Page 54 of Cautious

Giving in to the terror, I close my eyes and let the blackness take me. Anything to escape this pain.

“Oh, no, you don’t.” I hear before a hand yanks my hair hard, making me scream as stars explode behind my eyes.

Christian is now on his knees beside me, his face inches from mine, as he holds me in place by my hair.

“You didn’t heed my warning. Perhaps I was too lenient. It’s a mistake you won’t make again.” He lifts his phone and waves it at me with a smile before hitting a button and waiting for someone to answer.

“You see, you lied to me back at the house when you pretended you couldn’t remember me, then again when you said you’d be a good girl. It shouldn’t come as a surprise then to find out you’re not the only one who lied.”

My head hurts too much to understand what he’s talking about, images and words blurring together in a kaleidoscope of sound and colors.

“It’s done,” a voice says over the line before hanging up. Christian’s cold eyes fill with glee as they stare into mine.

“Perhaps now that I’ve taken care of that little problem, you’ll finally realize there is no one coming for you. There is nothing for you anywhere anymore but me.”

And just like that, everything stops spinning, and one word slips into place. Bomb. He’s talking about the bomb.

“No,” I moan. “No, no,no!” I scream, the sound muffled like I’m underwater.

I tear myself from his hold, feeling my hair rip out at the roots as I drag myself across the floor. I have to get home. I have to get to Blake. Oh god. Please, no. I try to open my mouth to yell for help, but the pain is so debilitating it drains what little strength I have left. My nails snap as I try to claw my way down the aisle, but a foot pressing down between my shoulder blades halts my movements. The steady stream of blood running down my face pools beneath me, mixing with my snot and tears, but I don’t care. Blake and the guys are gone. And it’s all my fault.

I picture Marcus with spinach in his teeth and Arlo hugging me just to piss Blake off. I see Banner and Kellen play, fighting over the last cookie before Blake’s dimpled smile drowns out everything else. A smile I never knew I needed. A smile I can’t live without.

A high-pitched keening makes me flinch, the sound so full of grief and sorrow that it hurts my ears and pierces my heart. I try to shut it out, but it’s coming from me and I can’t make it stop.

This time, when the darkness comes, I welcome it in all its inky glory. I’m done, so fucking done with this life that’s done nothing but fuck me over. I don’t want to imagine a world without Blake in it. If he’s gone, I don’t want to be here either.Closing my eyes, I listen to the distant sound of thunder as it grows louder and louder and let everything else disappear.

Blake

I hear them before I see them, thanks to the thunderous roar of their motorcycles. When we turn into the parking lot, I spot the crowd of bikers gathered around a cluster of chapels. As soon as Reign pulls over, I’m out of the car and heading toward the blue chapel where most of the bikers are standing.

Nobody tries to stop me when I head inside. I move down the dimly lit corridor and yank open the first door I come to. I freeze and stare in horror at the sight of Callie lying on the floor, covered in blood, with her head in a biker’s lap. I roar in anguish, my pain and anger needing an outlet as I look at my girl lying bloody and bruised. How many times can I let someone down? It’s like Afghanistan all over again. I failed to protect my men, and now I’ve failed to protect my girl.

I’m on my knees beside her in moments, my hands hovering over her, afraid to touch her and cause her any more pain.

I look at the biker, who speaks briefly “It’s mostly her head and jaw, from what I can tell. Hold her hand, talk to her. Let her know you’re here.” I nod in understanding.

I lean over her and place my lips as close to her ear as I can without making contact. “I swear, I leave you alone for five minutes.” I chuckle, but I can hear how forced it feels andthe sadness in it. When she doesn’t answer, I drag in a ragged breath. “Please, baby, I need you to wake up,” I plead. “I need to see those big eyes of yours flash with gold as you scowl at me. There is so much I haven’t told you yet, so many things you need to know, things I should have said before, but I was a fucking coward. You need to wake up, Callie, so I can tell you.”

She still doesn’t respond, and I feel myself getting angry, not at her but at the whole fucking universe. Why did this happen? In what fucking world is it okay? I want to take her place, take every bruise, every cut, every wound from her as my own, just so she doesn’t feel a second more of this pain.

“If you don’t wake up, I’ll be forced to tell all these bikers about your toy collection. What are they again? Oh, that’s right, the Invader, the Womb Raider, and the Incredible Bulk.”

I hear the biker supporting her head let out a surprised chuckle. But that’s not what has my head lifting; it’s the groan emanating from Callie. And I swear to fucking god, it’s the most beautiful sound in the world.

“Meanie,” she manages to get out, her words slurred before she passes out once more.

I look at the biker and grin.

“She is going to kick your ass when she wakes up,” he tells me, making my grin bigger.

“I’m fucking counting on it.” It was only one word, but it’s enough to give me hope that she’ll be okay.

Everything moves fast after that as paramedics come rushing through the door. They head toward us, then veer off to the left, making me frown and look over at them. That’s when I see another body crumpled on the floor on the opposite side of the makeshift aisle.

A tall, blonde-haired biker steps into their path. “No, you’ll see to her first.”

They don’t argue—wisely so, judging from the pissed-off look on his face. They head over to us, moving me and the biker out of the way so they can assess Callie’s injuries.

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