Page 55 of Forever Mine

Jay was yelling something that I assumed were encouragements as he began fighting with the straps again. I tried a key in the collar but it didn’t work. “Shit. Shit.” My hands shook as I tried for another one.

Dr. Kiley stirred but still didn’t wake. Third one was a dud too. Finally, fucking finally, the fourth one worked and the chain fell to the floor. Dr. Kiley groaned.

I ignored him completely, grabbed the gun off the table, and ran over to Jay. I put the gun on his lap. I had no idea how to use that thing, he was our better chance if we needed it. He had managed to get his arms out of the first two straps. It wasenough for him to bend over and start on the ropes around his feet. I knelt behind him and started on the locks on the straps.

“So many fucking mini padlocks.” I muttered. Jay snorted around the tape that was wrapped around his head in layers and layers and covered the whole bottom half of his face, besides his nostrils. I got one undone. I was struggling on the next when Dr. Kiley cursed and climbed to his feet. “You little fucks.” He barreled toward us. Jay held up the gun, freezing him on the spot.

“Don’t fucking move, Doctor,” I supplied for Jay since he still couldn’t speak. “I promise you, Jay won’t hesitate to shoot and I doubt he’ll aim for your leg.” Jay cocked the gun.

He didn’t get the chance to shoot before police lights filled the windows, followed by the sound of sirens.

“SWAT team, drop your weapons and hands in the air!” Jay let the gun hit thefloor just as the door was kicked in and the SWAT team raided the place.

CHAPTER 24

JAY

Everythingafter the gun hit the floor was a blur. I remember SWAT raiding the place and tackling Dr. Kiley to the ground. There was a lot of commotion and Dakota was pulled away from me, as they got me outta the chair.

I was screaming for him, and I could hear Kota responding, but he sounded so far away. By the time the paramedics stabilized my leg and got me out of the house on a gurney, I was starting to lose consciousness again. The last thing I remembered was Dakota’s face and his mouth moving before he kissed my cheek. Then the world went black.

“He’s staying with me while he recovers.”

“Dakota, honey, you’re recovering from your own concussion, and you’re on the 6thfloor. With his injuries—”

“Ma, I get you’re worried, but I’m not budging. No offense, Beck, but you and Riley don’t know how to treat post-op gun wounds, I do. I’ll also make sure he does rehab and follows his treatment. I know I have to take it easy, but by the timeJay’s released, I should be almost recovered from the concussion anyway, and all my other injuries are superficial.”

Voices started to filter into my consciousness. It was a jumble and took me a long time to make sense of it and who was talking. My whole body felt heavy, and I couldn’t find the energy to open my eyes. It felt important that I did but I didn’t know why.

The voices went in and out as I fought to stay awake, but eventually I managed to push through the fog and my eyes fluttered open.

“Dakota, he’s waking up!” That voice sounded familiar, and by the time someone was next to me, holding my hands, it registered, “Beck?”

“Yeah, man, it’s me. You scared the fuck outta us.”

I was still trying to make sense of his words when everything came back to me in a rush. I tried to sit up.

“Hey, easy there. You just had surgery.” I couldn’t even think about that now.

“Dakota!”

“I’m right here, love.” A warm hand circled mine and squeezed, “I’m right here.”

I turned my head toward the voice and the blurry shape started to take focus.

Dakota stood next to me. He had a soft smile on his face even though his eyes were filled with concern. There was a nasty bruise on his cheek, and his lip was swollen, but he looked whole, okay.

“Dakota,” I croaked. It seemed to be the only words I managed. Tears filled his eyes.

“I’m okay. We’re safe, baby. We’re okay.”

I tried to nod, but the movement made my head feel like someone was taking a hammer to it.

“Take it easy, Jay. You just had surgery, and you have a nasty concussion.”

“Surgery? What happened?”

Dakota filled me in on the blank spaces of my memory. I passed out before I even got into the ambulance. Wes had been at the scene, but they forced Beck and Riley to stay at Shauna and Patrick’s place, which was apparently only a few miles away from where we were being held. Go fucking figure. Once we were out, the whole ass crew met us at the hospital. Even now, my room was pretty crowded with Dakota, Beck and Riley, and Shauna. Wes, Patrick, and a slew of Kelly kids were all in the waiting room. It was fuckin’ wild.

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