Page 95 of Undeniable

Clay was behind him, and I wondered how many more were outside.

“Can you deal with him?” I asked Clay, my eyes on Olivia. “I waited as long as I could.”

“On it.” Clay grabbed a zip tie from George’s back pocket, binding George’s wrists behind his back.

Wyatt crouched beside Olivia, and I joined him, carefully cutting the ties that had bound her wrists. Outrage and despair lanced through me at the sight of the lines from where the plastic had dug into her skin.

I clenched my fists at my sides. This was all my fault. Pain twisted with anger and regret. If I hadn’t visited, George never would’ve targeted her.

“Pulse is good, but she’s not waking up,” Wyatt said, confirming my fears.

An eerie silence followed.

“Olivia.” I gasped for air, wishing I could hold her to me, but knowing better than to move her. All the while, it felt as if my chest were collapsing.

“Goody,” I pleaded, begging her to open her eyes. Wake up. Something.

I’d never experienced suffering like this. Not when I’d been shot. Not even when I’d gone through SERE training as a SEAL. Absolutely nothing could’ve prepared me for this blazing agony.

And yet, she didn’t move. Her eyes were closed as if she were sleeping, but I knew better.

I didn’t want to move her, but an ambulance would take too long. So I scooped her into my arms, knowing we needed to get her to a hospital. “Goody. Please wake up.”

She was… Oh god. Why hadn’t I told her I loved her? Because I did. So, so much.

Now, I might never… I squeezed my eyes shut briefly. This was all my fault.

I searched her for any sign of injury, but I found none. At least not apart from the red marks around her wrists. Why wouldn’t she wake up?

“Likely a concussion. No other obvious signs of injury.” Wyatt’s voice sounded calm, clinical; I was anything but.

George moaned to my right. “What about me?”

I clenched my jaw. The bullet had barely grazed his shoulder, and he acted like he was dying. Considering the way he’d treated his wife and daughter, he was fucking lucky we hadn’t done more. And after what he’d done to Olivia… I shook my head, my vision clouding with rage once again.

I took a deep breath, attempting to calm myself using some of the strategies Tatum had given me. I wouldnotlet George get to me again. Not like last time. I had to get myself in check. If not for myself, then for Olivia.

Her eyes fluttered open, those green orbs peering up at me. She could’ve been out for five seconds or five days, but it felt like the longest stretch of time in my life. I breathed a sigh of relief, peering down at her with a smile.

Thank fuck she was alive. She was awake. But that thought was quickly replaced by guilt. This asshole had tried to hurt her. Because of me. And maybe if I hadn’t been so impulsive, so reckless, she wouldn’t have been knocked over when I’d charged him.

“Connor?” she croaked. Her eyes searched mine as if looking for reassurance.

“Yeah, Goody.” I smoothed her hair away from her face, tamping down my emotions. “I’m here. You’re safe.”

Her green eyes pleaded with me, even as they filled with tears. I used my thumb to wipe one away. And then I held her gently to my chest, wishing I could shelter her from the world.

“Let’s get her to the hospital,” Wyatt said. “You should probably get checked out too.”

“I’m fine.” The warm tears that wet my shirt made something in my chest crack.

“Your hand is bleeding.”

I glanced down, only then realizing it was. But I didn’t care about that. I cared about Olivia. I would’ve rather taken another bullet than see her cry.

“I’ll drive them,” Clay said to Wyatt. “Get this cleaned up.”

I stood, cradling her in my arms as I carried her toward the door. Her arms were wrapped around my neck, her head against my chest. I’d nearly lost her.

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