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I intently watch as she inspects Tara’s injuries and puts an IV in. I can’t take my eyes away from Tara’s battered body, feeling broken, wondering if she’s going to be okay. It probably makes me more of a terrible person than I already am but hope flutters in my chest every time Tara lets out little moans when the doc touches her. I know she’s in pain, yet hearing the soft sounds reminds me she’s still with us. That we haven’t lost her for good.
Suddenly, a large hand grips my shoulder, roughly spinning me around. A growl escapes me as I face the man responsible for my eyes leaving Tara. “What the hell?”
“You need to get the fuck out of here, Nix,” Rush snaps.
Taking a step forward, I get in his face. He’s a couple of inches taller than me so I have to look up to meet his eyes. “She’s my fucking wife. I’m staying.”
“Just go,” Reilly grumbles from behind me. He hasn’t said two words to me in days, andthoseare the first he says to me. I honestly don’t know if our relationship can be repaired after this. I may have lost all of Reilly’s trust, and he doesn’t give that shit out freely.
“No,” I say, staring straight ahead to Rush.
“We all know she wouldn't want you in here. When she wakes up, she can decide for herself, but until then, as her protector, I’m making the choice.”As her protector.I guess I did put him in that role now, didn’t I?
“As your boss, I think I have more authority than you do right now?”
“Seriously? Do you want to put her in any more pain than you already have?” Rush growls in a low whisper.
He’s trying to kick me out of here, leave me in the dark. They want me to hurt like they have. They want to punish me further.
I’m already on edge and he’s just pushing me closer and closer to falling off the cliff. He broke my last thread and all I can do is what I know best. Fight back. Put up my walls.
“Don’t you think you’re taking this new job title a little too far? Or is there something else going on between you and Tara? Huh? You got a little crush onmy wife?”
Rush cracks a smile, but there’s nothing joyful about it. It’s full of venom and anger. I’m pushing him just like he’s pushing me.
“Yes, I do, asshole.” There it is—an admission.
“You fucker.”
I knew it. There is something going on between them.
Before that can fully sink in, Rush's fist slams into me with the force of a Mack truck, relentlessly knocking me to the ground. A bastard move, but that’s why I took him under my wing. He’s a beast.
My face hurts like a bitch, but I can’t help but laugh.
They have her back, so why the hell would they want anything to do with me?
“You all are making it worse! Now get the hell out before I ban you all from this room. Tara doesn’t need your childish behavior.” Dr. Poore calmly cuts through the tension pooling between us, reminding me that I need to make sure Tara isn’t more stressed than needed.
The only reason I’m willing to walk out of this room is because Dr. Poore doesn’t need any more distractions, and Tara doesn’t need to wake up to any more violence. Otherwise, nothing would get me to leave Tara’s side.
They won this time, but they can’t keep me from Tara forever.
She’s mine.
Booming voices filter through my ears, intensifying the painful pounding in my head. It hurts so bad and it’s too loud. I can’t make out exactly what’s going on, but it sounds like two people are fighting and screaming at each other. Unknown hands touch my battered body, causing me to flinch at the contact. Instincts take over; something bad is happening, my chest heaving up and down with fear. This can’t be happening. I couldn’t have imagined getting out. It had to be real. Please let it be real. Oh god, what if it’s worse than I thought?
Fuck.
Zayan found me. He has me. I didn’t escape.
My body locks up, my muscles seizing in anticipation.
I need to fight. I have to save myself.
“Shhh. It’s okay. It’s okay, I promise. You're safe now.” A soft, feminine voice tries to soothe me, but I’m still on edge. This could be a trap. Another one of Zayan’s tricks. Her hand smoothes hair away from my forehead, gently resting it against my clammy skin. “You’re going to be okay.” Her tenderness tries to fill me with relief, but it’s short-lived as my mind builds a defensive brick wall. This could be a dream or some kind of mind game again. I can’t get too comfortable.
I jolt away from the gentle touch, cracking my eyes open as I try to sit up. Pain spreads through my entire body from how beaten and sore I am. I can feel every inch of my skin screaming at me to lay back down, to take it easy. But my mind is telling me to fight. I promised myself that I would protect myself. I’ll die before letting him have me again.
