Page 74 of Fury

Now, I just have to get her home.

ADRENALINE IS A FUNNY thing.

It masks all your pain, your body’s exhaustion, and it makes you feel like you could move mountains. The problem with it, though, is that when it wears off, it wears off hard. It hits you like a hurricane, gripping your chest and twisting your heart until you can barely breathe.

That’s undoubtedly how it goes for me.

I find a secluded restaurant in a backstreet, and I stop the truck. Everything hits me so hard; I fear I won’t be able to climb out of the truck and get help. The cramping, the bleeding, the turning of my stomach and the burning on my back, it’s all too much. Gripping the handle to open the door, I clench my eyes shut, praying the cold sweat forming on my body will ease.

It doesn’t.

I open the door just in time for the nothingness my stomach holds to attempt to escape. I gag and gag until my body is heaving. Hope cries, but I can do nothing to help her, to comfort her, everything is shutting down. I need help, and I need it now, but I’m afraid if I go to a hospital, Marek will find me. I need to stay out of the public. Panting through the dry gagging, I finally manage to make it stop long enough to lift my head and see a woman standing on the street, staring at me.

“Are you okay?”

I shake my head. “No,” I whisper. “It’s a long story. I’m having a miscarriage, and I don’t have a phone.”

Her eyes widen and she rushes over.

The kindness of some strangers will forever surprise me.

“Here, let me help you.”

She sits me up straight in the truck as she notices Hope in the front seat. “Oh, are you okay, sweetie?”

“I think she’s a little frightened. She hasn’t seen me like this,” I tell the stranger. “Do you have a phone?”

She nods, pulling out her cellphone.

I don’t know anyone’s phone number, but I do know how to contact the school and if I am directed through to Roger, he can give me Fury’s number from the records. Glancing at the phone, I see it’s a little past seven in the evening. The school phone automatically converts to his cell after hours, so I pray he answers. Knowing the number off by heart, I dial it and after a few rings I hear the distinct change as it diverts to his cell.

Answering a moment later, I thank whoever is helping me tonight because my luck is impeccable.

“Roger. It’s Alexis,” I say, my voice croaky. “I have a situation and I need to contact Hope’s Uncle. I have lost my phone and am injured. Can you please find a way to get his number for me?”

“What’s happened? Are you okay?”

“Not really. It’s a long story. Please, can you get it?”

“Give me a minute.”

I hear him shuffling about as he no doubt goes to his laptop.

A moment later, he returns. “Have you got a pen?”

“No, I’ll type it into the phone.”

I place the phone on speaker mode and open the keypad to type in the number Roger gives. Then, I thank him, even though he continues to ask me if I’m okay. I promise to call him back when I’m home safe, and then I hang up. Dialing Fury’s number, I cross my fingers and hope he answers. If he doesn’t, I’m not certain how I’ll contact the club.

“Who the fuck is this? If you have Hope ...”

Fury’s angry voice fills my ears, but instead of being upset, I am instantly relieved.

“Fury, it’s me.”

A pause.

“Alexis?”

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