Chapter Twenty-Four
Declan was out the door and running as fast as possible in the thick mud. It sucked at his boots and tried to anchor him in place, but he fought through to reach Kenzie. It felt like he was dragging ten-pound weights around his ankles. Alex, Dorian, and Kayla were right behind him. He careened to a stop at the edge of the roadway where they’d dropped out of sight. He had to inhale deeply before he peered over the side. The first thing he spotted was the Dagger.
“Damn,” Dorian muttered from beside him before stepping away to call 9-1-1.
The man had landed on an unfinished portion of the construction and impaled himself on an exposed rebar rod. It’d entered through his back and protruded out his stomach. Blood leaked from the corners of his mouth as he tried to speak, but there was nothing they could do for him. Vital organs had undoubtedly been pierced, and he’d bleed out soon.
“Over here.”
He jerked his gaze to where Kayla was making her way over the side. Kenzie was lying crumpled on an embankment fifteen feet below. He started to follow when Dorian stopped him. “I have combat medic experience.”
“So do I.”
Dorian nodded. “Alex went to grab a rope. We’ll stay up here to hoist her up.”
Declan made his way down the incline and dropped beside Kenzie.
“Her breathing isn’t labored, and her pulse is steady,” Kayla informed him. “I don’t feel any broken bones, but I don’t want to move her if she has a spinal injury. She has a knot on the back of her head with some bleeding.”
He glanced at the red staining Kayla’s hand as sirens sounded. He leaned close. “Kenzie, babe, it’s Declan. Can you hear me?”
“Ambulance just arrived,” Dorian called out. “Backboard and cervical collar on the way.”
Declan kept talking to Kenzie, reassuring her she would be fine as two paramedics joined them on the narrow embankment. They went to work on her, starting an IV and sliding the backboard beneath her without jostling her. They didn’t try to remove her bulletproof vest. The female medic secured the cervical collar, and once she was strapped in with head blocks, Declan and Kayla helped position her inside a Stokes basket so she could be lifted to safety. A firetruck had arrived, so they had plenty of personnel to haul her up the ridge easily.
“Which hospital are you taking her to?” Declan asked the female medic. After she named one close to Eric’s, he asked if Kenzie could be rerouted there instead. Timewise, it was about the same distance. She agreed as two thick ropes were tossed down. The paramedics made their way up first. Declan wanted to tell them not to leave without him, but he needed Kenzie to get help as soon as possible.
He and Kayla made their way to the top. Declan spared a glance at the Dagger. Firefighters had worked their way to him, but it was now a recovery mission instead of a rescue.
The ambulance hadn’t left, so he rushed over and hopped on board.
“We’ll meet you there,” Kayla called after him.
The female medic—Jackie—glanced pointedly at his feet when he climbed in the back.
“Sorry.”
She lifted her foot. “Eh, I can’t complain.” Hers were encased in mud too.
He wanted to hold Kenzie’s hand, to let her know he was with her, but she was securely strapped in. He settled for gripping her arm. He needed to touch her to assure himself she was breathing. She might be broken and battered, but she was blessedly alive.
The next few hours were a blur. They arrived at the emergency room, where she was whisked away, leaving him watching helplessly as she disappeared behind a set of double doors. Alex, Dorian, and Kayla arrived. They all tried to wipe the mud from their boots before they entered. Noah and Ethan were already there, having brought Gage and the Harmon sisters.
“Declan!”
Jamal launched from the chairs and leaped into his arms. He hugged the boy tight, his body shuddering with relief that he was no longer in danger. Now they needed Kenzie to recover so they could start their lives together as a family. They hadn’t talked about marriage or living together—heck, they hadn’t even mentioned dating. But as far as he was concerned, it was non-negotiable. He wasn’t ever letting her go.
He left the others in the waiting room with specific instructions to call him if the doctor appeared while he and Jamal checked on Eric. His brother looked much better and was happy to see Jamal. They chatted like old friends, and Jamal’s animated conversation made him smile. Declan was relieved to discover they were releasing him tomorrow.
Eric would probably object, but with BeBe’s help, Declan hired a nurse to stay with him until he could move around independently. He’d been severely injured and would require the extra help. Declan would help as much as possible before he needed to leave for his new job. He’d also contacted a cleaning crew to scrub his condo and remove the damaged items and Eric’s blood. He didn’t want any reminders of what happened to his brother in his own home.
If it were up to Declan, he’d go ahead and list the condo for sale and begin moving Eric with him, but that was Eric’s decision, not his. They hadn’t talked yet, but he planned on doing so before he left town.
Scarlett and Ruby were coming out from being examined when they returned. They both hugged each of them and thanked them for saving their lives.
“I’m so sorry for the trouble I caused you,” Scarlett said with genuine remorse.
“No apologies necessary,” Noah insisted.
Ethan handed her a card. “I’m under specific orders to offer you a job once you graduate. If nothing else, our tech genius Tyler wants to meet you.”
Her eyes widened. “Seriously? After what I did to you guys?”
Kayla squeezed her arm. “You were taking care of family. We understand that.” They all nodded in agreement.
“Wow, I can’t believe how forgiving and kind you guys are. I’d be fortunate to work with you again in the future.”
“Will Gage be okay?” Ruby’s eyes watered. “He saved me twice.” She blinked. “He was shot so many times.”
“He was wearing a Kevlar vest like this.” Jamal jerked up his shirt to reveal the vest Declan insisted he wear. Jamal loved it, saying it made him feel like one of them. Declan thought he’d probably try to wear it to bed.
“It caught all the bullets, so he’ll be fine,” Noah assured her.
She blew out a breath. “Good.”
Once the sisters left, they settled in to wait for news on Kenzie and Gage.
#
Kenzie dreamed she’d been unceremoniously dumped into a concrete mixer. A tattooed man with gold teeth cackled wildly before flipping the power switch, repeatedly sending her body slamming into the sides. Declan came running to save her, but the man pushed a button, and the surrounding ground erupted into flames, swallowing him.
“Declan?” Gasping awake, she tried to focus, but her vision was blurry. For a moment, she thought it hadn’t been a dream after all. Her entire body was one giant ache, and her head throbbed mercilessly.
“I’m right here, babe.”
Declan was at her side, and she relaxed against the pillow. “Thought you exploded,” she murmured.
“Kenzie, you’re awake.”
Jamal threw his arms around her and hugged her tightly. Though her body protested the action, she bit her tongue to keep from crying out.
“Hey, remember what I said,” Declan chastised.
“Ooh, sorry.” Jamal pulled back.
“What did you say?” The words came out in a croak. Declan held a straw to her lips. She took a drink of the cool liquid, savoring the feel as it slid down her parched throat. She nodded her thanks.
“He told me you would be sore and not to hug you.” Jamal looked chagrined.
“I might ache, but your hugs would never hurt me.”
Jamal gave Declan a triumphant look.
“What happened to me?” She recognized the sterile surroundings as a hospital. Machines beeped, and an IV rhythmically dripped clear liquid into her arm. She was resting on a slight incline with blankets tucked securely around her body.
Declan looked pointedly at Jamal. “You fell getting away from the man who took you.”
Obviously, there was much more to the story, but he was shielding the boy from the details. That was fine with her. Her head was muddled, and she wasn’t sure she could comprehend much right now. Knowing they were both alive and well was all that mattered. As long as he was at her side, all was right with the world.
The next time she woke, the lights had been dimmed, and she thought she might be alone. Her head felt marginally better. That was a good sign.
“Hey, babe, how are you feeling?”
Her head rotated on the pillow to see Declan smiling at her from a chair positioned beside her bed. She smiled back. “Better. Where’s Jamal?”
He nodded to a small cot against the wall.
“What really happened?”
“You sure you’re up for the details?”
“Yes, but first, I remember seeing Gage get shot.” She closed her eyes. “So many times.”
“His vest caught the slugs. He had a minor concussion from hitting his head when he went down protecting Ruby from the bullets, severe contusions and bruising, plus two cracked ribs, but he’s going to be fine.”
“Thank goodness. Did you find Scarlett?”
“We did. Both sisters are mentally traumatized but physically fine. They went home a few hours ago.”
“What about the Daggers inside the warehouse?”
“We neutralized them. Tied them up for the police. One casualty. We’d barely made it outside when the building exploded.”
She clutched his arm. That was the nightmare. “He did it.”
“Who?”
“The man who took me. It was the same man who kidnapped me from the hospital. After he grabbed me the second time, he parked the car away from the building, but we could still see it in the distance. He told me to watch before he dialed a number. Then it detonated.” She closed her eyes and forced back the lump in her throat, recalling the overwhelming pain she experienced when she thought he’d been inside.
“Hey, we made it out.” He wiped a tear she hadn’t realized slipped down her cheek. “We’re all fine.”
“Were the Daggers still inside?”
“Yeah. There was no way they’d have been able to survive the blast. Do you remember what happened next?”
Her brows narrowed in thought. “No. I think he hit me. That’s the last thing I remember. Tell me how I ended up here.”
“With Ethan’s tracker, we followed you as he drove around before running into a bridge under construction. He took you out of the car, and then you both fell over an embankment. You landed about fifteen feet down on a grassy area. No broken bones or internal damage. You have a concussion from where he hit you and some nasty bruises, but other than that, you’re fine.”
“I fell? I don’t remember that at all. What happened to my kidnapper?”
“He didn’t make it.”
“Are there any Daggers left?”
“No, that wiped them out. They eliminated all the Eighty-Sixers, so both gangs are now obsolete.”
“Good.” The men were wicked and evil, and the world was better off without them. She didn’t feel the least bit guilty for being glad both gangs were gone. “Does that mean Jamal’s safe?”
“He is.”
She nodded in relief as tears poured out this time. “Hallelujah.” He dabbed at her cheeks with a tissue.
“You’re safe now too. You can go back to New York or your old job without having to look over your shoulder.”
“I don’t think so.”
“You don’t think you’re safe?”
“No, I won’t be returning to my job…or New York.”
“Where will you go?”
She’d never been a coward. When Jared sexually harassed her, she’d stood up for herself and demanded action be taken against him. Sure, she’d been fired, but she didn’t regret what she’d done. She was about to take the biggest chance of her life.
Channeling Shiloh Storm, she said, “I’ve been thinking—”
“Move in with me—us,” he cut in. “I know it’s fast, and we haven’t known each other long, but I can’t imagine my life without you in it. Not to sound too cheesy, but you complete me.”
He totally stole her thunder, but her heart burst with love for this man. “You complete me, too,” she whispered. “And it has been fast, but I know what I feel.”
“What’s that?”
“Love. For you.”
He smiled and leaned down to kiss her. “I love you too.”
“You really want me to live with you and Jamal?”
He ran the back of his fingers down her cheek. “Of course. We’re a family.”