Page 140 of Stitches

“Be careful,” I said before darting ahead. I didn’t want her to have to be strong. This shouldn’t fucking be happening.

I hadn’t watched her enough. I hadn’t spoken to her enough. I should have tried to just talk to her about everything instead of waiting like a fucking psychopath.

Another toxic trait.

I was fucking nuts.

But that would come in handy later because I would find out who did this and they would pay dearly.

SIN

We followed the trail for what felt like forever. We were damn deep in the woods to a place I’d never been, and lately, I’d been all over.

“You good?” I asked as Asylum stumbled beside me. He stopped and clutched his ribs.

“Go,” he groaned.

Good enough for me.

I continued onward, knowing Church and the guys were terrified.

I was too. This made me sick to my guts thinking she was out here hurting. It made me relive the nightmare of when I’d left her in that fucking coffin with Asylum. Of the weeks spent away from her, worrying. Of my own torture.

I wanted nothing more than to kill whoever did this.

Because whatever this was and to be bad to get Asylum out here the way he was.

If his condition was any inclination of hers, this wasn’t going to go well.

I spotted something dark ahead and shined the flashlight from my phone on it.

“There. She’s there!” I rushed forward, leaving Asylum behind and fell to my knees at her side.

“Fuck,” I shouted. “Oh god. She’s bad. She’s fucking bad, man.”

Asylum fell to his knees beside her and cradled her face. Her eyes were open and unmoving.

“Damnit,” he sobbed. “Fuck.”

“I-is s-she…?”

“No. Not yet. She’s gone though. She’s checked out.”

I knew exactly what he meant. She was back to being locked away.

With shaking hands, Asylum tried to pull her pants up. It was clear what had happened here. She was bleeding from it.

“Help me,” he wept. “Fucking cover her.”

I helped him put her pants back on, noting how icy cold she was. I whipped my coat off and lifted her gently, wrapping her small body in it.

“I have her,” I said, standing. “Tell Dante and the guys. I’m going to go fast. Try to keep up.”

And I moved through the trees like lightning. I carried her close to my body, praying the heat from me would help warm her. I didn’t even know if I was going the right way until I broke out of the woods and stumbled onto the path. I recognized where we were right away. I didn’t know where we had to go but the med ward was the only place I could think of.

They could stabilize her. Church would make sure she was safe, or I’d die trying because I wouldn’t leave her side while she was there, even if that meant getting admitted myself.

I burst through the doors, startling the two nurses at the front desk.

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