AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I couldn’t agree more,” she told him.
He got to his feet, glancing around them before trying to push her into the vehicle.
“I’m driving,” she insisted. “You were shot twice, and I want to get out of here before you pass out on me.”
He thought about arguing, but he feared she might be right. He just nodded as he jumped across the seats into the passenger side of the vehicle, trying to stay as alert as possible even though tremendous pain was radiating through him.
“This time we’re going to the hospital. Call your brothers. They can meet us there,” she told him.
“That’s really the reason you wanted to drive,” he grumbled. “I’m fine. Go home and Lindsey can fix me.”
“Not going to happen,” she assured him. Ace was growing too weak to keep arguing, so he leaned back as she revved the engine and began moving down the street. She was sure the police were on their way, but they could talk to them once they were in the safety of the ER.
“Pick up the speed,” he told her when she paused too long at a stop sign.
“Let me drive,” she answered before she accelerated.
Ace could feel himself losing consciousness and fought against it. This wasn’t the time to leave Dakota alone to defend herself. Just because they were in the vehicle moving along the roads didn’t mean they were in any way safe. He didn’t want to go to the hospital, but at least it would be staffed with armed security.
He picked up his phone with the last of his strength and called Cooper, explaining quickly where they were heading before he dropped the phone. All he could do now was try desperately to focus on the road while Dakota drove.
“Stay with me, Ace. Don’t you dare pass out on me,” Dakota scolded him.
>
He shot his eyes open and attempted to smile at her. He loved when she was fierce and commanding. It was just one more thing about the woman that he didn’t think he could live without. Most women he knew would have been panicked in this situation, but not Dakota. She was taking charge, wouldn’t allow herself to fall apart until she was sure someone else was there to take care of him. She wouldn’t even worry about herself, which actually did frustrate him a little.
“I’ve been injured worse, Dakota. Stop focusing all your energy on worrying about me,” he told her. But the weakness in his voice undermined his reassuring words.
Dakota was forced to slow down as she turned a corner, and Ace was fading, so he didn’t see the car heading straight for them. But he felt the impact as the vehicle slammed into theirs, sending his body forward, his head slamming against the windshield.
Dakota’s scream was the last thing he heard before he lost consciousness.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Ace woke up, found himself strapped to a gurney, and felt a renewed sense of panic and fury. What in the hell had happened? He turned, trying to find Dakota.
“Dakota?” he called out, his voice barely a squeak.
“Sir, we’re almost to the hospital. You’ve been shot and have a head injury,” the paramedic hovering over him said.
Ace tried to move again, but he was held down tightly. There was a gunshot wound and a hit-and-run. They weren’t taking any chances with him.
“I’m Ace Armstrong, I’m with the CIA,” he said, but by the look in the man’s eyes, the paramedic didn’t believe him. They screeched to a halt in front of the ER, and the back doors flew open. It was only seconds before Ace’s gurney was on the ground and he was being rushed inside the room.
“We have an adult male in a hit-and-run accident with an injury to the head and two bullet wounds, one to the side, one in the left shoulder,” the paramedic shouted as a nurse began taking his vitals.
“I don’t have time for this,” Ace tried to yell, but his voice wasn’t going to be scaring anyone any time soon.
He was rushed to a room and soon switched to a hospital bed, where he was strapped down again, his left arm free this time so they could assess the damage from the gunshot. He tried pushing them away, but he was too weak.
Even though Ace knew he couldn’t do a damn thing at this moment, he still struggled against the people trying to help him. Time was of the essence, and if Dakota hadn’t been with him in the vehicle, then it meant Nestor or his goons had gotten to her. These doctors just needed to stop his bleeding so he could get the hell out of there.
Ace was too angry to pass out again, so he continued cursing at the medical staff as he told them again and again he was CIA and he was on an important case. They either didn’t believe him or they didn’t care. It was infuriating. He demanded they call his supervisor, but he didn’t have Bill’s card on him. It wouldn’t have mattered if he did—he wouldn’t have been able to reach for it, since he was still strapped to the damn bed.
There was a commotion in the room. Ace had never been happier than when Cooper and Maverick ran into the room. The staff tried to slow them down, but one look at their fierce faces and they backed off. Only Nick wasn’t there, since he was with their wives and children.
“You have to get me out of here. They have Dakota,” Ace told Cooper.
