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The anger Rick had for Quinn’s husband needed to come out before it ate him from the inside out. Seeing what he did to her, what a sick bastard he was, made him snap. Rick shoved Dane, wanting to lash out, needing to fight someone, craving an outlet for the overwhelming rage.
“Fuck you! I’m not leaving her!”
Before he could pull back his fist, Dane grabbed Rick’s wrists, skillfully spinning him around and pinning him in a chokehold. Rick hadn’t expected the Jiu Jitsu champ to make a move, so Dane had him subdued before he could fight against the hold. Within seconds Rick began to feel lightheaded from lack of blood to his brain.
Dane murmured evenly in Rick’s ear as he put pressure on Rick’s carotid artery. “You know that you’ll lose consciousness in about ten seconds. Calm down and get your shit together so you can ride with Quinn to the hospital, or pass out and I’ll chuck your ass in the car and you can find your own way there.”
Knowing that Dane was dead serious in his threat, Rick tapped Dane’s forearm. The only thing he needed more than a fight right now was to be with Quinn, even if it meant giving up for the moment. As soon as he tapped, the hold around his neck released, allowing blood to rush back to his head.
Without Dane holding him up, Rick collapsed to the ground, choking and gasping for air on his hands and knees.
“You fucker!” he croaked, rubbing his sore neck.
“Shut up! They’ll be here any second. We have to get this shit packed up. Give me your vest and your guns and empty your pockets.”
Grudgingly, Rick stripped off his gear, handing it over and throwing the smaller items into Dane’s backpack.
Dane hiked the bag onto his shoulder. “I’m going. Me and the other guys will go back to Sanctum, get rid of our weapons, and meet you at the hospital. You found her here like this, alone. Got it?”
Rick nodded, his attention already back on Quinn. He didn’t hear Dane leave the room, but he knew he was finally alone with her. Hesitantly, he raised a hand, gently running it over Quinn’s hair. Listening to her shallow, raspy breathing, seeing her perfect skin covered in dried blood and mottled bruises, caused the dam inside Rick to finally break. His hand shook as he continued to pet her filthy, matted hair, sobs ripping from his throat as he knelt beside the bed.
“I’m so sorry, doll.”
He never registered the dampness on his cheeks as he kept up a string of apologies in between hitched breaths.
“I’m so sorry. I should have been there… I—I should have protected you. I should have told you that I loved you— that I am in love with you. I’m so sorry, doll. Don’t die. Don’t leave me.”
Loud footsteps entered the house. A man yelled out and Rick answered. He listened to them thumping and banging their way up the staircase.
“These guys are going to take care of you. I’ll be with you the whole time, doll.”
Rick stood up, wiping his eyes and backing away so the medics could work on Quinn. As he watched them load her limp, battered body onto the stretcher, he could only think of two things—Quinn and revenge.
Chapter 5
Quinn was tired. So unbelievably freaking tired. Every inch of her body hurt, even her hair.
“Sleep, doll.” Rick’s warm hand slipped into hers, his thumb gently rubbing circles on her palm. “The police are coming by later to talk to you, so you’ll need your rest.”
Her heart grew heavy at the thought of rehashing those horrific twenty-four hours. Especially with Rick in the room listening. When she first regained consciousness, the doctor told her she had been in the hospital for half a day. Time had ceased to exist in her world. The fact that she didn’t know what day it was suddenly upset her more than it should.
“What day is it?”
“Just rest, doll.”
Panic fluttered in her chest. “I need to know, Rick. Tell me!” Her voice was growing agitated. Quinn could hear the heart monitor accelerating. She needed something, anything to ground her to reality. So far, all she was told was that Rick found her father’s address and drove there on a hunch. Travis wasn’t there when he arrived. Not knowing what happened, losing time, had her freaking out.
“Shhhhh.” He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “It’s Tuesday.”
“What time?”
Through her swollen eyelids, Quinn saw Rick’s eyes narrow. He didn’t understand her need to clutch at the strings that still bound her to earth and hang on tight, or else she’d float away in the tidal wave of sadness threatening to crash over her.
“Two-o’clock. In the afternoon, doll.”
“Two. Okay, that’s good. Good.” She had no idea why it mattered so much, it just did. Knowing the time and day made her feel like she finally climbed out of the nightmare and back into reality. Her heart monitor began slowing down, the rapid beeping fading back into a steady pulse.
“Quinn…” Rick’s pained expression had Quinn holding her breath, waiting anxiously to hear what
