Page 118 of Resisting Temptation (Men of Honor 3)
Just as I’m about to succumb to the darkness, an unbelievable force slams into me, ripping me from Spike’s hold and sending me flying. I land on the ground with jarring impact and grab my head after it smashes against something solid, screaming at the brutal, heart-stopping agony that radiates through it. I roll to my side, my vision blurry from tears and pain. I watch Cade, unfocused, his face savage as he rains blow after blow down on Spike.
Christopher suddenly comes into view, agony and fear twisting his expression as he screams something at me. I feel my heavy eyes close, and when I reopen them again Cade’s kneeling beside me, next to Christopher, his expression enraged as he looks me over.
There’s so much I want to say, so much I want to tell him, but I can’t think of the words through the pounding in my head.
“Can you hear me, Red? What hurts, baby?”
Cade’s voice is distant and muffled. It takes me a moment to think of what I need to tell him. “My head.”
I’m not sure if I said it out loud, or if I mouthed the words, but he understands. He puts my cuffed wrists around his neck then picks me up. “Where’s the fucking ambulance? She needs a medic.”
“Over here!” someone shouts.
I begin to hear a little more clearly which only causes the excruciating pain in my head to escalate. I close my eyes, wanting to fade into the darkness that pulls at me, needing to escape the agony.
“Come on, Red, stay awake, baby. Please don’t go to sleep.”
I try so hard to open my eyes for him but I can’t and, before I know it, I succumb to the dark and slip into sweet oblivion.
CHAPTER 36
Cade
I’m sitting in the dim-lit hospital room where I have been for the last twenty-four hours straight, holding Red’s delicate and battered hand. She has woken a couple of times, but only for a few minutes, and each time she was disorientated due to the drugs and concussion.
I grind my teeth and swallow past the guilt that has been threatening to choke me. The doctor says she is lucky she only has a concussion, but there’s nothing fucking lucky about any of this. She shouldn’t have suffered anything. I promised her she never would again, and I broke that promise.
“Cade?”
My heads snaps up at the soft sound of my name, my gaze landing on her swollen and bruised face. My chest constricts painfully at the sight, but I’m glad to see her looking a little more alert. I want to kiss the shit out of her but know I don’t have the right, I know I don’t deserve it.
“Hey, Red,” I whisper, shocked to hear just how gruff my voice is. “How are you feeling?”
“All right. A little more alert, and the pain in my head is minimal.”
I respond with a nod then, before I can stop myself, I raise her hand that’s in mine and bring it to my lips, giving it a soft kiss. She traces a finger across the cut I have from my earlier fight with Evans.
“You look so tired,” she says sadly. “Have you slept at all?”
I shake my head and clear my throat. “No, but I’m fine. I’ve been going back and forth, also checking on Christopher.”
“Is he doing okay?” she asks worriedly, tears immediately forming in her eyes.
“Yeah, Red, he’s good. He’s a tough kid. The doctors have him on some pain meds so he’s sleeping a lot, but Katelyn’s been staying in the room with him.”
“Oh good. What about Ruthie? I briefly remember seeing her one of the times I woke up but I don’t remember much.”
“She’s worried about you and Christopher, but she’s good. Sawyer and Grace have her. He texted me a few minutes ago and told me they will be coming by in a bit. They’re grabbing breakfast first.”
She watches me, her expression becoming more somber. “And how about you, Cade? How are you doing?”
I drop my head and let out a disbelieving breath. I don’t know how the fuck she can care about how I’m doing after everything I’ve done, but this is Red. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
I feel her cup the side of my face. “Cade, look at me.” I lift my head and stare into her soft, understanding eyes, portraying feelings I don’t deserve. “It’s not your fault.”
I release an exasperated breath. “Yeah, it is. We both know none of this would have happened if I had been there.” Which is true, because I would have fucking killed them before they even got into the house. But, because I’m fucked in the head, I was too busy trying to escape life and not deal with something I should have dealt with a long time ago.
“They would have found another way, Cade. You weren’t with us 24/7. They could have tried to take Christopher after school; they could have taken me during the day from the house. They would have found some way.”
I don’t respond because I disagree. She swallows thickly before asking the next question. “What exactly happened? The last thing I remember is thinking Sawyer got shot, but it was Floyd who did… I think?”
“Sawyer called attention to himself to get the gun off Christopher, knowing he would aim it at him. When he did, Jaxson shot him.”
“Is he dead?”
“Yes.”
She nods. “And Spike?”
I’m silent for a minute and wonder how much I should tell her. “He’s not dead, but he’s not doing great. He’ll be in the hospital for a while before going to trial.” I decide to leave it at that; she doesn’t need to know I put him there.
“Has Christopher told anyone about his mom?”
“Yeah, Cooper knows about the body in the shed, we are waiting for verification that it’s her, but considering what Christopher has said it sounds like it will be.”
“He was devastated when I found him,” she chokes out softly, tears forming in her eyes again. “My heart is absolutely breaking for him, but I’ll help him get through it, and when it’s confirmed that it’s her I’ll make sure we have a nice funeral for her.”
