Page 66 of Saved from Obsession

The tranq gun is in Cole’s hand, aimed and ready to fire. Zane barks, “Don’t move!”

Frank shrieks out a frantic, angry, “NO!” and yanks Georgia off the bed and in front of him seconds before I reach her.

Cole curses, jerking up his gun a moment before firing. “Let hergo,“ he bites out, low and threatening.

Georgia yelps as Frank’s arm comes around her throat, squeezing.

“Let her go!” I roar, frozen ten feet away, desperate to rush to her but afraid he’ll hurt her worse than he is already.

Then his gun comes out from behind his back, pointing at me. “You’re the one,“ he screams, “trying to keep her from me!”

“No!“ Georgia’s expression shifts from fear to panic, then transforming to rage. Her blue eyes bounce from Frank to me, a steely determination in her gaze.

A cold dread blankets me, heavy and terrifying. “Georgia,” I start, “just stay still—”

She nearly growls at Frank, her features strained and angry. “I won’t let you hurt him!”

When she starts to move, I realize what she’s trying to do. The move Rylan taught her, the one she used to escape the last man who attacked her. But this time she’s weak, still unsteady from the drugs he gave her, and she fumbles it.

Instead of knocking him to the ground, she’s now off-balance, so it’s easy for Frank to block her. He shoves her, pushing her behind him, no doubt thinking to still keep her away from us.

As she falls, shock and disappointment ripple across her face. But her distraction worked. It gave Cole the opening to shoot Frank with a dart. In a flash, I think,it’s almost over.

But then.

Georgia’s head collides with the edge of the nightstand, the dull thud the most frightening sound I’ve ever heard. She collapses to the floor and nothing can stop me from leaping toward her—not a gun, not the threat of death, notanything.

Kneeling beside her, my world shrinks until it’s just me and her. She’s crumpled in a heap, her arms sprawled out unnaturally. Eyes closed, not even a flicker of movement beneath her lids, just as still as the rest of her body.

Around me there’s noise, but it’s all distant. Unimportant.

Dimly, I hear Frank whimpering, slurring, “I didn’t mean to hurt her. Iloveher.”

Cole is barking commands, “Rylan, Zane—tie him up and get him out of here. Niall, call the police. I’ll check on Georgia.”

I want to touch Georgia, but I’m afraid to hurt her. “Sweetheart,” I beg, my voice shaking. “Wake up,please.”

Her chest is still rising and falling, but the panic is shattering. I know firsthand that head injuries can range from minor to devastating. All I want to do is pull her into my arms and see those big blue eyes open up to look at me.

Not to see the woman I love more than my own life unconscious and unresponsive and—everything goes cold inside—she’sbleeding. Spreading out from under her head, crimson is soaking into her golden hair, turning it a violent red.

“Cole!“ It’s a barely restrained shout. “She’sbleeding.”

As Cole drops down beside me, I pick up Georgia’s limp hand and keep repeating, “Sweetheart, it’s all over. You’re safe. Come back to me.”

Cole checks her heart rate, her breathing, telling me, “It’s a little weak but steady.” But it’s not enough to reassure me.

It’s not enough when he lifts her lids to look at her pupils and says, “I’m sure she’ll wake up soon,” because his voice is tense with worry.

Each minute that passes without Georgia waking, the deeper the panic goes.

As the sirens draw closer and her eyes still don’t open, I feel my world coming down around me.

“Georgia, please.” My voice is cracking, I don’t care that paramedics are now swarming into the room and can hear me. “Please, sweetheart. It’s time to wake up now.Come back to me.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR

LEO

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