“That I can do.” My shoulder protests every single movement, but I can ignore the pain. For Hope, I can do anything.
“Well, ain’t this the prettiest sight.” Raelynn holds her right arm tight to her body, her thumb hooked in a loop on her vest. From her expression, she’s in a hell of a lot of pain, but I don’t see any blood. “Sugar,” she says, holding up her left hand as she approaches Bettina, “you can keep that blade, but let me help you upstairs, okay? We’ll get you cleaned up and then we’ll get the hell outta here.”
“My sister.” Bettina turns to Hope. “Carla is still trapped. I cannot leave without her!”
“We know all about her, sugar. Soon as we finish here, we’re fixin’ to shut down every one of the brothels. So come on, now. You’ll be with Carla real soon.”
The two women shuffle toward the stairs, passing Graham on his way down. “You hurt?” he asks us.
“I’m good. Hope needs a doctor.”
“No.” She clutches my vest, and I peer down at her. “I just need you.”
We’ll see about that. She might be the bravest—and most stubborn—woman I’ve ever met, but I’m not above carting her off to a doctor whether she wants it or not. There’s nothing I won’t do to keep her safe.
Nothing.
Epilogue
Hope
I don’t remember much after Wyatt practically carried me out of Simon’s house. Ripper waiting for us in the van. A very painful climb up the stairs to the plane. Having to strip down to my bra and panties so West could make sure I didn’t need a doctor.
The one thing I do remember? The worried look on Wyatt’s face. It’s still there. Even though the sun’s up—it’s almost 10:00 a.m.—we haven’t slept. Thanks to Ryker’s connections, half a dozen men and women stand guard around the plane in case any of the local police try to give us trouble.
I can’t get comfortable. Every time I take a deep breath, something else hurts.
“You need a doctor,” Wyatt says. “I don’t care what West thinks. The minute we land, we’re going to the hospital.”
“I just want to go home.” My fingers tremble as I touch his jaw. “Take me home, Wyatt. To that nice apartment with Cara and Ripper next door.”
“Don’t forget Graham and Q on the other side.” He presses a gentle kiss to my forehead. “We’ll be back there soon.”
“Back home?” My head throbs, and I can’t figure out how to tell him I want to live in Seattle—with him—forever.
“Hope, what’s wrong?” Concern furrows his brow. “You know we’re going home.”
“I love you.” The words tumble from my lips as tears burn in the corners of my eyes. “I tried to tell you before. But I was so scared.”
Wyatt cups my cheeks gently and brushes his lips to mine. “I know, darlin’. Hardest thing I ever had to do was let you get into that cab. I wanted to toss you over my shoulder and run as far and as fast as we could. But I wanted you to be free even more.”
Free. The word bounces around in my head—my throbbing, fuzzy, aching head. Then I burst into tears. Every muscle aches. Down to my fingers and toes. Wyatt’s afraid to touch me, and if I’m honest, I’m scared too. But I need his arms around me.
“Hope? Fuck. You’re going to the hospital.” Wyatt glances around the plane like he’s desperate for someone to help him. To help me.
Sniffling, I swipe at my nose. “I need you to hold me. You won’t hurt me. Just…love me.”
Shoving the armrest up, he shifts in his seat and opens his arms. I settle against him, and though I was wrong—even the lightest pressure on my back is almost too much—I’m safe. Held by the man I love.
“They’re on their way,” Ripper says a few minutes later. He’s on his fiftieth trip up and down the aisle since West, Graham, Inara, and Ry left to shut down the brothel on the north side of the city. “Carla’s with them.”
“Gracias a Dios.” Across from us, Bettina covers her face with her hands, crying with relief, and I’d comfort her if I thought I could get up. Raelynn and Inara gave her fresh clothes, and she let West examine the worst of her burns, even though she sobbed the whole time.
“Y’all want coffee?” Raelynn asks. West ordered her to stay put after finding out she’d dislocated her shoulder fighting with one of Simon’s goons—and then popped it back in herself five minutes later. Her duct tape sling earned her the field medic’s side eye, but he couldn’t argue with how well it worked.
“Oh, hell yes. Is there any food?” As if my stomach has only now realized I haven’t eaten in more than eighteen hours, it growls loudly.
“We got a whole case of MREs. But unless you’re hankerin’ for the worst meal of your life, I wouldn’t risk one.” She putters around in the little kitchenette at the back of the plane for a few minutes, and the rich scent of dark roast fills the space.
