“I thought—I... they told me you were dead.” The tears fall free and I pull her into my chest as she sobs.
“I’m here, baby. I’m right here,” I whisper in her ear, hoping it’ll help calm her down. We can’t stay here, though.
“We have to go,” I tell her as I pull back, my hands cradling her cheeks. “Fuck, Brielle,” I murmur, bringing our lips together. I can taste the salt from her tears, and I want nothing more than to spend however long with my lips pressed to hers, but I have to get her out of here safely. “Let’s go.”
I grab her hand, and we make our way through the crowd of people rushing outside. Thankfully, I blend in for the most part, but Brielle does not. I take my suit jacket off and wrap it around her in hopes it’ll help keep her warm as I scoop her up in my arms, pushing through the doors and step outside.
I see Jasper shoot some guy who had a girl in his arms, and I thank God I found him before we left.
“Jasper!” I shout, but he doesn’t hear me. “Fuck,” I mumble under my breath.
I leave him there and round the building, finding the car Killian told me about. Archer, thankfully, is already back and races toward us when he sees me.
“Oh, thank fuck,” he says, opening the back door for us. Brielle is still feeling whatever effects from the drugs, and I set her in the SUV carefully.
“Brielle, look at me, baby.”
She doesn’t respond at first. Her body is slack against the seat, lashes fluttering like they’re too heavy to lift, and fear tightens in my chest.
I cradle her face, my thumb brushing the dirt and dried tears from her cheek. “I’ll be right back, okay?”
Her eyes find mine, and the panic hits instantly. She jerks forward, fingers clawing at me like I’m already gone.
“No! No!” Her voice cracks. “Don’t leave me, Emris.”
Her chest rises and falls, breathing coming in too fast and shallow. Her grip locks around my hand like it’s the only thing anchoring her to the world.
Fuck.
“Listen to me, baby,” I choke out, my voice cracking. “I have to get Jasper, okay? I can’t leave him here… not like this.” My hands grip hers so tight I’m sure she can feel my pulse hammering against her skin. If she tells me not to leave again, I won’t be able to, but instead, she nods, a tear leaking down her cheek.
“Archer will stay with you, okay?” I whisper as I brush my lips against hers before she can answer. “And I’ll be right back. I promise.”
Archer is already kneeling beside her when he nods at me. Her eyes flutter closed as she leans her head against the seat. My chest aches at the sight, and it takes everything in me to step back.
Outside the SUV, men circle it, making sure to keep Brielle safe as Archer grips her hand, trying to comfort her. I exhale sharply, trying to slow down the panic clawing at my ribs. Now I need to find Jasper.
I don’t want to be away from Brielle a second longer than I have to.
53
EMRIS
I findJasper in the same area as before, but he’s pulling at his hair as his eyes search, panic lining his whole body.
“Jasper, come on! We have to go! Now!” I shout at him to get his attention, and when he looks at me, I can see the hurt and heartbreak all over his face. He’s known nothing but these men since before he can remember. They have ruined his life, made him think he was below them, like they were some kind of gods, and I vow to myself right now to make sure he heals and gets the justice he deserves. I know it’s more than that though. Way more to his story than I know and may ever know, but there was definitely something between him and that girl.
The thought of leaving the one person he loves the most is enough to break a grown man—I should know. But we can’t stay. Not with the bloodshed going on around us.
“I know you don’t want to leave her, man, but we can’t stay.” I try to reason with him once more, but he only shakes his head. The sound of guns blasting grows closer in the distance, giving me very little time to convince him to get into the car.
“Emris, I-I can’t leave her.” The sound of pure pain laces his words, and I want nothing more than to storm through every single room with him until we find her. And—fuck, that’s exactlywhat I have to do. No one could stand in the way of Brielle and me, so it wouldn’t be fair of me to make him leave her here.
But Brielle—I can’t leave her, either. And if I leave Jasper, there’s a chance he might not make it out again.
Killian runs toward us, worry on his face as he takes in the look between me and Jasper.
“Let’s go,” he says, but I shake my head. I nod to Jasper, who looks like he’s seconds away from a mental breakdown.
