Page 74 of Found By Him

That’s when I feel what I’ve been trying to avoid start happening. Craig’s aggressive movements throw me off balance even more on the narrow steps. Weightlessness surrounds me as we both start tumbling down the stairs.

Even with my body half on top of Craig’s back, I grit my teeth when pain shoots up my arm as we land on the concrete floor.

“Fuck,” I groan as I push my weight into Craig to hold him in place. He lets out a whimper but doesn’t attempt to push me off.

Nate’s at my side a moment later. “You okay, man?”

“My arm,” I bark out, trying to catch my breath. I’m positive that at least one bone is broken. And quite possibly a rib. I jut my chin toward the door a few feet away from us. “Go check that room over there.”

He runs over and bursts through the door. “Jack, she’s in here,” he calls out. I hold my breath until he tells me if she’s okay. “She’s alive. Unconscious but alive.”

My eyes burn with emotion at his words, relief blanketing my senses. I push all my weight into Craig as I drag my bruised and probably broken body to standing, causing him to cry out. I kick him onto his back so I can look into his eyes. Squatting over him, I press the barrel of my gun right behind his ear. I’m grateful I landed on my non-dominant arm when we fell. “You’re fucking lucky, Craig. If she wasn’t alive, you wouldn’t be either.”

Carlos thunders down the stairs. “Nate called and said you found her.” His eyes scan me. “Jesus Christ, are you okay?”

“Watch him. I need to see her.” I stumble away, my feet bringing me in her direction as my heart reaches out to her.

My chest aches when I turn into the room. My beautiful, precious Gisella is lifeless in Nate’s arms. She looks so fragile. My breath hitches in my throat, dread taking over my momentary relief.

“She’s alive, Jack. Just focus on that.”

I can’t respond, so I nod.

“The ambulance is here. We need to get you both checked out.”

I follow Nate and Gisella through the house in a daze. All I can see are the bruises and dirt that cover her. Not being the one carrying her is tearing me apart, but with my injuries, if I were to drop her and cause her more pain, I would never forgive myself.

40

Ella

The lights. They’re so bright. And everything still hurts. Why does everything still hurt? I want to go back to the place where nothing hurts.

“Okay, Ella. I’ll go get the nurse to give you some more pain meds.”

Tyler? Did I say that last thought out loud? Why is he in this house? Nurse? He says something else, but I slip back into nothingness.

I try to turn over,but I’m tangled up in something. Am I still restrained? I start to fight with whatever is holding me down.

“Gisella! Stop, please. You are going to rip out your IVs.”

Jack. He’s here. Whereverhere is.

IVs.

Nurses.

I must be in the hospital. My body calms at the realization.

“That’s it, baby. Just relax and get some more sleep.”

Get some more sleep. That’s funny, because all I have been doing is sleeping. I don’t want to sleep anymore.

“I know. I want you to wake up too, but the doctors say this is what your body must need right now.”

Well, if the doctors say…

My nose tickles.I scrunch it to ward off what I know is coming, mostly because I’m afraid of how badly my body will hurt when I do it. But it’s no use. I sneeze and immediately cry out from the pain.

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