Page 163 of Fought and Freed

He slumped to the floor. “I love you, little one.”

“No, don’t you say that, too.” She raised her voice. “Where is that damn ambulance?”

“It’s coming,” Harry promised.

Jace fell to his knees beside her, and his hands covered hers. “Let me do that.”

She let go of Ryder, and Skylar came over to hold her. “You’re safe now.”

She shook her head. “Is Mike dead?”

“Yes, I killed him,” said Uncle Marco.

“Dammit!” Maddy cried. “We don’t know where Kelly is!”

“She’s at his house in a cage,” Cody got out in between breaths.

“Harry, find out where he’s been staying and go get the girl!” Lucca commanded.

“I hear the ambulance. Skylar, go run out and get them in here. Hurry.” As he stood and bolted out the door, she leaned down to Ryder, placing her hand on his cheek. “Stay alive. You hear me?”

Skylar returned with the EMTs, and Jace stepped away from Ryder, letting them take over.

One EMT rushed to Ryder, and the other headed toward Cody, checking his vitals.

“Pulse is weak,” the one with Ryder called out. “He’s lost a lot of blood. Let’s hurry and get him to the hospital.”

“This one has a collapsed lung. We need to get him to the hospital quickly. Can you walk to the bus?” the EMT asked Cody.

“Yes.” He gestured to Maddy’s brother and Skylar. “Help me get to the ambulance.”

They got Ryder on the stretcher and wheeled him to the ambulance. Cody was loaded into the second ambulance that had just pulled up.

They jumped into different cars and followed the ambulance to the hospital.

When they pulled up, one of the EMTs was on the stretcher, straddling Ryder and giving him CPR as they rushed him into the emergency room.

Maddy jumped out of Jace’s Jeep and raced after them, heading for the swinging doors they wheeled Ryder and Cody through.

“Miss! You can’t go back there!” A nurse put her arms out to stop her.

“I don’t care what your fucking rules are,” Maddy snarled. “You won’t keep me from those two.”

“Ma’am, they are going into surgery, and you can’t go in there,” the nurse said kindly.

Skylar and Jace caught up to her, and Skylar wrapped his arms around her.

“As soon as we hear anything, we’ll tell you,” the nurse assured them.

“Thank you,” Jace said. “Can you get someone to check her over, please?”

The nurse nodded and calls someone.

“Oh my God. Torr!” Maddy scanned for her brother. “Lucca, where’s Torr? Is she safe?”

“Calm down.” He came over to clasp her shoulder. “She has some bruises, but that’s all. She went to your house to look after E.J. so Mrs. Anderson can come here.”

“Thanks, man, I didn’t even think about Mom and E.J.,” Skylar said, scratching his head.

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