Page 54 of Freeing Souls

So many things run through me as I lose all control and take him to the ground. My fists collide with his face over and over again, never stopping, even as my arms begin to ache. I thrive inthe pain, let it push me forward as the image of him laying on top of my little flame naked is forever burned into my mind.

Don’t stop.Why would he do this?

Kill him.How could he?

Make him bleed.

Hewill die by my hands, and nothing will stop me as I continue to let out every emotion I have felt over the last month onto him.

Never again. No more mercy. They all die.

Chapter Seventeen

Grayson

Her eyes are wide, and tears fall down her pale cheeks as she stares up at me. “It’s okay, I got you. I have you,” I tell her as I gently undo the restraints holding her down and pull her up from the bed so I can slide behind her and hold her. “I have you,” I keep telling her as I kiss her head.

What did they do to you, beautiful girl?

Her skin is pale and she has lost weight. There are bruises and marks all over, and something is on her chest, a white piece of gauze covering it. Talking through my earpiece, I say, “We need Doc. Something is wrong. She’s awake, but she’s hurt and can’t move very much.”

I hear them talking, but I stop listening as I rock her and whisper softly. My eyes land on Ryker, who is completely consumed in his fury as he destroys the man for the piece of garbage he is. I faintly recognize him, but I can’t register who he is.

Noah and Cade come into the room next, and both of them come straight to us. Cade rips his shirt off and helps me get it on her. “What’s wrong?”

I shake my head. “I don’t know.”

Cade cups her cheeks and presses his forehead against hers. “Oh, baby girl, I’m so sorry. We have you now.”

She blinks at him, but she doesn’t even try to speak. She moves her muscles, but it’s all slow, like it’s taking all her strength just to bend a knee.

Glancing at Noah, who has been staring at her with wide eyes, I ask, “Can you get Ryker?”

He jerks his eyes away and then nods once. “Take her?” I ask Cayden, who immediately scoops her up in his arms.

“Let’s get you the fuck out of here, baby girl.”

Sugar comes into the doorway, and he lets out a harsh breath at the sight of Harley. “Rage?” I ask him, and he pinches his lips together before shaking his head.

“We haven’t found anything.”

“Harley?” Cade questions, and I approach them, glancing at Harley’s tense frame.

“I—“ She clears her throat. “Help me stand,” she says very slowly. Cade reluctantly places her on her feet, keeping her steady when she wobbles.

Instead of saying anything more, she steps forward slowly to walk out of the room. I glance at Ryker and Noah and then back at them.

“Get him calm. Come find us when you’re ready,” Cade says softly.

I nod as Cade starts walking with Harley and Sugar while I check on Noah and Ryker.

Ryker sits on the floor next to the body that isn’t even recognizable anymore. His chest is rising and falling rapidly, and his eyes are wide and dark as he stares straight ahead. TellingNoah he can go, I walk up to Ryker and drop down to my knees next to him. Taking his bloody hands in my own, I use my other hand to turn his face towards me.

“Breathe with me.” I inhale, and he joins. We hold it in and then release it, continuing this for several minutes before he finally seems to relax his shoulders.

“We have her. She’s going to be okay,” I say.

“He was—” He chokes on his words, and a heart-wrenching sob breaks free from his chest.

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