Page 56 of Tess, Property of Blaze

Tess

“Tess, can you hear me? I’m going to get you out of here.”

I hear a voice, someone talking to me, saying they’re going to get me help, get me to a hospital. I want to say it’s real, but to be honest, I’m not sure. My head is pounding and I can barely open my eyes. I’m lying on my stomach, but everything’s too sore to move. Each time I go to lift my head, a sharp pain, like someone hitting me with a pickaxe, has me crying out.

“Don’t move, Tess. They’ll be here soon.”

They’ll be here soon? Who? Oh no, not Viper. I don’t think I’d survive if he came back and laid a hand on me again.

I moan when a throbbing ache comes from my backside. I feel sore from the inside out, every inch of my body and soul damaged, and there’s nothing I can do about it. I can’t run; I’m stuck here. Oh God, I’m stuck here. I start to cry, but even that causes me pain—a sting when my tears touch my cracked lip.

“Tess, you need to listen to me, it’s Tracker. I’m here and we’re gonna save you.” Tracker? Oh God, please don’t let Blaze see me like this. I try to voice my thoughts, but the words won’t come out.

As Tracker moves my hair aside, the sound of loud gunfire from outside the doorway fills the air, followed by screams and yelling. Oh God, I’m going to die, this is it.

“They're here, Tess,” Tracker yells, then I feel warmth settle on top of me as Tracker places something over me to hide my nakedness. “I’m going out there to see what’s going on. I’ll be right back.”

I want to yell out, “Don’t leave me,” but my throat is frozen, and everything hurts too much.

“Just stay right here.” Tracker must leave the room, because I can’t hear any noises from him. The sound of gunshots and glass breaking echoes around the room, and I can hear men and women yelling and screaming nearby.

I black out for a while then, and when I wake up, I’m being draped with a blanket, then lifted into strong arms. I cry out at the pain, but Tracker calms me, whispering, “I’m so sorry, Tess, I know it hurts, but I need to get you out of here.”

Suddenly I hear a loud bang close by, but I can’t even look up. Tracker now has me up high in his arms, and I lean my head against his chest. My skull still feels like it’s going to explode, but I breathe through the pain. He moves one arm so it’s under my knees, and the other supports my back, and just the slight movement and pressure sends pain slicing all the way down to my core.

“What’s wrong with her? Tess, please tell me you’re okay. Tracker, give her the fuck to me, man.”

I hear Blaze’s voice, loud and frantic and angry, and shame fills me when I realize he’s seeing me in this condition.

“Blaze, give her some space, she’s in a bad way.”

Gentle fingers run through my hair, and I very slowly turn my head to look at him, but even the small movement strikes a loud cry out of my mouth, pain ripping through me.

“Don’t move, baby. You’re hurt. Tracker, what’s wrong with her?” Blaze asks again.

“Not now, man. Let’s get her out of here. We need to get her to a hospital, and it looks like you need some medical assistance yourself.”

Blaze is hurt? Oh no! But where’s Viper…?

“It’s nothing,” I hear Blaze state. “I’ll live. Now give her to me, I won’t ask you again.”

“No,” I manage to whisper.

“What’s that, darlin’?” Tracker asks, lifting me a touch higher so he can hear me better.

“I don’t want him to see me, not like this.”

I feel Tracker’s deep intake of breath. “Blaze, move aside, man, I’m taking her now.”

Tracker starts to carry me out of the room, and Blaze yells, “You’re lucky she’s hurt, man, and in your arms, because if it wasn’t for that, I’d give you a beatin’ for not giving me my woman.”

My woman? He still wants me?

Tracker doesn’t respond, he just ignores Blaze as he passes his brothers through the smoke filling the narrow hallway. Blaze isn’t far behind, though, I can hear him cursing as he storms along, following closely.

The smoke has me coughing, my body quaking with the agony it causes, and I shut my eyes against the acrid fumes. What happened? Why is all this smoke around?

I tap Tracker’s chest and he stops. “We had to take care of business, Tess, to get you safe. Now close your eyes, the smoke might be too strong and burn.”

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