Page 57 of Tess, Property of Blaze

“The girls,” I manage to croak out.

“What was that?”

“The girls,” I repeat. “Sam and Amy are downstairs.”

“Prez, Hawke,” Tracker yells, and then they’re surrounding us, soon followed by other members of their club—and they’re all looking at me. And of course there’s Blaze, right by my side.

“Fuck, is she okay? You need to get her out of here,” I hear Quill say.

“She’s saying something about girls downstairs, she mentioned Amy, man.”

“Shit, boys, let’s go.”

“Hey, wait a minute. Did you get that girl out from that room I told you about? Nicky?”

“Yeah, man, she’s safe. The paramedics have just turned up, they have her in the back. Take Tess to them.”

The voices around me a blur, my brain trying to keep up, then Tracker’s moving again, holding me even tighter against him as he quickly moves us through the warehouse. Blaze walks ahead of us and holds the door open, and I catch a look from him that I don’t have the physical or mental capacity to interpret right now. Then he’s yelling, “Here’s another one, she needs help, urgently!”

All of a sudden, I’m being placed on a gurney and wheeled to the back of the ambulance. Eventually my head is patched up, and when I cry out at the slightest movement of my neck, I’m strapped to a board, my head and neck, and pretty much my whole body, immobilized.

And then he’s there, Blaze, standing beside me, his eyes filled with unshed tears, the look he’s giving me unmistakable this time—regret, remorse, frustration, fear and concern, and could I even hope, love?

He gently takes one of my hands in his and leans down and places his head on my chest, his tears soaking into the soft cotton of the gown the paramedics placed over me. “I’m so sorry, baby, so sorry. I’ve let you down.”

“Shush,” I whisper, squeezing his hand as hard as I can.

“Sir, we really have to go.” There’s the sound of another ambulance approaching, and I’m hoping it’s for Amy and Sam.

“Are they safe?” I manage to croak out, my throat dry and sore.

Blaze looks up at me, his eyes red and so, so sad. “Who, baby?”

“Sam and Amy.”

Blaze stands up then looks around. “There’s a couple girls going into the back of an ambulance right now, young, a blonde and a brunette?” I nod as much as I’m able to and squeeze his hand, tears of relief pooling in my eyes. “Yeah, babe, they’re safe.”

“Sir, we need to go, you’re going to have to follow us.”

Blaze looks down at me one last time, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles before letting go. “I’ll be right behind you.”

My tears fall freely now. He forgives me. But am I worthy of his forgiveness?

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