Page 94 of Lost on Ice
“Jake,” she sobs. “You came for me, I can’t believe…”
“Of course.” My vision is starting to blur. “I’ll always come for you…”
I reach up and wrap my fingers around the knife’s hilt.
“What are you doing?” Abbie cries. “No, don’t! You can’t…”
Gritting my teeth, I yank the knife out of my shoulder. Blood gushes down my arm, and I immediately get lightheaded. Knowing I’m about to pass out, I quickly use the knife to cut the ropes and free Abbie.
Once she’s loose, I drop the knife and then fall to my knees, my strength gone.
“No!” Abbie drops next to me and wraps her arms around my shoulders. Grabbing the knife, she cuts a piece off the skirt of her dress, balls it up, and presses it against my wound. “You’re going to be okay. You’re going to be okay, Jake!”
Everything’s going black, but I am able to comprehend when police swarm into the barn. I can’t make out faces or details, but I hold on until I see someone wrap a blanket around Abbie’s shoulders and try to pull her away from me. She resists, but I at least know she’s safe.
They’ll take care of her now.
That’s all I need to finally let go and allow the darkness to consume me.
Chapter Thirty-One
JAKE
A stabbing painyanks me back to consciousness.
I open my eyes and am immediately blinded by bright lights. I’m surrounded by people, but I can’t make out any of their faces. Where the fuck am I? What’s going on?
The last thing I remember was untying Abbie after knocking Westbrook out…
“Where is she?” I shout, thrashing against the hands trying to hold me down. The pain is excruciating, but I don’t care. I need to find Abbie! I need to know she’s okay! “Where the fuck is she?”
“Mr. Ashford, we need you to calm down,” a firm female voice tells me. “We need to finish stitching your shoulder…”
“I’ll calm down when I fucking see Abbie!”
I realize where I am. In a hospital, surrounded by doctors and nurses who are trying to fix me up, but I am not going to stop fighting them until I know where she is.
“Sir,” a nurse appears above me, her gaze sympathetic but her tone no-nonsense. “As soon as we’re done here, we’ll take you to Miss Wixx, all right?”
That gets me to stop struggling for a moment, and I blink up at her.
“She’s okay?”
The nurse nods. “Yes, she’s okay. She’s wanting to see you too, but we can’t let that happen until your wound is cared for. You don’t need surgery, but that could change if you don’t listen, calm down, and let us do our job.”
Her words don’t give me any more patience, but I can at least see reason again.
“Fine,” I grumble, relaxing back against the bed. “Just make it quick.”
When they get back to stitching me up, I lay back and stare at the ceiling, trying not to snap at the medical professionals as they do their job.
Finally, they finish patching me up. I try to get out of bed, but that same nurse puts a hand on my good shoulder and stops me. “No, you’re not going anywhere yet.”
“I need to?—”
“You have people coming to see you, don’t worry, but they’re coming in here. I’ll get you a wheelchair so you can see Miss Wixx.”
I let out a low, irritated growl. “Fine. But I want out as soon as possible.”
