Page 44 of Jonathan

Breathless and with branches scratching at her skin, she forged ahead, her mind focused on survival. She knew she couldn't stop, couldn't rest, until she found help.

Every rustle in the underbrush sent waves of terror through her, but she pressed on, driven by the hope that Jon and his men were out there, searching for her. She had to stay strong, for herself and for them.

She broke off a scream when she heard the footsteps thundering behind her and seemed to be bridging the distance. She had to get away. If he caught up to her, she knew without a doubt that all bets were off. He would kill her.

The stone was hidden beneath a mound of grass, and she did not see it until her foot was tangled. She fell heavily onto her stomach, the breath knocked out of her. Fear and pain had her screaming as he landed on top of her.

“You’re going to pay for what you did, bitch.” He whispered in her ear. “I had envisioned a nice warm mattress for this part of it, but here will do just fine.” His words served as a method of giving her renewed strength. If he expected her to be compliant, he was going to be sadly mistaken.

Waiting until he had flipped her over, she aimed for his face and tore at his flesh. His scream rent the air and for a minute, he did not react. She took that minute to try and knee him in the groin again, but this time he was ready for her.

Grabbing the front of her shirt, he ripped it all the way down and was reaching for her bra when she renewed her effort to fight him off.

Meanwhile, Jon and his men raced through the woods, their determination unwavering. The sound of hooves thundered in the night, a relentless pursuit to save Kamilah. Jon's thoughts were consumed with finding her, his prayers becoming a silentmantra as he led the charge through the dense forest. He couldn't afford to lose her.

The sudden scream rent the air and sent chills up and down his spine.

Jon's heart raced as he urged his horse forward, the scream propelling him with newfound urgency. "This way!" He shouted, signaling his men to follow. The trees blurred past him as he navigated the treacherous terrain, praying they were not too late.

Back in the clearing, Kamilah fought with every ounce of strength she had left. Her vision blurred by tears and pain; she refused to let her captor win. She managed to grab a nearby branch, swinging it with all her might, connecting with his head. He stumbled back, momentarily disoriented.

Seizing the opportunity, she scrambled to her feet and ran, pain and fear powering her steps. The forest seemed endless, her hope wavering with each passing second. But she couldn't stop now. Not when she was so close.

Jon's group burst into the clearing just as Kamilah broke through the trees on the other side. "There she is!" One of his men shouted. Jon's heart nearly stopped at the sight of her. But his relief was short lived.

He was concentrating on the woman in front of him and none of them noticed that Sullivan had staggered to his feet. Raising his arm, he fired a shot that had everyone frozen in place for a second.

“No!” Springing from his horse, Jon raced towards her, as she fell face down in the grass. Another shot rang out, but he did not notice or care about any of it. Not even when Bill shouted that they had the bastard.

“Baby.” His voice broke as he slid to his knee and turned her over carefully. His body went weak when he saw the blood oozing from her left shoulder. “No! No! No!” Ripping off his jacket, he pressed it against the wound to staunch the flow of blood.

“Boss?” He looked up as Bill approached cautiously.

“She has been shot!” he was unaware that tears were running down his cheeks. “Call the ambulance.”

*****

The wait seemed interminable. At one point, he could swear she was not breathing. Her pulse was so faint that it took several attempts for him to even find it. Then the EMTs were finally there and administering CPR.

Before long, the area was crawling with cops, securing the scene, and declaring Sullivan dead. None of that mattered to him, except the woman on the stretcher, who was not responding.

“I’m going with her.” He jumped into the ambulance and sat there staring at the still form. Her blood was still on his hands.

“What are her chances?” He asked hoarsely as they continued to examine her.

“The bullet is lodged in her shoulder.” The technician told him grimly. “And we’re trying to stop the bleeding. Here we are.” The ambulance screeched to a halt in front of the emergency door of the hospital.

Doctors rushed forward, having been alerted by the technicians and in short order, she was transferred from the vehicle.

“Jon, we’ve got her.” The hospital had been funded by the McCarthy’s for years and everyone knew them.

He simply nodded and trailed behind the team as they rushed her inside and headed straight for the operating theater.

He paced the sterile hallway, the scent of antiseptic and the hushed whispers of hospital staff doing little to calm his racing heart. Time seemed to stretch and warp, each minute an eternity. Jon's mind was a whirlwind of fear and guilt, replaying the moment over and over. How could he let this happen? He should have been more vigilant, more careful.

“Would you like some coffee?”

He had finally made his way into a private waiting room and was just sitting there, staring at his blood-stained hand. He really should wash it off, he thought dazedly. Looking up at the nurse standing just inside the room, he gave her a blank stare. “What?”

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