Page 40 of Mended Oath

I growl out from a flare up in my abdomen, unable to move my body much due to the pain. I turn my head, looking at Declan. His head hangs loosely, but the small groans he makes let me know that he’s alive and aware of the shit still going on around us.

“Do you think Nat will make it? Be honest with me, man. I’m losing hope here,” I ask as the gravity of the situation sets in.

“I have faith that she will.” He reassures me, his voice as strong as it can be with everything he’s been through today. I know his words are meant to make me feel better, but I can feel my body clock ticking, and his eyes show he is losing hope in her.

Fuck. I hope Skylar can forgive me.

Chapter twenty-seven

Natalia

Thirty Minutes Remaining

Bang.Bang. Bang.

The sounds of my gun firing echoes through the now quiet warehouse. I watch as the man drops to his knees in front of me and falls face first onto the floor. His head slams into the concrete with a sickeningcrack, echoing through the now silent warehouse. Aside from myself, Dmitri, and the two men we brought with us, everyone inside is dead. I pick up the man's gun, only to realize that it’s empty just like ours is. Squeezing the handle, a rush of nausea comes over me, but I push it down.

“We are at the wrong place.Again,” I sniffle, stabbing a hand through my tousled hair angrily. “Fuck!” I scream, throwing the gun across the place and hearing it hit the far wall. I force myself to stay standing, but my knees feel like they’re going to grumble underneath me, the weight of my body beginning to get far too heavy.

As if he can sense me thinking of him, Declan’s phone goes off in my pocket. I suck in a sharp breath, knowing there is only one person it could be. Quickly pulling it out, I answer it without hesitation.

“Time is running out, Natalia,” Rian gloats, chuckling from the other end. I can imagine his yellowed smile and crooked teeth, sending a harsh sudder up my spine. “You have less than thirty minutes, daughter dearest.”

“I’m well aware. Thank you, Father Time,” I snap, crushing the phone in my fist.

“Just to give you a little motivation…” he trails off momentarily, rustling across the line before coming back to the phone. “There. That should put a bit of pep in your step. Well, that or haunt you for the rest of your life if you’re too late. Either way.Tlachd.”

When he hangs up I see there’s a new text notification. My heart hammers in my chest, blood rushing to my ears as I open the message. My body sways as my hand shoots to my mouth, and I immediately crumble to my knees.

It’s a photo of Declan and Finn, or that’s who I’m assuming they are. They’re side by side and both appear to be passed out, sagging downward in chains sourced from the roof. Their bodies are covered in red, with so many wounds on them, it’s nauseating. Biting my tongue harshly, I zoom in on them and their abused state. Several of Declan’s tattoos are marred from the cuts and burns, his entire body is red from a mix of irritation and blood. Zooming in on poor Finn next, I notice the unnatural way his fingers are bent. His hand and fingers both are most definitely broken, his own chest marred with bruising, cuts and burnt flesh. His dress shirt is still partially intact, opened in the middle and hanging off his shoulders limply. The once pristine white is now soiled in dirt and blood, sagging as deftly as the man wearing it.

Dmitri comes over and helps me off the floor, holding all of my weight and handing the phone off to one of the men. The two men who accompanied us start talking quickly as I try to put one foot in front of the other. Leading me out of the warehouse, we make our way to the car as I do the math in my head. It’s fifteen miles to the last safe house which could take twenty minutes on its own. We are seriously pushing it, and my anxiety is growing every second.

What if we don’t make it in time?

The thought sends me spiraling, a searing and sharp white noise pulses in my ears, my head getting lighter as I try to process everything. My hands shake as I lean forward bracing myself against the car, feeling as if I may just pass out. The nausea from earlier comes back full force, making me silently gag. I press my hand to my stomach, praying to all things above that I can keep the contents of my stomach down. Hanging my head, I try to steady my breathing as my heart pounds.

“Natalia,” Dmitri snaps from the other side of the car, slamming his fist against the roof. “Get it together. We do not have time for this.”

“Dmitri! I need aminute,” I practically screech, focusing on my breathing. The two men with us inhale sharply when I call him by name.Oops. But right now, his identity is the least important thing on my mind.

“Damn it, Natalia. Declan needs you.” He storms over to my side of the car, yanking my shoulders away from the car and facing him. “Natalia Raisa.” He grabs my face between his hands, forcing me to focus my unsteady gaze on him. “Now is not the time for you to freak out. I get that this is a lot, but we have got to keep moving. Their lives are on the line.”

Taking a few more deep breaths, I nod when my hearing turns to normal. “Okay, I’m good. I’m good. Let’s go.”

Getting into the car, Dmitri tears out of the makeshift parking lot, screeching onto the road. Hitting the gas pedal, I give him directions as he drives. The silence of the car doesn’t help my swimming thoughts, but I try not to think about the possibility of not making it in time. Pointing at turns from the map, I do my best to stay in the moment. Luckily, this is the only place left to look because Liam and the other men were able to clear their assigned buildings faster than we were.

Glancing down at my phone, my heart is racing.Fifteen minutes left.

“Fuck,” I whisper, pinching my eyes shut to keep from allowing tears to fall. I can’t think about those possibilities right now, I just can’t.

Instantly my mind takes me back to yesterday, right before everything went to shit.

Declan leans over and kisses me softly, wrapping his arms around me and squeezing gently.

“Whatever happens tomorrow, I want you to know that I love you, Natalia,” he whispers. “I know that sounds so cheesy, but I just need you to know that no matter what… I’ll never stop.”

“You can tell me just how much you love me when this is all over because everything is going to go according to plan,” I whisper, trying to convince myself more than him.

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