Page 96 of Pulse

A bullet hit directly in front of her, spraying gravel and drawing a shriek from her.

“You got this, baby. You’re such a fucking badass. Almost there.”

If she hadn’t loved the man before, she certainly did now. For him to use his energy to encourage and compliment her had her blinking back tears amidst her terror.

They reached the transformer after what felt like an hour but had only been a few seconds. Liv shouted, but Talia couldn’t hear it over her harsh breathing and pounding pulse.

“One more burst of effort, Tal. Haul his heavy ass behind this box.”

She inhaled a deep breath and let out a long wail as she used the last of her energy to help heave Spec behind the transformer. All she wanted to do was slump against the box and breathe, or better yet, kiss the hell out of Pulse, but her man went straight to work on Spec’s injury and might need help.

Now that they were once again hidden, the gunfire stopped. “H-how can I help?” she asked between rapid breaths.

Pulse grabbed the back of her head and yanked her in for a quick, hard kiss. “Fuck, I love you so much, Talia.”

She blinked.

He didn’t mean that, right? It had to be the heat of the moment.

Now, her heart was racing for a different reason.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

WAS THERE A more incredible woman than Talia?

Pulse doubted it.

Who else would risk their life to save a man who’d held a gun to their head not one week before?

He shed his cut, then his T-shirt. “Ball this up and hold it on the wound. Don’t be shy. Push fucking hard.”

Talia reached for it with trembling hands. She was terrified and running on adrenaline, probably with some lingering caffeine in her system. She tended to forget to eat and consumed gallons of coffee when she worked late. But she took his shirt and pressed it to Spec’s leg with firm, confident pressure as though she dodged bullets and tended gunshot wounds every day.

Christ, he really fucking loved this woman. The timing sucked, but he’d meant what he said. Later, he’d repeat it hundreds of times if he needed to, whatever it took to make sure she believed him.

He could sit there all night and drool over her competence and trust in him, but each passing second meant more danger to Spec’s life.

Thank fuck he wore a belt that day. Most of the time he didn’t bother but had that day for some reason.

Some cosmic intuition he didn’t believe in.

Working as quickly as possible, he undid his belt and slid it out of the loops with one long tug. Talia watched him with a slightly dazed expression as he slipped the belt under Spec’s thigh as high as he could manage.

“Okay, brother, this is gonna hurt like a fucking bitch, not gonna lie. But the way you’re bleeding makes me worry they hit the artery, and there’s no fucking way you’re bleeding out on me tonight. He threaded the belt through the buckle and looked Spec in the eye. “That means you gotta suck it the fuck up. Don’t be a whiney pussy.”

Spec’s laugh was a weak testament to how much blood he’d lost in a few short minutes—minutes that felt like ages.

“Do your worst,” he croaked.

With a nod, Pulse yanked as hard as he could, cinching the belt around Spec’s thigh. His brother let out a primal wail of pain, but it worked. The fountain of blood streaming from his femoral artery slowed to a trickle.

At Spec’s agonized scream, Talia’s expression turned to one of horror, but she bit her lower lip and kept pressure on the wound. Her trust that he knew what to do and how to do it was goddamn everything.

“Spec?” Liv shouted through the quiet night. “Are you okay? What’s happening?” She sounded seconds away from full-on hysteria. Being separated from him while listening to his spine-chilling cry had to be torture.

“I-I can’t shout,” he rasped, panting. “Not enough breath.”

“H-he’s okay,” Talia shouted for him. “He’s okay, Liv. Pulse is taking care of him.”

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