Page 15 of Rescued by the Captain

Donte squares his shoulders. “Good. That’s going to be the Winchesters’ home. No matter what happens, head there and don’t stop.”

I frown at the blood on his shirt. “Okay, but you’re coming with me, right?”

He averts my gaze. “I’m going to stay here and hold them off.”

Just like that, my world crashes in. “No, you can’t! Look, you’re already hurt.” I scramble to grasp his hand in mine, but he steps away.

He doesn’t even look at me. He stares at the ground and his jaw clenches.

“You have to understand me, Bria. The people are after you, and I’m only slowing you down.”

I shake my head. “No, you don’t have to be the hero, your time to find happiness is now, with me!”

“I can take care of myself and I’ll be fine.” Finally, he looks straight into my eyes. His hands ball into fists at his sides. “Get going while there’s still distance between us and the attackers. I’ll hold them off as long as I can.”

His plan is ridiculous. It’s hard to accept his reasoning when he’s bleeding God-knows-how-much. And he expects to fend off gunmen? There’s something else happening here. It’s like payback or retribution for something. I can see the determination, but not the reasoning.

I don’t know how I’m supposed to leave him. If I turn my back, am I not practically waving the flag for him to die? To let him give up his own body as a defense?

Tears soak my vision. I stagger to hold him, but I freeze. In the backdrop, a fleet of footsteps grows louder. They’re approaching fast and probably furious.

I have to decide now. Either I do what brought me here in the first place, or I stay.

I grasp for his hand. He recoils, refusing to budge.

He won’t leave with me.

So, as badly as it pains my heart…

I’ll have to leave him.

11

DONTE

My eyes are gluedto Bria’s back as she runs away. Soon, the outline of her figure blends with the other shadows in the night. I can no longer see her, and I’m abandoned in the cold.

No, I told her to leave. Demanded. Pushed.

And now I am alone.

Have I abandoned Bria, too?

I clutch my stomach, where the wound lies, and glance down.

It’s good she’s gone. If she keeps running, maybe she can find a break in the woods, a reprieve for shelter. Like the place Colt was talking about.

Blood oozes through my shirt. I grip the hem and wring it as an attempt to air out the streaming liquid and stop the flow, but even the frigid weather can’t freeze a gaping wound shut.

My head starts to spin and guilt wracks me. I might just bleed to death here. Never mind standing my ground. I can only hope to serve of some use so that Bria can widen the start between her and the pursuers. She needs to survive and tell her story.

A twig snaps. Looks like fate is grinding into motion. They reached me already. Fuck. That was quicker than I thought it would be. I knew what was coming, and yet, my palms grow clammier by the second.

Bria and I may never see each other again. A twinge of happiness seeps into me as I think that she may depart this ordeal unscathed. At least, if I’m the only one who’s taken out, I’ll have done my job.

I want the woman who embraced me tonight to live her life to the fullest. I want her to beam like the countless stars that sparkle above us and flash that sparkly grin that never failed to make my chest flutter.

Ha, what is wrong with me? Who would’ve thought I’d go all out sappy and reflective. I guess that goes to show the power of meeting someone. After these self-destructive years, I can finally see myself with another woman.

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