Page 24 of Stephan

I nodded numbly as my dad reached over andgently placed his fingers underneath her neck. “She’s alive,Stephan.”

I blinked. It hadn’t even crossed my mind shecould be dead. I just knew she was hurt. Looking around now, Inoticed Derick and three of the guards were gone.

“Brand and Royce went to see who was callingto her, and your bother and Owen went to flag down the police andambulance.”

I couldn’t talk. I nodded and gazed down atmy bruised and broken woman. Rage like nothing I’d ever felt beforespread through me. I stood, and then stomped off in the directedwe’d heard the voice. I knew Jade was safe with my dad but thedickhead who hurt her was fucking dead. I cleared the trees to seethe pub and noticed Royce and Brand holding an old fat man who wastrying to fight them.

Going to them, I let all my rage out. “Lethim go. I want to beat him while he attempts to fight back.” Brandlet go and stepped away but Royce studied me for a moment before henodded to me and let go of the arsehole. I got right up in thebastard’s face. “You like hitting people who can’t defendthemselves. They are half your goddamned size? Let’s see how wellyou fight with someone who can hit back and harder.” I punched himin the face dodging his fist. I repeated my action again aiming forhis other eye. I smiled when I heard the crunch of his nosebreaking. I kept hitting and punching until Brand pulled meoff.

“You need to go. I can hear the sirens.”

I felt a lot calmer now as I stared at thebeaten man. “How you gonna explain that?”

Brand shrugged then punched the concrete wallof the pub. “There we go. I defended myself and he fell a lot.”

Royce chuckled and I looked over to see himgiving a filthy look to the scum doubled over. Royce glanced up atme. “Go, kid. We’ve got you covered. Your girl needs you.”

I ran back to where my dad and Jade. He wason the phone still sitting next to Jade. I plonked down on theother side of her. She groaned and I leaned forward. “Wanker,you’re here. I met your dad.”

My girl was okay if she was calling me names.“I’m here, little bit. I’ll never leave you.”

“I hurt,” she rasped out.

I swallowed the lump clogging my throat. “Iknow. I’m sorry.”

She didn’t answer and her eyes closedagain.

“Stephan, you need to keep her awake. Don’tlet her sleep. The ambulance is here now. I was told not to let hersleep.”

Crap, I didn’t know what to do to keep herawake without hurting her further. Leaning down, I gently brushedher hair away from her face. “Jade, you need to stay awake.”

“Mmm,” she groaned.

I needed her to stay awake. “I put thetracker on your phone and linked it to mine. It’s how I knew whereto find you.”

“Hate you.”

I smiled and thanked God I knew how to pressher buttons. “I bet you don’t. I bet you love me.”

“Err, dream on.” Her voice was gettingfainter but she was still fighting with me.

I stroked her cheek and glanced at my dad whowas still talking on his phone. “I do. They are all filled withyou.”

A wretched sob escaped and tears slid downher cheeks. My heart crumbled at the sight. I’d never felt souseless. I sighed when I saw Derick and Owen guiding the paramedicsto us.

The paramedic took in the situation and wentto Jade. They went to work asking her questions trying to keep herawake. When she stopped they turned to my father who was still onthe phone. Dad pointed to me and the paramedic turned back tome.

“Can you tell me about her? We need to gether out of here fast so walk with me.” Two paramedics lifted heronto a stretcher and I chased after them scared when she didn’twake while they were moving her. “I got out of her that she is JadeBlack, seventeen, and not allergic to anything that she knows of. Ineed to know if she has had anything broken before, and everythingyou can tell me that might help her.”

I was glad for the report I’d gotten on herand told them everything I knew. The police were near the road andI could see them talking to Royce and Brand, but I didn’t see thebastard. I got in the ambulance still talking. I wouldn’t leaveher, they would have to pry me from her side.

*****

I knew why my dad had been on the phone. Assoon as we’d arrived at the hospital a group of doctors took over.A nurse came over to me and dragged me from Jade. “She is in thebest hands. I have no idea who she is but she must be important.They are our senior doctors and I’m told we have a doctor flying infrom Sydney and arriving any minute.”

I owed my dad big time. He must have pulledfavors and pushed his weight around. I paced the waiting room eagerto hear any information on Jade. It was my mother’s arms comingaround me that had me stopping. “Your father and I just becametemporary guardians.”

Love spread through me as I looked down at mymum. My parents were awesome, repeating again that I owed my dadbig time. I knew then for sure who the bastard was I beat. “It washer granddad, wasn’t it?”

---