Page 92 of Savage Seduction

Bretton pulls his gun up to the ready and starts up the stairs, me desperately trying to trail closely behind him. The room tilts as my breaths raggedly heave from my chest, my arm aches, my belly tightens with fear. Bretton looks back at me and purses his lips. I figure he either thinks I’m too injured to come along, or he wants me to stay back. But there's no one who could convince me to stay. Not with the possibility one of Viktor’s followers is still in the house and Ben is up there unprotected. We quickly reach the landing with no sign of anyone that shouldn’t be there.

When we enter the bedroom, Bretton makes a sweep of the room, bathroom, and closet, while I rush to Ben’s side. There’s so much blood soaking the bedding and mattress.

Is he still alive? I touch two fingers to Ben’s neck and hold my breath. A rush of emotion swells inside me when I feel thesoft, rapid pulse. “He’s going to need the EMTs, he’s lost so much blood. His heart is steady but fast.”

“Ambulance is already en route, Max,” Bretton says, putting a hand on my shoulder. “They’re coming for both of you.”

Without thinking about a better option, I take off my own shirt and wrap it tightly around the wound on Ben’s thigh and keep my finger on his pulse to make sure his heart doesn’t stop. The distant sound of sirens grows louder. My shoulders sag. “They’re coming, Ben. They’re going to save you.”

Ben’s eyes flicker open, and a soft smile crosses his face. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

I force down my rising emotions and swallow hard. “Don’t speak. Save your strength, the EMTs are almost here.”

Ben closes his eyes. I feel a stab of guilt more painful than the actual stab I’d experienced at the hands of a madman. I look up at Bretton. “Thank you for coming for me. How’d you know I was here?”

“I’ve been following you,” he says softly. “I know we were honest with each other about who we were, but I still had a job to do, and the only way I could do it was to follow you.”

“I never wanted to kill anyone.” I shake my head. “But he said he would never give up until I was destroyed.”

“Don’t think about any of that right now,” Bretton says. “He’s dead now… he’ll never hurt another innocent person again. The world has you to thank for that.”

I nod and hold out my hand. “Thank you.”

Bretton holds it for a few moments and then says, “You’re welcome.”

The paramedics rush into the room and separate everyone, pulling me into the hallway while one of them assesses Ben.

“Sir, I’m going to need to take you to the hospital and get you checked out. You’ve got an egg-sized knot on your head that’ll need a CT Scan.”

I know better than to argue with them. If they say I need to go, I'm all theirs. “Please save Ben… please!” Tears fill my eyes as they start to pull me away from him. My heart aches as I see him lying there covered in his own blood. His wounds far too severe for me to simply kiss them away.

“He’s in good hands,” the medic says. “Do you think you can walk down the stairs to the rig with me?”

I nod, and the medic keeps one hand on me at all times while we make our way outside. The bright sunlight blasts a hole through my head, and I clamp my eyes shut. “I can’t keep them open.”

“This way, sir.” The medic takes me by the arm and leads me to the back of the ambulance. “Up you go.”

I get up into the rig and lay down on the stretcher. I keep my eyes closed while the medic takes my vitals. I can tell by the jostling of the vehicle we are on our way to County Hospital—it's going to be another long night.

CHAPTER 36

Max

The incessant blip of my heartbeat on the monitor next to my hospital bed is anything but restful. I ask the nurse if they can silence it, but she informs me of a lengthy ICU policy which ends in no.

I reach for the cup of water on the bedside table and sip it slowly. The cool water feels wonderful as it passes my chapped lips and sore throat. I don’t remember being choked, but if the bruising around my throat is any indication, I have been—an inch from my life. The door to my room opens, and I half expect a very experienced and no-nonsense nurse to come in and educate me on how lucky I am to be alive. Though, after multiple attacks on myself and my friends, I feel far from lucky.

Someone pulls the curtain back enough for them to pop their head through and say hello.

“Max? Is it all right if I come in?” Ben asks.

My stomach tightens when I think about the last talk we had, but I am also relieved to see him up and around. “Come in, please… I was hoping we were brought to the same hospital. How’d you find me? I thought I was listed as a John Doe until the police decide I’m safe.”

Ben wheels himself past the curtain in his wheelchair. “I work here... I know how to access the computer.” He shrugs. “Just don’t tell anyone. I don’t want to get into trouble.”

“Believe me, I won’t say a word.” I smile. “You’re in a wheelchair? Are you able to walk?” I glance down at Ben’s legs but don’t see any braces or casts.

“Hospital policy. I’m not able to walk around the hallways without someone accompanying me, and I couldn’t wait to come see how you were doing.”

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