Page 68 of Echoes of Obsession
Hunter panics, knowing exactly what happens to people who end up in King’s chambers. As a matter of fact, he has visited them on more than one occasion to get in a few punches on someone who hurt my family.
“Let me explain,” he cries out.
“I brought a ball gag,” King says. “It was still stuck in the mouth of the corpse stinking up my chambers. Need to clean that out once I’m done with this one.”
I watch as King shoves the gag into Hunter’s mouth.
“Too big,” Reynolds says, using the palm of his hand to hit the gag hard enough that I hear teeth break. “Better.”
“Doc or hospital?” King says.
“Hospital,” I answer. “Call ahead for Dr. Hoffer. He’s on our payroll. And find me a fucking blanket.”
Why didn’t I think to bring her meds? Hell, I wouldn’t even know which ones to bring.
“Reynolds, help me get her in my arms,” I say.
My woman isn’t tiny, and lifting her at dead weight straight from the ground would be hard. But I’ll find a fucking way if I have to.
I growl at Reynolds as he places his hands under her body on the opposite side.
“Sorry,” I wince. “She’s naked.”
“Lift on three,” he says. “One, two, three.”
We both lift her up and Reynolds tucks her safely in my arms.
“I got this,” I say.
King rushes back down the stairs and covers Snow with a thin sheet.
“You two go ahead to the hospital,” he says. “I’ll call for Dr. Hoffer before dealing with this fucker.”
“I want his dick cut off and cauterized so he doesn’t bleed to death,” I say. “Use that as his gag next time.”
I take one last long look at my best friend. Gone are the happy memories of our past, and in their place is the image of him violating Snow’s nearly dead body.
I connect with his pleading eyes, but he must see the answer in mine.
“Fffmmly,” he says around the gag.
I walk to King and place Snow in his arms, knowing he can hold her just fine. Walking over to Hunter, I pull the necklace from under his shirt and snap it right off his neck.
“You’re no family of mine. See you soon,” I say, lacing my words with the promise of pain. “You better fucking hope that she survives.”
He’s going to die either way. But, if she dies, he won’t for a long time to come.
I take Snow back from King, and we head up and out of the empty house. Reynolds has the back door to the car already open, and I climb inside, cradling my bundle against my body.
“Drive fast,” I order as I count every shallow breath Snow takes. It’s nowhere near enough.
Reynolds doesn’t disappoint. He drives over the speed limit and gets us to the hospital in record time. But as he slams on the brakes and opens the back door, I’m still waiting to count Snow’s next breath.
But it never comes.
Chapter Twenty
Amara