“This is taking longer than expected. I am going to have to ask Mr. Powers for a bonus for my time.”
Holding the sword tightly, I took a step forward before twisting and slicing across the man’s abdomen with every bit of fury, rage, and strength I could possibly find.
The blade ripped through his shirt and into his skin, bright red blood oozing out, dripping off the ridge of the blade as it cut across him.
The gun dropped hard against the floor as his hands flew to his stomach. A whooshing sound escaped his throat as all air left his body and he stumbled into the light with his eyes wide.
I took a step forward, and his eyes widened further as they found me. He frantically began patting his stomach, his chest heaving, hands sticky with his own blood.
He stumbled another step farther before falling onto the floor face-first in a heap of his own blood and organs.
I breathed heavily and looked around the room, ensuring there were no accomplices, before landing on Jada. She was struggling against her restraints, her sounds weak and muffled.
I walked across the room, my body shaking with the effects of the adrenaline. Sirens began to come into earshot.
You’re a little too fucking late.
I knelt in front of my girl and set the sword next to me. Her eyes were frantic and swollen so much that I knew she couldn’t see me.
“It’s me, baby. He’s gone,” I said softly.
She began working her mouth up and down, trying to swallow.
“Cane,” was all she could make out. I kissed her forehead before moving behind her. I worked at the ties around her bleeding wrists.
“It’s okay. You don’t have to talk. I’m going to get you out of here.”
“Police! Open the door now.”
“It’s Cane Alexander here. Please come in. Call an ambulance …”
My front door burst open, and I continued to fumble with the ties. A swarm of officers descended upon the room, guns drawn, in police formation.
“The light switch is by the door,” I said, still fumbling with the ties. “An intruder is bleeding to death under the window if you give a fuck.”
The lights came on, and the noise level in the room went up immediately as the scene in the room became apparent. Police began to bark orders to each other.
Everything but Jada fell to the wayside as I freed her hands. She began to fall forward immediately, and I presumed that the pain and exhaustion were too much for her to hold herself up. I caught her against my chest, pulling her hair back away from her face. I could see the pain in her eyes, the green laced with so much agony that it fucking hurt me.
“Sir, I’m going to need you to step back,” an officer said behind me.
“I’m going to need you to shut the fuck up,” I growled, not bothering to turn around.
I looked at my beautiful girl and wrapped her in my arms, holding her close. “Are you okay, baby?”
I smoothed her hair back as an officer unfastened her feet.
“No,” she groaned. “I hurt so much.”
I kissed the top of her head before picking her up and cradling her like a baby.
“Sir, you can’t take her anywhere. An ambulance is coming.”
My eyes flashed to his, causing him to blanch. “I’ll put her in the ambulance myself. But there’s not a chance I’ll be putting her down before then.”
He nodded uncertainly before grabbing the radio on his collar and turning away from us.
“Cane?” Jada muttered against my chest.
