Page 24 of Liberating Mia
They hadn’t gotten far when Mia heard someone shout, “Finn, behind you!” Whirling around, she was in time to see an arm slash through the air, knife in hand. She watched in horror as the knife connected with Finn as he swung around toward his attacker. She heard his grunt of pain and watched as the assailant dashed away, taking advantage of Finn’s delayed reaction. Saw Finn go down on one knee. She darted back the way they’d just come, unaware of the scream that tore from her.
Chapter Seventeen
His gaze focused on watching Mia leaving, Finn dazedly heard his partner call out a warning. He swung around, seeing an arm slash through the air, the glint of light on metal. His thoughts so wrapped in Mia he was slower to react than usual. Delayed in blocking the unexpected attack, he was also caught off-guard when he felt a burning pain under his ribs, the vulnerable part he’d exposed when lifting his arm.
With a grunt of pain, he staggered back a half-step before gathering himself enough to get a shot off at his retreating assailant. He watched as the man jerked, stumbled, but managed to right himself and keep running.
Going to a knee, Finn fought against the dizziness, felt the burning pain as he tried to take a deep breath.Shit. This is what you get for being distracted, asshole. You’re here to get the job done, not moon over some woman.
In the back of his mind, he could have sworn he heard the woman in question scream but couldn’t be sure as he focused on breathing. The hand that clamped around his forearm had him bringing his weapon around, intent on taking out the threat this time.
“Easy there. It’s just me,” Desai said. “You alright there, bud? You hurt?”
Finn dropped his weapon arm, reached for the Velcro strip on his vest. As he ripped it back, he heard a woman’s gasp.
“Oh God, are you bleeding? Here, let me take a look.” A soft hand covered his. Lifting his head, he found himself caught up in her concerned gaze. So much so he didn’t think to move his hand out of her way. Nevertheless, she managed. Easing the vest open, she lifted the T-shirt he wore underneath it. “Youarebleeding.”
Finn laughed at the almost accusatory tone of her voice. “Sorry, Sugar. I didn’t mean to. It just kinda happened.”
She slapped his arm. “That’s not what I meant. But I’m thinking you need that medic more than I do 'round about now.”
She looked behind him and he heard, “On it, ma’am.”
“The bastard stabbed me. And this was one of my favorite shirts too.” He gave her a goofy grin, flashing his dimple. “Kiss it better?”
“Be a good boy for the paramedics, and I promise to kiss it better after,” Mia quipped.
“I gonna hold you to that.”
“Me too,” Mia replied, nodding to an EMT who had just arrived.
“Ma’am, I’ve had a report of an injury?”
“Yes, this gentleman.” She indicated Finn.
Placing her gear down, the medic turned her attention to Finn. “Where are you hurt, sir?”
“The bastard got me in the side,” he replied, pointing to the wound in his torso.
“Any difficulty breathing?”
“It hurts like a mother to breathe, if that’s what you mean.”
She laughed. “Yeah, I just bet it does. But no, I meant shortness of breath, which I can hear is a no. This the only injury?”
“Yep. He just got lucky that time. Put a bullet in his ass for his effort though.”
Finn hissed through his teeth as she examined the wound. Palpitating his stomach, she remarked, “You were very lucky, sir. There doesn’t appear to be any internal bleeding, so he’d not nicked any arteries or internal organs. But we are going to have to take you in for stitches.”
“Yeah, not going to happen. I need to get this goat rodeo shut down and write a report before I can think about going for stitches.”
“But, sir—”
“Sorry, ma’am. Not going to happen. The best I can offer is for you to patch me up until I can get it seen to.”
The EMT went to argue.
“You’re wasting your breath, ma’am. This man is one stubborn S.O.B. If he says he’s staying, he’s staying,” Desai weighed in.
