Page 92 of Pastel Kisses

She charges again, and this time, her knife finds its mark. A burst of blinding pain erupts as the blade sinks deep into my side. My scream is raw, tearing from my throat and ricocheting off the walls.

But the pain is fuel.

With every ounce of fury and love in my bones, I slam the statue into her face. There’s a sickening crunch, followed by a shriek. She collapses, blood streaking across her skin, her hand flying to her mouth as she stumbles back.

The door explodes open.

Kam storms in, fire in his eyes, with Liam and Lennox at his heels. He takes in the scene in a flash—Jaxton unconscious, me bleeding, Sarah disoriented—and his expression hardens into something lethal.

“Avery.” His voice breaks as he drops to his knees beside me, catching me before I fully hit the floor. “Oh fuck, baby.”

“Secure her,” Liam orders as he crosses the room. “Now. And get medics in here!”

My breathing is shallow. I don’t even remember falling. But I feel Kam’s arms around me, his hands trying to stop the bleeding. Then he freezes.

The knife.

“No—no, no, don’t touch it,” he says urgently, gently pulling my hand away from the hilt. “If it comes out, it’ll be worse. Just stay with me. Please, Sunshine, stay awake.”

His hand grips mine tightly, and I squeeze back with what little strength I have.

“Where the hell is Kendrick?!”

A blur of movement, then Kendrick slides in beside us, opening his med pack with practiced urgency.

“Hey, Avery. Stay with me, okay? Can you tell me where else you’re hurt?”

“Jax… baby…” My voice is thin, unraveling. I don’t know if he understands.

But Kam does.

“They’re checking on him,” he says softly, brushing my hair back from my blood-smeared face. “You’re okay. You’re safe.”

Liam and Lennox are by Jaxton now, their voices firm but calm as they help assess him and coordinate with the arriving security.

“You’re covered in blood,” Kendrick says, his voice steady despite the worry on his face. “I need to know what’s yours and what’s not. Just nod if it hurts anywhere else.”

“You’re doing great,” Kam whispers, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “We’ve got you.”

I lift my arm slowly, fingertips brushing my forehead, but it’s not pain I register first—it’s the overwhelming sense that something inside me is… shifting. Fading.

It hits all at once. A sensation unlike anything I’ve felt before. Weightless. Soft. Like the world is pulling away from me while wrapping me in the warmth of a quiet embrace, a lullaby made of light and calm. It’s as if I’m curling up in front of a fire, safe beneath layers of blankets, where nothing can touch me. Not fear. Not pain. Not even time.

My gaze finds Kam’s, and everything else blurs. His eyes widen as understanding dawns in his golden stare. The strong, composed man I know shatters in front of me, a tear spilling over his cheek as panic flashes across his face.

“Don’t you fucking do it,” he pleads, his voice thick, ragged with emotion. “Don’t you dare leave me, baby girl. Don’t leave us again. We won’t survive it. And the baby…”

His voice breaks.

The hand he’s pressing against my chest—holding mine tightly—is the only thing tethering me to this moment, to this world.

With effort, I lift my free hand, slick with blood, and gently cup his cheek. His skin is warm, grounding me even as everything around me fades into gray. “Lo…lo…lovvv…” My voice is broken and weak. My lips barely form the word before I close my eyes, surrendering to the weight that’s pulling me under.

“Stay awake, baby. Please,” Kam says, giving me a little shake, his voice low and urgent. “You were so smart, Sunshine. You called me. You stayed strong. Don’t stop now.”

He turns sharply to Kendrick. “What’s happening? What do I do? Tell me what to do!”

Kendrick’s hands are flying, his voice tight with urgency. “She’s hemorrhaging. Badly. The head and arm cuts are superficial, but that knife wound is deep. We’re losing time—she needs a hospital right now.”

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