“Red, I don’t want you back in there. Axe and I will go. You stay with the truck. Just in case. Please…” he reaches out and places a hand on her stomach and he cuts her eyes.
“Using the baby tactic.” She cuts her eyes. “That’s fucking low.” I laugh as I open the door and slip out of the truck.
“It works though.” I hear him come through the comms before she huffs out. Caroline’s door next to me opens and she sighs.
“I’m sorry.” She whispers to me. “I should have done it.” Shaking my head to her, I reach out, grabbing her shoulders. I’m not even sure what she’s saying, or if she even knows what she’s saying.
“Care, stop. You did everything you could have. Coming to get us was the best plan.” I can see the tears threatening her eyes again. “She loves you. Her pushing you out first… she did that on purpose. She needed you to get out first. She needed to make sure you got out safely.” The water rolls down from her eyes, and I pull her into me. “Sh, we’re going to go get her.” She nods her head before she turns and moves to the driver's side of the truck. Turning around, it almost surprises me the fear that is radiating in Ash’s eyes before he mouthsthank youto me. I nod my head and then towards the tree line beside us. We move into it, concealing ourselves as we approach.
“You guys good?” I hear Khan ask and Ash responds.
“Yeah, we’re out of the truck, making our way on foot up next to the trail that Care pointed out.”
“You guys be careful.” I can hear Caroline whisper out to us. Ash looks at me, he points his finger up, and twirls it. Telling me to keep my eyes out. For traps, cameras, anything that can let him know we’re making our way up on him.
We’re slowly making our way up to the house. Something catches my eye and I glance over, seeing the handprint of blood on the tree. “Care, are you bleeding?” I whisper into the comms and Ash looks over at me. Quickly, I compare the handprint to the size of mine, knowing that it’s approximately the size of her hand. Then I let my finger touch the blood and can still feel some warmth to it and it still has the bright red appearance… I know it hasn’t been long since it was pressed to the bark.
“What? No. Why?” Motioning to Ash to continue towards the house.
I’m getting ready to tell Ash not to let him get away, when I hear the sounds of the running, branches breaking, and then a familiar voice muttering, “Fucking bitch.” Ash quickly looks over at me and we both start toward Marc.
The second bloody handprint on a tree drags me in the opposite direction of where Marc is yelling from, and I nod to Ash before I glance at the tree and point in the opposite direction. He nods, understanding that I’m telling him I’m going for her. He goes after Marc.
“You can’t hide in here.” He shouts. “There’s nothing here.” Then he laughs. “And it’s not like you will get far, anyway.”
“Shit…” I hear come through the comms in Marc’s voice, as I can only assume Ash approaches him. Then Ash is panting, and I can only imagine he’s running after Marc. I’m still walking carefully as I look around, noticing droplets of blood as I go. Still quietly moving ahead as I continue to hear Ash huffing in the comms and a vehicle starting in the distance.
“Fuck!” I hiss out as I feel a sharp sting on my side before something lands on me and screams in my ear.
“Take that motherfucker.” Her voice is so loud that it cracks in my ear.
“Ella.” I whisper out, stopping. Her arm comes around my throat. Before she’s able to get it into place, I start. Holding my arms out as if I’m surrendering. “Stop, Ella, it’s me.” I nearly plead with her as I feel the arm she’s trying to lock with, slip. Her legs around my waist loosening. Time seems to slow down for a brief second. This is my only second to do anything, to make her see that it’s me. She’s in fight or flight, and my fucking girl is a fighter. Reaching over my head, gripping onto her the only place that I can, I pull her over my shoulder by her hair and drop her to the ground. She hits with a grunt. Looking at her eyes, her pupils are nearly the size of the entire iris. “Fuck.” I mutter out before I fall down to the ground, with her and she lands a fist on my face “Shit, Ella!” I shout to her as I grip hold of her wrists, moving up to kneeling overtop of her, knees on either side of her body, caging her into the ground, moving her wrists over her head and she continues to fight against me. “Ella,” I shout at her again.
A loud crash comes from behind us, and I flinch. Before looking down at her again.
“Ella!” her eyes are still blank as she glares at me with anger. “Marcella!” Using every ounce of muscle that I can to get her to still. “Look at me.” She stops fighting for a second as she looks at me. “Fuck, look at me. I love you.” I shout at her. Her whole body stops fighting against me. She looks up and a glimmer of hope for a second. “Fuck, Babydoll.” Looking down at the blood that stains my jeans as she bleeds from a wound on her stomach. With my one free hand, I try to look at the wound as she stills under my touch.
“Don’t.” She whispers. Looking back up at her, her eyes soften for a second. She’s realizing that it’s me. I lift my head up to her and look her in the eyes. I have no fucking clue what she’s been dosed with, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she isn’t on the brink of overdosing at this moment. “Ella,” I whisper up to her and loosen my grip on her wrists, letting her free one. Leaning into her, I just need to feel her. I press my lips to hers, but she doesn’t respond. Worrying my brows, I look at her before she continues. “Don’t call me Babydoll, you’re not Axe.” And I feel the blunt force into my stomach as I watch her eyes flutter. Either she’s lost too much blood, or the drugs are completely taken over.
“Fuck,” I mutter as I look down at my body and see the large chunk of glass sticking out of my abdomen. “No,” I whisper out as I see her hand reach up for it. “Don’t pu—” My sentence is finished as a grunt as she pulls the glass out and blood squirts onto her.
Instantly becoming woozy, looking up at her, I see her own eyes losing focus more and I gasp out, “Help….” Into the comms before collapsing next to her. “Ella…” I call to her as she slowly turns her head to look at me. A sudden recognition filling her eyes finally.
“Axe,” she gasps out as I struggle to remain conscious. “What have I done?” She whispers, not being able to move either, as the tear slips from her eye.
“Shhh,” I whisper to her, reaching over and removing the glass from her hand...
I’m gasping as I chase behind Marc. He moves into the Jeep as he starts it, and then he’s moving down the trail. Running after it, I grab a hold of the side railing and pull myself inside of it.
“What the fuck.” He snaps out, and I laugh as he approaches the road.
Moving close to him, I look, “You fucking took my pregnant wife.” I laugh again. “And you don’t think I’m going to fucking do anything about that.”
“I don’t really care.” Turning to look towards the road, I watch as my truck moves backwards into the path of the Jeep, and he swears again. I’m trying not to laugh as I swing, landing a punch on him, and he instantly goes limp. I can’t keep my laughter in any longer as I grip a hold of the grab handles and jerk the wheel, missing the truck. I’m about to kick his foot out of the way and come to a stop when his hand jerks on the wheel and the front moves in the tree line.
“Fuck.” I whisper, right before the Jeep slams into it, and I feel my arm tug hard against the socket and my body flies forward and I tuck my head instantly before the side of my body slams into the dash.
I’m just glad that I didn’t let go. Even if my arm already throbs, I’m positive it’s dislocated.
