Page 96 of Hidden But Not Safe

He breathed through the pain, feeling dizzy. Meg’s bare breast in his face had fear for her skittering along his skin. He wanted to grab her and hold on, but he pushed her back so he could drag off his shirt.

Meg was naked, scraped, and bleeding. Bruises were already forming on her skin.

She went still while he dropped his shirt over her head, but then she put her arms through the sleeves.

Her eyes slid down his bared torso, wincing at what they saw. “You need a hospital.”

“No hospitals,” Seb said. “This was just the first wave. You take him there and he’s dead.” He let out a sound as he stared at Naz. “Fuck, you should be dead now. I don’t know how you’re not passed out. That leg alone. Never seen anyone kill with their bare hands while dragging a fucking leg.”

Naz stared down at it. Nausea burned in his clenching stomach from the blood and visible bone. Acid crawled up his throat to choke him. Naz was broken and bleeding, but he was going to die choking on his own vomit.

Meg’s hand cupped his jaw, turning his face toward her. “Don’t look at it. Look at me.” She stroked down his neck, helping the acid to recede.

One of his eyes was swollen shut, but he still tried to drink her in. She was alive.

“Meg,” he said, his head swirling.

An SUV screeched around the corner.

“Fucking hell,” Seb said, scrambling for a gun.

Naz recognized the SUV. “No,” he told Seb, relieved when the man nodded and lowered the gun.

Diego hopped out before the SUV had fully stopped.

“Holy shit, kid,” Diego said, rushing toward him. His eyes scanned the yard for trouble before he crouched down. “Dammit, what the fuck did you do?”

“My fault,” Seb said. He met Naz’s gaze. “I tried to steal the drugs and got snatched instead. Should have laid low. When they were beating the shit out of me, I blamed you and led them here, hoping to buy time.”

Meg made a noise in her throat. “I should have let him kill you.”

“It worked, didn’t it?” Seb said with a shrug, but a muscle ticked in his jaw. “It’s his fault we’re in this mess in the first place. He killed Julio for you.”

Meg’s eyes dropped.

“No, Meg,” Naz said, not liking the expression on her face. “My…choice.”

Diego stared at him with wide eyes before he laughed. “You’re being chatty now? Shut up and lie down before you fall down.”

Naz’s neck felt like spaghetti. The dizziness was getting worse. He lowered his head to Meg’s thigh.

Her hand stroked his face. “He’s hurt. Bad. What are we going to do?”

Diego dragged out his phone. “Ram, where the fuck are you?”

A sleek, black car slid around the corner, not squealing as much as the SUV had.

Naz struggled to keep his eyes open. They weren’t out of this yet. He could pass out once they were safe. At least the pain in his side had gone numb, but his shot ear hurt worse pressed against Meg. He tried to lift his head but failed.

Fancy shoes stopped in the grass near them.

“Fuck,” Ramiro said.

Naz tried to lift his head again, but Meg’s palm pressed him down.

“Where can we take him?” Diego asked. “That same clinic?”

“Only choice. Fuck, he looks bad.” Ramiro crouched down, his gaze finding Naz’s. “You idiot. Why didn’t you call me? There are over a dozen men out here! You should be dead.”

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