Page 68 of Tempest

I staggered to my feet, swaying. That’s when I saw him -- a cartel member emerging from the smoke, pistol aimed squarely at my chest.

Our eyes locked. Time seemed to freeze.

“Well, shit,” I muttered, staring down the barrel of his gun.

Chapter Twenty

Tempest

My eyes fluttered open, the world a blur of muted colors and hazy shapes. Where the hell was I? The sterile smell hit me first -- antiseptic and bleach. Hospital. Fuck.

I blinked hard, trying to clear my vision. A warm pressure on my hand. Soft fingers intertwined with mine.

“Tempest?” A familiar voice, barely above a whisper. “Can you hear me?”

I turned my head, wincing at the sharp pain that lanced through my skull. Kasen’s face swam into focus, her blue eyes wide with concern.

“Hey,” I croaked, my throat raw. “What happened?”

Kasen leaned in closer, her breath warm on my cheek. “You’re okay. You’re safe now.”

Safe? What the fuck did that mean? My mind raced, grasping for memories that slipped away like smoke.

“The club…” I started, but Kasen squeezed my hand, cutting me off.

“Shh, don’t try to talk too much. You need to rest.”

I growled in frustration, struggling to piece together the fragments in my head. Gunshots. Screaming. The metallic tang of blood.

Kasen’s thumb traced soothing circles on my palm. “I was so worried,” she murmured, her voice cracking slightly. “When they brought you in…”

I stared at her, really seeing her for the first time. Dark circles under her eyes, hair pulled back in a messy ponytail. How long had she been here?

“You stayed,” I said, the words coming out rougher than I intended.

A faint blush colored her cheeks. “Of course, I did. I couldn’t leave you.”

“What if they’d had two groups? The compound could have been hit. The club would have been blindsided, and you’d have…”

She pressed her finger over my lips. “I’m fine. Nothing happened at the compound.”

Something shifted in my chest, an unfamiliar warmth spreading through me. “The others. Are they…”

Kasen’s expression tightened. “Later,” she said firmly. “Right now, you need to focus on getting better.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but exhaustion hit me like a freight train. My eyelids grew heavy, the room starting to fade around the edges.

“Rest,” Kasen whispered, her lips brushing my forehead. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

As I drifted off, one thought echoed in my mind: Thank God I’d made it out of there alive.

* * *

I gritted my teeth, determined to push through the fog of pain and medication. With a grunt, I tried to lever myself up on my elbows. A searing bolt of agony ripped through my side and chest, stealing my breath.

“Tempest, no!” Kasen’s voice was sharp, her hand pressing firmly against my shoulder. “You’re not ready to move yet.”

I glared at her, frustration boiling in my veins. “I’m fine,” I said, but even I could hear the weakness in my voice.

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