Page 12 of Desert Rose

Edge breathes heavily, saying nothing in the silence that follows. The gun falls from my hands. Looking away from it all, I shut my eyes with one word falling from my lips. “Help.”

“I’ve got you. I’m gonna take my knife and cut your wrists loose then carry you out. Don’t look sugar. Don’t think. I’ll be your light in the storm, okay?”

I nod, crying in relief as the pair of hands that reach out are strong and sure. As soon as my arms are free, I wrap them around his neck. I don’t know if it’s still night or morning or somewhere in-between. “My friend…. She… they took her to.”

“Okay.” He runs a hand down my back and damn I think he’s shaking too. “I’m putting you in a warm truck okay?”

“No.” I cling tighter to him. “Don’t let me go…”

“Ssh, ssh, girl. No one here is gonna hurt you.” I try to stop it, but the tears fall. Sobs break free from me. “I’m gonna set you down so I can take my short off and give it to you.”

I refuse to open my eyes as he gingerly sets me down. I feel his soft T-shirt fall over my head covering the mess that was made of me.

“Th-thank you.”

He lifts me again, carrying me like a bride, my nose finds the side of his neck and inhales. I still smell Suarez on me, and I feel sick. Still feel his lips and hands and that strange burning need that I tried so hard to fight. “I-I killed the head of the Cartel.”

“That you did sugar, but don’t worry. We’ll make it look like someone else did. We’re close enough to the border… it could’ve been anyone.”

“But it wasn’t.”

“That was totally badass by the way.”

“I’m a killer.”

He lifts the bottom of my chin, forcing me to open my eyes, “You’re a survivor.”

I nod. His eyes are bright. Pupils dilated. He’s strong and sure and yet something is off. “Are you okay?” My fingertips brush his temple. He shudders without answering and walks me offer to a truck. I know I need to get in and reluctantly let go. “Amanda. Find her and the others.”

“There’s no other cars, sweetheart just yours and his guards.”

“There was a truck and a trailer… women and kids… “I grip his forearm, hard. “We have to find them!”

Chief comes over. His voice is gentle yet hard as a rock. “Tell us everything you remember.” And I do. When I’m finished, he nods. Hands the keys to the truck to Edge with instructions to take me to a nearby safehouse he knows about. I finally open my eyes and face the reality I’ve put myself in. It’s still dark but yet almost light. The stars have come out now just to tease before they fade from view as dawn rises.

Neither of us speak. Maybe twenty minutes go by before Edge turns down a dirt lane and a log cabin comes into view. He’s silent as he opens my door and leads me out. My legs feel weak and I stumble but he catches me. When he finds the hidden key and opens the door, he reached for the light. “No. Leave them off. My eyes hurt.”

“So, do mine.”

“I won’t hurt you.”

I place a hand oh his forearm. “I need something from you.”

“Anything.”

“I-I still feel his hands on me. I don’t want his to be the last hands on me.”

He sucks in a deep breathe. “Anything but that. You don’t know what you are saying.”

My jaw works angrily. “No! You are the be who doesn’t know what they are saying. You have no idea what it feels like. Please. He can’t be the one. The one to touch me in places he had no right to. I need you to erase him from my body.”

I reach up, my palm resting against the thud of his heart. “Don’t you know who I am? Don’t you remember?”

He curses in the dark as I lift his shirt then quickly remove the clothes that were barely staying on me. “Fuck, I’m going to hell.”

“You and me both. Be my savior right here, right now.”

His jaw works, one hand is fisted as he looks at me. “I won’t be a monster and take advantage.”

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