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He took handcuffs out of his pocket, flipped the guy onto his stomach, and cuffed him behind his back. He pulled some cord out, too, and swiftly bound the guy’s ankles.
Once he was secured, Roark collected the gun and ran across the room at Ryker’s side in seconds.
Roark moved Jade aside and tore open Ryker’s shirt with his bare hands. Then he... laughed?
What the fuck?
“You lucky fucker.” Roark patted Ryker hard across the cheek a few times.
Jade’s head throbbed, she couldn’t stop crying, and she had no idea what was going on. “What’s happening?” she asked, her eyes streaming tears.
Roark leaned back to show her. She blinked her eyes a few times to clear them enough that she could finally see the bullet lodged in a bulletproof vest strapped across Ryker’s chest.
Roark said, “Air’s knocked out of him. He’ll be fine in a minute.”
Ryker suddenly gasped and jerked upward. His eyes widened in relief as his lungs finally drew in air. He grabbed at his chest, clenched his teeth, and started unstrapping the vest, like it was on too tight.
“I’m kicking your ass later for scaring us.” Roark helped him unstrap the closures and loosen the fit but left the vest on him.
Ryker hissed, “Lookin’ forward to it.”
Roark patted Ryker’s shoulder.
He turned to Jade and said, “He’s fine. He will have some bruising and maybe a broken rib or two, but he’ll live.” He stood up and spoke into his earpiece. “Bossman’s stable and perp is detained. Sitrep?”
Jade couldn’t hear the response from the earpiece as he crossed the room to finish freeing Lyra, but he didn’t seem concerned so she assumed everything was under control upstairs.
Now that Ryker’s shirt was gone, she could see his phoenix peeking out from under his vest. The little fire bird had a whole new meaning to her now.
Ryker coughed, groaned, and sat up, holding his ribs with his hand.
“Are you okay?” she asked. “What can I do to help?” She wiped at her tears.
“Yeah. Help me up. There’s not much else you can do, sweetness.” He winced as he reached his free arm out toward her.
She got to her feet, swaying as her vision blurred with dizziness. She stood there a minute to let it pass, then grabbed his hand and helped pull him to his feet. He hissed on the way up.
Once he was standing, he pulled her into a hug and kissed her hair.
“How’s your head?” he asked.
“Sore. How’s your chest?”
“Sore.” He started to chuckle, which made a cough rack through his body. He pressed a hand to his side and groaned with frustration. “Definitely broke a rib. Fuck.”
He took a few seconds to recover, then he wrapped his free arm around her waist and walked with her toward Lyra and Roark.
Roark had removed all the bindings holding Lyra to the chair and ungagged her, but he kept her sitting while he knelt before her to check her over.
Jade stepped away from Ryker and went over to wrap her arms around Lyra — gently, trying to avoid any wounds. Lyra was so banged up.
Lyra hugged her back, almost clutching her.
The tears started again and sobs consumed both of them.
“I’m so sorry,” Jade said. “This is all my fault.”
“It’s not your fault, babe. This is all on Tawny. I knew I didn’t like her for a reason.” She hissed when Roark prodded a sensitive spot on her ankle.
