Page 27 of Burning Bridges Duet

Ryder, who’s still struggling to hold Jaxon back from the creep, or what’s left of him, spots us. “I can’t get him to stop!” he yells, so River places a hand on Jaxon’s shoulder.

“Jaxon, we have Liv,” he shouts. “We need your help to make our way through the crowd, so we can get her out of here safely.”

Jaxon freezes with his fist poised mid-swing, but when he turns and catches sight of Liv in my arms, he relaxes slightly and rises to his feet.

Together with Ryder, they clear a path through the throng of people, while I hold Liv close. River trails behind me, ensuring that no one follows us. Liv goes limp in my arms, and I feel a surge of panic. I can’t tell if she’s passed out or just exhausted from the ordeal. I hold her tighter and feel her warm breath on my neck, damp from her tears.

“Liv, you okay?” I whisper to her, but she doesn’t respond, so I shout ahead, urgency in my voice, “Jaxon, hurry the hell up!”

NINETEEN

I groan as I slowly regain consciousness, my head pounding and my throat sore. The voices around me are muffled at first, but they grow clearer as I become more aware of my surroundings.

“We should bring her to the hospital,” someone says. “She hit her head, and that fucker choked her good. She needs to see a doctor.”

“I think we should ask her what she wants to do,” another voice responds, but my mind is still foggy, and I can’t seem to open my eyes just yet. Jaxon’s voice cuts through the haze, his words urgent and intense.

“She needs to wake up for us to ask her, and if she doesn’t open her eyes in the next few minutes, I don’t give a fuck what you all say. I’m just going to drive her to the hospital.”

“No hospital, please,” I manage to croak out finally, hoping they can hear me.

“Thank god you’re awake, baby,” Ryder quickly responds, the relief palpable in his voice.

Did he just call me baby, or am I tripping?

“We should take you to the hospital, Liv. We think you have a concussion.” The seat beneath me shifts slightly, but then I realize it’s not a seat. Chase is holding me on his lap in the back of a car.

I lift my head and meet his deep blue gaze, noticing River beside us. Jaxon is in the driver’s seat, with Ryder riding shotgun. My head throbs at the thought of going to the hospital, and I try to push away the fear that grips me. I can’t let them take me there. Even if I never set foot in a hospital again, it would be too soon.

“No, I’m okay, really,” I say, trying to sound calm. “Thank you for the rescue. I’m glad you guys were there, but I can go home now.” River frowns, and I know he’s onto me.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, but if you insist on going home, you should have someone there to wake you up every hour or two to make sure you’re good. Do you live with your parents or a roommate?”

Damn, why is he so attentive? I do agree with him that I might have a minor concussion, given how my head is throbbing.

“It’s fine, River. I’m going to set an alarm for every hour.”

“And who will check on you when you don’t wake up from it?”

“I…” Fuck, he has a point, again, but Jaxon has other ideas.

“Fuck that. You’re coming home with us. End of discussion,” he says, then Chase’s eyes meet mine, and I feel a flutter in my chest.

“Liv, please come home with us and let us take care of you? Just for tonight,” he asks. “You can have my bed, and I’ll sleep on the couch.”

I frown, feeling guilty about imposing on them like this, but Ryder speaks up.

“She can have my bed, and River and I can have a sleepover like old times.”

“Take whichever bed you want. We don’t give a fuck where you sleep as long as you’re with us tonight,” Jaxon says, his voice firm. I can see his knuckles are red and bruised, making me feel guilty for causing him pain.

“Jaxon, are you okay?” I ask.

“I’m fine,” he grumbles, his eyes fixed on the road.

“Do you have ice at home for your hand?” I ask.

I tighten my grip on the steering wheel, feeling frustration boiling inside me. She’s asking me if I’m okay? Me, a former MMA fighter with sore knuckles, while she has a band of angry-looking red and purple fingerprints on her neck? I can’t even muster up a response without losing it.