Page 33 of Locke

“You know I’ll never forgive myself for this shit, yeah? I got you into this mess. It’s my fault, baby. If anything happens to you … fuck, Kiki.”

Chapter 17

Kiki

I don’t know how long I’ve been lying here, but it feels like forever. My body is stiff, and there’s something in my arm. An IV? Yeah, it is. I sigh as I try to push myself, but when I do, the pain shoots through my body.

“Don’t move. It’ll hurt worse.” I lie back down and turn my head quickly to see Locke lying next to me.

“You’re okay?”

“I’m okay, baby.” I reach for him, wincing when he tries to roll to his side. I see him wince, too, and look down at the bandages covering his body.

“You’re not okay!”

“I am. Just relax,” he argues, giving me his sexy smile that sets my heart on fire. He shoves himself up and off the bed. He has to be in pain. I watch him walk slowly to the dresser, grab a cigarette, and light it up before looking back at me.

“You’re gonna be fine. Doc said so. He was worried about your head,” he tells me.

“It hurts.”

“You hit it pretty hard. Got a big fuckin’ knot and everything.”

“I don’t know where she came from. How are you here? What happened?”

“He wanted me to call you. Draw you out away from everyone so he could grab you. When I didn’t, well,” he points to the bandages on his stomach.

“Are they bad?”

“Not too bad. I’ll live.”

“Hodge? Is he okay?” I ask as the world spins around me. My head is killing me, and so is the way I feel.

“He’s good. I took most of it,” he tells me as I look at the bandages on him. There are four on his stomach and side and the one over his shoulder.

“What did he do?”

“Shot me once. Stabbed me a few times. He wanted you back, and that wasn’t gonna happen. I wasn’t gonna let him near you, Kiki,” he tells me. I scoot to the edge of the bed and shove myself up as the room spins, but I reach out and run my fingers gently over the bandages.

“You took all this for me?” I ask as tears stream down my cheeks. I can’t believe he would do that. That he would take that much for me.

“You took one for me, yeah?” I look up as he blows smoke from between his lips.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. None of this was your fault.”

“But he’s gone now, right?” I ask when I see his eyes darken. Shit. They didn’t get him. He’s still out there somewhere.

“He took off. The guys decided to get us back here instead of chasin’ after him. This isn’t over, Kiki. Not until he’s dead,” he tells me. My head keeps spinning when I lie back down and look up at him. He sits on the edge of the bed and runs his fingers through my hair.

“I saw you lyin’ there. It was the worst thing I’ve ever seen, baby. I don’t think I would have made it without you.”

“I wouldn’t have wanted to be here without you either.”

“I’ll be back.” He stands from the bed and walks toward the door when I stop him.

“Where are you going?”

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