Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 21649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 108(@200wpm)___ 87(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 108(@200wpm)___ 87(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
Her eyes flutter open, dazed but conscious. “Ryan?” When she lifts her head, I see a bruise next to her temple.
“Are you seriously hurt?” I ask as I lean into the car.
“Don’t lift her until we make sure she doesn’t have any internal injuries,” Lorenzo calls behind me.
“I didn’t hit that hard,” Michela assures me. “My purse flew up and hit me in the head, but the seatbelt kept me from getting injured.”
“Thank God.” I’m able to take a deep breath for the first time since Lorenzo called. “I’m here. It’s going to be okay.”
I unbuckle her seatbelt and lift her against my body, relaxing slightly when I feel her strong heartbeat against my chest. She snuggles into my hold. “They came out of nowhere.”
“I know, I know,” I say, my voice soothing as I run my hands over her sweet body. “We need to get you out of here.”
Lorenzo pushes his way past his two men, and I realize I’ve never seen my friend this frantic. “Are you okay?” He runs his finger over the dark purple bruise at her left temple, and I can see the rage filling his eyes.
“I’m scared silly, but I’m not badly hurt.” Michela leans her head against my shoulder. “How are the driver and Andrew?”
My softhearted little kitten is worried about the driver and the bodyguard in the front seat.
“We’re checking on them now.” Lorenzo smiles at her. “It’s nothing for you to worry about.”
“She needs medical attention.” I hold her closer and push my way back up the embankment. The adrenaline coursing through me makes the climb easier.
Once we reach the road, I gently help her into my car as Lorenzo stands behind us, explaining, “There’s a helicopter coming for you. They’ll meet you at the empty field south of the four-way stop and take you straight to the hospital in Houston. I’ve already arranged for heightened security.”
“I don’t need the hospital,” Michela protests, and we both ignore her. I won’t fully relax until a medical professional tells me she isn’t injured.
I rush around the car and hop in. “I’m going to follow behind you once we get things under control here,” Lorenzo tells me. When we started back up the hill, Lorenzo’s men were working on rescuing the driver and the bodyguard in the front seat.
From the looks of the twisted metal and broken glass, I’m betting they’re in much worse shape, but I can’t worry about them right now. My full focus is on making sure my little kitten is okay. Then I’ll figure out how I’m going to make sure nothing like this happens in the future.
As I start driving, my focus is solely on getting Michela to safety. She leans back in her seat, exhausted but holding on.
“You’re going to be alright,” I promise her, my voice firm and steady. “I’ve got you.”
She tries to smile, but it turns into a grimace of pain. “I knew you would come.”
“Always,” I say, reaching over to squeeze her hand gently. “I’ll always come for you. I love you more than anything.”
My focus narrows to the road ahead. We crest a hill and I see the helicopter landing ahead. The paramedic comes over to the car and helps me get Michela out. He doesn’t even stop me from hopping in with her. As he hooks her up to monitors and checks her vitals, I realize how close the call was today.
There’s no way I’m going to let something like this happen again. By the time we land in Houston, I’ve already got a game plan in mind. Lorenzo might not like it, but I don’t really give a fuck about preserving his feelings.
No matter what happens, I know one thing for certain: I won’t let anyone hurt her. Not now, not ever. Her brother isn’t used to letting someone else have control, but he’ll have to learn to deal with these new circumstances. I’ll fight him every step of the way if I have to.
Chapter 13
Michela
The hospital room is sterile and quiet, a stark contrast to the chaos that led me here. I shift slightly on the bed, wincing as pain radiates through my ribs and shoulder. I guess I hit the car door harder than I originally thought. Once the adrenaline wore off, I started feeling the aches and pains.
The accident feels like a nightmare, but the beeping of the monitors and the dull ache in my body remind me that it’s all too real.
The door swings open, and Lorenzo strides in, his face a mask of worry and barely contained anger. “Michela, how are you feeling?”
I sigh, already bracing for the onslaught of his protective instincts. “I’m better.”
He paces beside my bed, his hands running through his hair. “I should have been there. I should have—”
The door opens again, and Ryan steps in. Relief washes over me as soon as I see him. He ignores Lorenzo’s frantic pacing and steps over to the bed. He leans over and places a soft kiss on my lips. “Are you okay, kitten?”