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“I thought I’d never see you again,” I whisper to Micah and run my hands all over him, frantic for reassurance that he’s here and he’s safe and he’s whole.
And then I realize…
He isn’t.
Chapter31
Micah
In the end, I know I cracked a few bones. Drew an adequate amount of blood.
But there were just too many of them and Halligan wasn’t the only one with fighting talent.
Even as they held me down, even as rancid breath mocked from inches away, even as I felt the vicious cut and saw my father’s face through the haze of agony, one singular thought kept me sane.
Tess is safe. Tess is safe. Tess is safe.
Because my faith in Conner is unwavering.
When I saw him follow my command, picking her up even though she cried, retreating with her into the darkness, the wave of relief was overwhelming.
It’s what gave me the strength to face what was coming for me. I wasn’t going to make anything fucking easy for them and I didn’t. Every second I held them at bay was another second that would allow Tess and Conner to escape.
Gage crashed through the gate just as they were holding down my left hand, preparing to deliver the same treatment they’d already given to my right.
They were unprepared for the likes of Gage Silvestro to come out with guns blazing. An expert marksman, he shot two of them in the head without breaking a sweat.
The third man, Sean Halligan, had a gun of his own. But the motherfucker forgot that I was still part of this world. From the ground I kicked his knee out, which sent him sprawling. Then I slammed the back of my foot down to crush the bones of his face. While he was flailing and choking on his teeth, I pushed my knee into his windpipe until I felt something break. Sean Halligan didn’t move anymore after that.
The fourth man, the one wielding the machete, was trapped and tried to charge. He ended up shot between the eyes by Josh Ballerini.
The fifth son of a bitch was the only one who got away. For now.
Tess didn’t scream when I showed her the bloody end of my arm. She briefly clapped a hand over her mouth, shuddered, and threw her arms around me while Gage silently piloted us to the hospital.
There is, however, someone else screaming right now, carrying on like a manic banshee.
Matilda is here.
My mother has heard the news that I’m now missing a hand and she’s promptly lost her mind. She keeps running around the hospital corridor screeching, “JUST LIKE ETHAN! JUST LIKE ETHAN!”
Henley tries his best to calm her down but she ignores him and keeps howling.
Even though I can’t stand the noise and I’d really like her to shut the fuck up, I still feel kind of sorry for her. I’m the first one to admit when my mother is being a phony idiot. Even Matilda is not enough of an actress to pull off this level of anguish.
Finally, she lets Henley carry her away and take her home. The noise level immediately bottoms out.
“Dani’s with Charlotte,” Gage says. He stands guard in the corner of the room.
Tess sits beside me, holding my remaining hand while my mutilated arm is positioned above my heart. Something about blood flow. The end is wrapped for now and a surgical team is standing by. The doctors already advised that for the moment we wait. Conner and Josh and half the Em City police force are out there searching for my hand. If they can find it within about five hours after it was severed, there’s a chance it can be reattached.
If not…
Well, I’d rather avoid thinking about the ‘if not’ factor just yet.
“Does Charlotte know?” I ask Gage.
Tess lifts her head to hear the answer.
