Page 52 of What Lies Within

I could have lost her.I wasn't here fast enough. Didn't see this coming. Didn't stop it.

Didn’t do the one thing I promised I’d do: keep her safe.

Her head lifts off her knees, arms bound around her legs so that they’re clutched protectively to her chest.

I meet her wary gaze and, motherfucker, if I don’t feel on the verge of tears myself.Swallow it down, you weak fool.Steeling my jaw, I cross the smudged floorboards to where Rae cowers, carefully watching Harvey fuss over his sister.

He shakes Maddie, pleading for her to say something.

Anything.

"You okay?" I drop to my haunches and ease her hair off her face to check her for any sign of serious injury.

“She didn’t have a choice,” Rae whispers. “Don’t be mad at her.”

Fuck…I can’t fucking take any more of this shit. “Baby girl. Ain’t anyone gonna be mad at you for protecting yourself.”

“She’s one of yours, Digger.” Her throat closes on my name, nostrils flaring. “Maddie killed one of your own.”

Hate to have to break it to her this way, but “Ain’t anything new either.”

Hands to her face, I coax her to look at me. To break away from the carnage going down in that goddamned kitchen. “It’s over now. We got you. You hear me?”

Her eyes go wide, and her back straightens as the panic sets in. "We've got to go." Rae tugs from my hold, scrabbling over the sticky floor on all fours to get to Maddie. "We need to get her out of here."

“Why?” I chase after her, unsure how to grab her, how to lift her out of this shit without spooking her further. “What’s the matter?”

“Fox is coming,” she mutters, using Maddie’s rock-solid stance to pull herself to her feet. “Mads, babe. Come on. We still have to run.”

The only response is a hitch in Maddie’s breath.

I locate Jamie hovering near the door, tears in her eyes, a gun hanging lax in her hand. "Call your father, sweetheart. Tell him what's happened. Tell him Fox is en route. And tell him we’re headin’ home.”

“But…”

“Do it!” Feel shit for yelling at the girl, but she wanted in on this life. She needs to stomach it.

Plenty of time to break down later.

“Come on, sis.” Harvey pushes himself under Maddie’s arm, his around her waist. “Take a step, yeah?”

I edge the knife out of her hand. The knife I recognize from the sheath jammed between the seats in the truck.

“You’re gonna have to help her.” I point toward the door. “Get her in the truck and the fuck outta here.”

“What about Rae?” Harvey glances to where she stands to the side, hugging herself while the adrenalin shakes its way out of her body. “You want me to take both of them?”

“I got her.” I jerk my head, urging him the fuck out of here, and then duck down to level my gaze with Rae’s. “You think you can hold on to me, baby?”

She nods, rapid and tight, watching Harvey lift his sister into his arms.

“Good.” Feel a fuck load better getting Rae home myself. Can’t risk letting her out of my sight again. Not yet. “Fuck’s sake.” I brush her damp hair behind one ear so I can see her fucking face better. “Gonna take care of you best I can when we get home, okay? But right now, we gotta move before Fox complicates things.”

Another tight nod.

I press a kiss to her forehead and then slide my hand in hers, intent on leading us out of this hellhole, when she jerks hard on my arm. Her fingers bite into my forearm, and I turn back.

My girl throws herself into my arms with such ferocity I stumble back, boot sliding a little in Sweetie’s pooling blood. Arms tight around my waist, Rae buries her face against my chest and lets out a single pained sob.

---