Page 29 of Bred By the Mercenary

“Daxton,” she calls for me, crying, shaking.

Gently, I reach into the trunk, my hands carefully cradling her face.

“Amelia, it’s me. You’re safe now. I’m here,” I assure her softly, trying to soothe her terror.

Her eyes meet mine, filled with relief and confusion.

“God, please get me out of here.” She’s trembling, her face covered with tears.

“I’m going to get you out of this,” I say, my heart hurting at seeing her suffering this way. Quickly, I scoop my hands under her and lift her out of the trunk. Setting her on the grass, I pull at the restraints, examining the metal brace and chains. I tug on them, trying to snap them off.

Her whimpers are destroying me.

But the restraints aren’t coming off.

“I’ll be right back, I promise, but I need to get the key, okay?” She nods, crying and quivering. Then her gaze rises, eyes widening at something behind me, and she’s screaming.

“Watch out.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

AMELIA

Panic and terror grip me as Ryker rises behind Daxton, a large rock in his hand.

“Watch out!” I scream, but it’s too late. The rock comes crashing down on the back of Daxton’s head. He shoots to his feet as if it means nothing and shoves Ryker in the chest. He reels backward before falling over. Then Daxton wavers on his feet before he crumples to the ground, motionless.

“Daxton!” I scream for him, trying to stretch out my arms to him. My insides are twisting, the anger in my chest, the dread that he’s really badly hurt is like a sharp blade piercing my heart.

My heart races, fear flooding through me. I try to scramble to my feet, the chains around my ankles and wrists clinking as I awkwardly move toward him, but I’m too slow. I keep glancing at the road, praying for a passerby to grab their attention, but it’s eerily silent.

Suddenly, I hear a grunt behind me. Whirling around, tears blurring my vision, I find Ryker standing there, his face contorted with rage. There’s blood dripping from his nose, staining his cheek and chin.

“Get the hell away from me!” I shout, throwing my bound hands out in a futile attempt to hit him. He’s just out of reach,then he lunges forward, grabbing me savagely by the arm and dragging me back toward the car. My eyes fix on Daxton’s unmoving body. “Daxton, please be okay, please get up,” I call to him. Trembling like crazy, desperation thumps through me to escape from Ryker because if I don’t, I feel he’s going to kill me.

“Move, bitch,” he tugs me harder to move faster.

“How could you do that? You’re going to prison, you idiot, for kidnapping, for attacking him!” I yell at Ryker, my words shaky.

He turns, his hand clamping down painfully on my jaw.

“How could you say that? Is that the guy you’ve been fucking behind my back?” he spits out, his grip tightening.

“We’re over, I told you!” I bellow back, doing my best to stay brave, to fight this asshole.

But Ryker is relentless. His gaze dips to my cleavage, and he snatches my gold necklace from Daxton and rips it off me. “He gave you this?” he snarls, then tosses it aside like it’s nothing. “You’re mine now, whore, to do with as I please,” he snarls as more blood drips over his lips.

“Ryker, please don’t do this. We can work this out.”

“Shut up!” he shouts, some of the blood splattering on my face, and I cringe. He’s shoving me to turn away and into the car aggressively, my back taking the brunt of the pain.

I’m terrified, my mind racing with thoughts of escape, of Daxton lying there motionless. I need to do something, anything, to get away from Ryker, but with every move, the chains bite into my skin. My only hope is that Daxton is okay, that he can wake up.

Fury takes me over, and I headbutt Ryker backward. Sharpness cuts across my brow, but it’s worth it to see him recoiling, howling, and holding his already bleeding nose.

I move fast… as fast as the restraints allow, and rush to Daxton.

“Get up, get up,” I yell. “Daxton, please be okay.” Running won’t get me far, and my gorgeous hunk is all I have to not die tonight. I drop to my knees beside him, tears streaming down my cheeks, the chains clinking with each tremulous movement. I hear him groaning, a sound that fills me with a mix of relief.

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