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“He’s alive,” Jace replied, his voice shaking with emotion. “But he needs a hospital now.”
Grayson immediately took charge, barking orders to everyone to hurry and get Victor into the car. Teo stumbled over to us, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he helped Grayson lift Victor’s body into the backseat.
“I’ll drive,” Teo said. I could tell he didn’t want to look at Victor’s battered and bruised body outstretched over our laps in the backseat. The road stretched out in front of us, a dark and uncertain path leading us even deeper into the swamp.
“We need to get out of here,” Grayson said, his voice urgent. “We don’t know who’s after us.”
“Miranda is hiding in the bushes,” Jace replied. “I told her we’d be back for her.”
Teo and Grayson exchanged a look.
“We can’t risk going back,” Grayson said. “We need to get Victor to a hospital and then come up with a plan to rescue Miranda.”
Teo sighed. “Or we could split up,” he said. “One of us stays with her while everyone else gets Victor to the hospital. Jace, how far did you walk before you found us?”
“Maybe a mile,” he replied. “Tricky terrain, though, so it took a while.”
I watched as the men discussed their next move, my heart heavy with worry for Victor and Miranda. I knew splitting up was risky, but it seemed like our only option.
“I’ll stay with her,” I said suddenly, surprising even myself with the words. “You guys take Victor to the hospital.”
Teo’s eyes narrowed. “You’re joking, Sof,” he said. “No. I’ll stay.”
I shook my head, my resolve firm. “I’m not joking, Teo. I can handle myself.”
“You can’t put yourself in danger like that,” Grayson protested.
“Yeah, fuck that,” Teo said. “Aren’t you and your brother the ones the Viper is looking for?”
Sam sighed. “He’s right, it shouldn’t be you,” he said. “I’ll go back and...”
“I’m the reason she’s here!” I replied. “Miranda is in danger because of me. I clean up my own messes and I’m not leaving a woman to die in the bushes because I’m too much of a fucking coward to go back, so you either stop the car or I’m diving out of it!”
The men exchanged a look, and finally, Teo turned to face me. “Fine,” he said. “But I’m coming with you.”
“Maybe I should go,” Jace said. “I was the one who told Miranda I’d be back for her.”
“Get Victor to the hospital, leave Sam and Grayson with him, and then come pick us up,” Teo said as he parked on the side of the road. “Don’t take long, okay?”
Teo killed the engine and threw the keys to Grayson. Jace climbed into the passenger seat, his eyes lingering on Victor’s fragile form for a second before Teo helped me climb out of the car. I had to hold back a smile. “Stay close,” he said as he pulled me to him. “I don’t want anything to happen to you. Jace?”
“Straight shot that way,” he said, gesturing toward the dense foliage. “She’s close to his cabin. You’ll be able to see some light. There’s a big lake to your left right in the middle of the path, so if you feel like you’re getting lost just look for that.”
“Got it,” Teo said. “Get Victor to the hospital. Now.”
“Yes, boss,” Jace said, closing the door as the engine of the SUV purred to life.
We moved through the woods at a steady pace, our footsteps muffled by the soft earth beneath us. Despite my initial bravado, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease, as if danger lurked around every corner.
“I should have never made us come here,” I said in a whisper.
“You didn’t make us do anything. If someone has been chasing you, I’m going to confront them, and I’m going to fucking kill them myself,” he replied matter-of-factly.
I couldn’t help but shiver at his words. Teo’s possessiveness had always bordered on overprotectiveness, but in moments like this, it felt like a comforting promise.
My hand was in his as we walked in silence for what felt like hours, our senses on high alert. The swamp around us grew darker, the trees looming over us like shadowy giants, their twisted branches reaching out like skeletal fingers. We heard the haunting hoots of owls and the soft rustling of leaves in the wind, but otherwise it was eerily quiet.
“I think we should leave,” I said. “Once we find her. Go back to Orlando and regroup.”
