Page 108 of Barinov

His eyes close.

“Lex!” I say, tapping his face.

His eyes flick up to me again, barely open. I brush the hair from his brow and press our foreheads together.

“I’ve got you,” I whisper. “You hear me? I’ve got you. Just stay awake for me, please.”

“Ambulance is here!” Marisol calls from outside the cage.

Lex lets out a shallow breath. It stutters in his chest.

“Lex,” I choke. “H-help is here. Help is—”

The EMTs arrive in a haze of sound and motion, pushing Roman and Rez back. Their boots shake the spring mat underneath us. Latex gloves slap on gauze pads over bleeding muscle. A stretcher unfolds next to Lex like a blade. I can’t register who is talking or what’s being said.

Everything is happening too fast and far too loud.

Warm fingers wrap around my shoulder. “Cade,” Sabine whispers. “Let’s let them work.”

“N-no,” I cry, my fingers cinching around his arm. “I can’t leave him.”

“I know,” she says, leaning down behind me. “But you must. He knows you’re here, honey. He knows.”

My grip loosens and I rise to my feet. I stumble back as cold air rushes over me.

The EMTs descend. One of them cuts Lex’s shirt off. The other starts shouting vitals.

“BP’s crashing! Get the fluids started.”

They move with a brutal grace as they lift him onto the stretcher. His head rolls and his eyes find mine. And for one, quick breath, he smiles at me.

Rez catches me as my legs give out.

Chapter 24

LEX

Miami, Florida

Apparently in some sort of hospital.

28 days since Bella’s kidnapping.

Shit. Am I dead?

I blink awake through a bright white haze and try to roll my shoulder—nope! Definitely not dead.

A deep, dragging throb radiates through my entire side and carves down my leg.

“Fuck,” I rasp.

A shadow sitting at my side comes into view. Deep, warm, and comforting brown eyes stare back at me.

“Welcome, back l’ombre,” Sabine murmurs, placing her hand in mine.

“C-Ca—” I try to ask, but all I manage is a low guttural noise.

“Shh, Cade’s fine,” she whispers, leaning her body back slightly so I can see him passed out on a small chair in the corner of the room, cuddled up under a white sheet.