Page 127 of Dozer

A low wail vibrated from her into me. Her broken and bloody nails gripped me.

“You’re a fighter, baby.”

“But I lost. He…he…”

“Shh. You survived.”

Romeo burst into the cabin. His gaze darted around the room, landing on Pippa violently quivering in my arms.

His lips trembled, and his jaw clenched. He fell to his knees beside us. Pippa curled her fingers in his hair as Romeo dropped his head into her lap.

Pippa

Warm cotton surrounded me.Dozer.I could smell him, the scent of cigarettes and spice. At first, I thought my mind had conjured what I most desperately needed. No one knew where to find me. Quinn promised I’d live or die in this cabin.

I decided to die. I chose. Only he was determined to see me suffer first.

I tunneled my fingers through Romeo’s silken hair as his body shook. Dozer kissed my closed eyes, holding me in his protective arms.

They’d found me. They’d saved me.

A guttural moan rent the air. Rogue stood over Quinn as he crumpled into a chair. Blood smeared across his battered face.

Rogue shoved a pen into his hand, but Quinn dropped it. Rogue spoke low in Quinn’s ear. Whatever he said, Quinn disagreed with. He shook his head, refusing to take the pen.

Gripping Quinn’s forearm, Blade slammed Quinn’s palm to the table. “Pick up the fucking pen.”

Quinn shook his head again. With a quick movement, Vance swung a hammer and crushed Quinn’s pinky. A blood curdling scream rent the air.

Romeo lifted his head.

“He can’t suffer enough.” The vehemence in his voice made my tummy quiver.

My gaze locked on Romeo’s green eyes. He was hurting—for me.

Every muscle in my body ached. My bones throbbed. I’d cried, screamed, and begged only to bebound, gagged, and hurt. I didn’t want to think past the bruises and cuts.

“I hear nothing,” I said.

“There are two hundred and six bones in the human body,” Vance said to Quinn. “Twenty-seven in the hand. That was one.”

Color drained from Gabi’s face. She turned away from Vance and squeezed Hana’s hand. My gaze softened on them.

“Gabi,” I croaked. My throat was fire, gritty and hoarse because Quinn had choked me too many times. I’d dived deep into the blackness of unconsciousness. I still remembered too much. My stomach rolled, bile churning in my empty belly.

Gabi rushed to my side. Hana wiped tears from her eyes and sat next to us.

“Can I get you a drink?” Hana asked.

“I’m fine.” I kept one hand on Dozer, to feel the heat of his flesh, to know he really was here with me. The other on Romeo in an attempt to comfort him.

One of Dozer’s large hands held my hip, keeping me tucked close, the other roamed over me, chasing the memory of the monster’s touch with his. I desperately needed this man, the man who haunted me, the touch I craved in the dark.

Romeo shifted to my side. I needed him too, his smile, his laugh, but like me, he was drowning in the ugly reminders on my body. I’d seen what I looked like in the mirror—when Quinn had allowed me to use the bathroom. He’d watched. He’d admired the damage he’d inflicted on my body. The strangulation marks on my neck, the perfect ovals from where he had choked me with the dog collar.

Dozer had covered my torso, but the crusted blood on my legs and between my thighs said more than I wanted them to know.

Gabi took my hand in hers and gently rubbed her thumb over the angry red welts and cuts from the belt.

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