Page 11 of Blissful Vixen

Smelling them, he smirked before putting them into his back pocket.

“Hey! Gimme those back!”

“Not a chance in hell.” Then he turned and went into the living room as if nothing had happened.

I kicked the door closed, only to hear him laughing from somewhere on the other side.

“Dick,” I mumbled.

I then went to shower to calm my nerves. After I was done, I needed to call Tia for backup. I’d deviated from the plan completely and needed to regroup especially since I couldn’t think of a single reason to turn away from Hardison.

HARDISON

Imade a sandwich because all the food we’d consumed seemed to disappear. It happened all the time with me and rice.

I decided to ask if Emberlynn wanted anything, but as soon as I walked to her door, I heard her on the phone talking to someone.

“So, girl, you never told him that you didn’t plan to stay?”

“No, what was I supposed to say? Sorry that you’re in pain, but I lost my job and can’t afford to stay. No. I couldn’t do that to him.”

“Why, because he’s injured? You need to figure out what you want to do. There’s no reason to drag this on for him if you’re ready to leave.”

“That’s just it.”

I moved away from the door, removing myself from listening to her side of the conversation. Emberlynn was too good to be true. I’d thought I’d stumbled upon an angel, only to find out that she was a liar instead. It was not like we were in love or anything. She’d only been here for two days, so she’d had no real reason, to be honest. I guess you couldn’t find innocent people anywhere.

* * *

Moving through the heavy thickets of trees, I ducked as bullets zoomed past me. Wooden stalks splintered as I passed them, high weeds and big leaves slowed down my escape. I’d studied the map of the area so much that I felt like each path out of here was etched in my brain.

“Curie, you’ve got to move, or I won’t be able to stay to retrieve you. They’ve got choppers on the way. I see cars along the hillside, and there’s something moving in the water.”

Shots whizzed around me, hitting rocks, trees, and even bodies. The cries of wounded soldiers sang out in a harmonious defeat. I tried to help rescue them, but there was no way I would have time to help men who were dead. I’d sent two men ahead of me with a female soldier who’d been held hostage for months. She’d been forgotten for over thirty years in this land, and I wouldn’t let her die here. Even if I couldn’t make it to safety, she would.

“Get out of there, Curie! You’re surrounded to the west. Abort the mission. Move your ass!”

I lifted my hand to press the comm when I saw the clearing, I was looking for. I picked up speed, and as soon as I was out of the wooded area, a bullet pierced my thigh. Losing my balance, I fell head first into the ground, where a rock cut into my face. Pain drummed through my body so hard that I couldn’t breathe. Something wet leaked from my face as I sputtered to speak. Movement came from the direction I was running to. A shit ton of ammunition was unloaded around me. Then I felt hands lifting me. Before I could object to letting them know there was something in my face, I was lifted from the ground.

Cursing sounded as I was carried to the chopper. The sky whirled as they rushed me to safety. I didn’t think I was going to make it, so it was all for nothing. I hope there were no lives lost to save me because I was about to join them.

AIR.

I gasped for as much of it as I could. I felt a presence nearby, and struck out to kill, not harm. The person jumped back, and when I went for them again, there was a feminine scream that brought me back to reality, and the light flipped on.

Emberlynn.

I closed my eyes tight and tried to breathe through the anxiety taking over. I almost killed her.

Not. Enough. Air.

My face. I touched it only to find it dry and scarred. Tightness made my chest heavy like a fuel truck was sitting on it.

Barely. Breathing.

The bullet pierced my thigh again. I squeezed my eyes closed as a bell rang inside my ears. Over. And. Over. Blood. I was covered in it and trying to focus, but the chopper…

“Hardison!”

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