Page 179 of Saving the Halfback

I tried to get up, but Ethan put a hand on my shoulder, holding me still.

“Let me up,” I demanded.

Nolan pushed Ethan’s hand away, and even though he was struggling himself, he helped me get to my feet. With his support, I hobbled over to Ed.

“You sick son of a bitch. Think you can just die so easily?” Lachlan growled. Ed’s eyes bulged with fear as he gasped forair, the weight of Lachlan’s foot likely suffocating. Blood pooled quickly beneath him. “You dare touch her and think you can just escape through death? I hope the gates of hell open up for you. I hope you drown in the blood of sinners. I hope you burn slowly, agonizingly. And when you beg for mercy, I hope you remember them. I hope their eyes haunt you, even in your death.”

Ed’s dark eyes shifted to mine, and it was almost as if he were begging me. For what? Mercy. How dare he? Something in me snapped, and a slow smile spread across my face. I could feel warm liquid dripping down, following the curve of my chin. “It’s about time someone taught you a lesson,” I rasped.

Realization dawned on Ed as Lachlan added more pressure to his chest, and I stood there, watching, as Ed desperately clawed at Lachlan’s boot, struggling to pull in a breath that was just out of reach. Until he lay still, his eyes glazing over, lifeless.

“That’s enough bleeding,” Ethan said, as if I could do anything about it. I rolled my eyes at him, but when he scooped me up, I cried out.

“My arm!” I pulled it out from between our bodies.

“B.” Ethan quickly walked with me to the truck. Chase lowered the tailgate for us, and Ethan sat me on it.

First, my eyes landed on Gracie. She stood not far from the truck, staring at me. Her face was red and tearstained, a little blood on her cheek, but otherwise, she looked untouched. Then my eyes swung to them.

The four of them just stood there, their gazes on me.

Lachlan was shaking with rage, but he was the first to step forward. I didn’t doubt, by the look in his eyes, that he wanted nothing more than to bring Ed back from the grave just so he could put him in it again. Despite the coldness in his eyes, he reached out with gentle fingers as he touched my arm. “It’s swollen and turning purple,” he growled.

“I don’t think it’s broken.” I could feel the pain radiating deep into my bones, but I could still move my fingers. That meant something…right?

Ethan moved next, though it wasn’t to me. He turned and stalked into the house behind him.

Nolan stepped up, and I found myself closing my eyes. The longer I sat there, the more pain I felt. My head throbbed, like the worse migraine I had ever experienced. Nolan took my chin in his hands and tilted it up, inspecting the side of my face.

“Is it bad?” I asked, my energy depleting fast.

He brushed my hair back. “You’re going to need stitches. What did he cut you with?”

“Pocket knife.”

“Don’t you ever leave me again,” Nolan snapped, but he didn’t get angry the way Chase tended to. I doubted Nolan could ever get angry with me.

I reached out to touch his cheek, but my body swayed forward. Nolan caught me, helping me lie down. Suddenly, the tailgate became the most comfortable bed ever. I curled up on my side.

“Stay awake, baby.” Lachlan’s voice was soothing.

“Mmm. Maybe. Just ten more minutes,” I whispered.

66

Chase

Nolan and Lachlan were shaking her when Ethan got back, demanding she wake up. All I could do was watch.

Ethan had a cloth in his hand and was cleaning the long, jagged cut that ran from her temple down to her jawline as he spoke, coaxing her to open her eyes for him.

And if we lost her?

All I could see was that deranged man holding her up by the hair, slicing the blade down the side of her head. Her face was swelling at an alarming rate, a concussion was a certainty. What had she been hit with? And what about other damage? What if none of it was repairable?

I could feel the coldness seeping in. I could feel the loss before there even was one, and I was scared. Fear like I had never felt before shook me to my bones and rendered me speechless. Useless.

“Wide Back Yellow,” Nolan said, his voice pulling me out of my own head.

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