my lips over hers, softly, scared to hurt her. “Now, we need to get you out of here. Can I pick you up?”
She nods, but Finn stops me. “I need you to only put pressure under her left leg, not her right. I’m going to try to keep it stable for now.”
“Okay,” I tell him as I slide an arm around her back and one carefully under her left leg, then lift. The unholy sob thattears from her throat, as her leg jostles slightly when we move, shatters my heart. “We’re going to get you to the hospital, Ace.”
“Promise you won’t let go?” she asks as her head rests on my shoulders, and her eyes close. “Don’t let go.”
“Never, Ashton. You’re stuck with me,” I promise her as Finn opens the back door and helps us into the SUV.
“Is Jonah okay?” she asks as we drive to Kroydon Hills Hospital.
Finn’s already called ahead, and they’re waiting for us.
“He’s fine, beautiful. Worried about you and a little scared. But he’s going to be fine.” I run my palm over her stomach, scared to ask. “Did they...”
“I don’t know,” she cries, resting her hand over mine and her head against my shoulder. “They drugged me, and then I didn’t feel him move again for hours. Not until right before you got there.” Her gold-flecked eyes blink up at me, tears clinging to her long lashes and breaking my heart. “He has to be okay. He has to.”
“He’s going to be fine,” I tell her again, hoping if I say it enough, I’ll believe it enough for the both of us.
ASHTON
It’s that man who walks into the darkest chapter of your life and refuses to let you stay there alone... the same one who’s shown you in a million little ways he’ll always be there...
When you find him, don’t let go. When you find him, you’ve found the one.
—Ashton’s Secret Thoughts
“How long has she been out?” I hear Finn ask Jamie and open my eyes. I haven’t been out. Jamie keeps hounding me to sleep, but every time I close my eyes, I see that man on the floor at my feet. Kinda makes sleeping hard when the nightmare starts before you’re out. “Hey there, Carmichael. I was just checking in. How are you feeling?”
“Like I’ve been stuck in a hospital for two days, Murphy. When are you going to break me out and take me home?” I push, hoping maybe he’ll give me a different answer than Jamiehas. If I thought Jameson Murphy was protective before, I’ve discovered just how many layers there are to that word now.
Jamie’s brought it to a whole other level.
Not that I’m complaining.
