Zaira walked to Bayden and ran a long fingernail down his cheek. He refused to react to the sting on his cheek, not wanting to give Zaira any satisfaction, and he heard Ellie’s breath catch.
“Tell her, baby. We’re all in it for the money now, aren’t we?” Zaira purred next to Bayden’s ear.
Bayden didn’t miss the way Ellie’s hands curled into fists. Was she jealous?
Now isn’t the time to be thinking of things like that.
“No. We aren’t
all
in it for the money, but you apparently are. You used to be decent, or close to, Zaira. What happened to you? I can’t believe you allowed greed to turn you into such a heartless bitch.” Bayden practically spat the words at her.
Zaira’s mouth hardened, and her cheeks turned cherry red. “I don’t give a shit about money. You. You’re the one responsible for making me this way. I’ve been trying to get your attention for months. I love you, but you keep turning your nose up at me as though I’m no better than garbage on the bottom of your boot. Then when I saw her”—she nodded toward Ellie—”I knew there was no chance for us after that.”
“Don’t mistake your twisted obsession for love. There was no love between us, Zaira. We had sex a couple of times. That was it. Ellie has nothing to do with this. There was not, and never will be, an
us
. I’m not blind. I do understand when a woman’s coming on to me, but you’re a woman who’s experienced enough to know when a man’s no longer interested. I made my intentions clear on more than one occasion.”
“You may not love me now, but if it wasn’t for Ellie, I could’ve made you love me over time. Maybe I should get rid of her. Then you’ll realize what I’m saying is true.”
“You’re one sick lita. Enjoy yourself, because once this is over, you’ll have to look over your shoulder wherever you go.”
“That’s it! Kill him. Kill them all!” Zaira screamed.
Bayden dropped to the floor and kicked both goons’ feet out from under them. Both toppled to the floor. Bayden flipped to a standing position and delivered a booted blow to each of the downed men’s heads, rendering them unconscious.
Zaira pulled her slayer from her belt. She aimed it at Bayden, but Stryder shot her in the shoulder before she could shoot. She dropped the weapon.
Before Stryder could get another shot at Zaira, men appeared on the stairs from the second floor and began to fire. A shot of adrenaline hit Bayden hard. His heart thundered in his ears. He had to make sure Ellie didn’t get hurt.
Stryder kicked a thick table to its side and tossed Ellie behind it. He covered her with his body. Bayden dived for them. He held his hands out, and Stryder untied them.
“Get her out of here. I’ll cover you the best I can,” Stryder said, barely loud enough to penetrate the slayer fire. He began returning fire.
Bayden pulled Ellie against his chest. “Ready to run for it?” he said, lips against her ear.
“Yes.” Her voice trembled.
“Now!” Bayden yelled.
Stryder rose and fired at the men by the stairs, driving some to flee to the second floor while others were hit. Bayden tucked Ellie tight against his side and ran for the front door. Once they were outside, they sprinted toward the entrance of the security wall. Glad to see the security gate had been blown open, he rushed through it and dived for the outside wall and pressed his back against the rough surface.
“Bayden…can’t…breathe…”
He loosened his hold on her, and she gasped for air.
“Sorry. You okay?” How in the hell could she possibly be okay? He was the reason she was in danger. Anger swelled inside him, and he gasped around the knots in his lungs.
She nodded while still panting for air. He frantically assessed the situation and knew it’d be a miracle if they both didn’t end up riddled with holes. The thought had barely flicked through his brain before slayer fire from around the outside of the house rang out. His team was here.
Relief shot through him, but he was too experienced to be lulled into a false sense of confidence. The danger was still level red, and if they didn’t reach their ship before the Enforcers showed up… He tamped the thought down. He didn’t care about himself getting caught as much as he cared about the possibility of Ellie and his team falling into the Enforcers’ hands.
“Time to go, Ellie.” He looked at her, and when he saw the terror dancing in her eyes, his chest ached. He cupped her face and gave her a quick kiss on the mouth. “You’re going to have to run like the wind. You understand?”
She nodded.
“You can’t no stop matter what. Even if I fall, you keep running.”
“No, Bayden I—”
“You give me your word right now that if I fall, you’ll continue to haul ass back to the ship, or we’ll both sit here and die right now, and all of your noble intention to save me will have been for nothing. You do it for me. You do it for Molly. Give me your word.”
I swear if we make it out of this alive, I’m going to throttle her for putting herself in danger for me
. When tears shimmered in her eyes, he almost lost it. When she finally nodded, he let out a long breath.
“Okay, but if you get shot, I’ll…I’ll kill you,” she said.
“Back at you. Now when I say three, you take my hand, stay close to my side, and run.” He waited for her to nod again. “One…two… Three!”
He vaulted up, half dragging her at first, but surprisingly, she fell into step beside him. While he knew she couldn’t keep up with him if he broke into a full-out run, she was faster than he thought she could be for her size, and kept in perfect rhythm with the pounding of his own feet. Maybe they’d get out of this alive after all.
Chapter Fourteen
Ellie had never been more scared in her life, not even after the meteor had hit Earth. Her lungs screamed from trying to keep pace with Bayden, but she knew she couldn’t stop. She’d run until she dropped because if she gave in to the searing ache in her side or the fire burning in her legs, it wouldn’t mean only her death. It’d mean Bayden’s and possibly the other men’s. While the gunfire had become somewhat more distant sounding, none of them were out of danger.
Bayden gripped her hand so tightly she was worried he might break bones, but none of that mattered as long as they made it to the ship without any holes in their bodies. As they came to the peak of an incline, her heart soared. Just at the bottom a few yards away was the ship. That had been the second part of the plan after taking out Zaira’s remaining spies. Thad had moved the ship to a different location.
She would’ve breathed a sigh of relief had she been able to breathe at all. “We’re almost there!”
Bayden responded with a grunt, then a stumble that nearly took them both down. Immediately he regained the pounding rhythm they’d maintained before.
As they burst through the door of the ship, she dropped to the floor just inside the entrance and panted.
“You okay?” Bayden’s question was tight, clipped.
“Yes.”
She got to her knees and then to her feet. She followed him to the control room. He stumbled again before sitting in the main chair. He had to be as worn-out as she. Although that thought tickled the back of her brain as untrue. Bayden was in superb shape, and his breathing had remained even and rhythmic until that stumble. Since then, his breathing had become more and more labored.
“Are
you
okay?” she asked.
“I’m fine.”
Bayden began flipping and pushing what seemed like a million switches. He stuck a small device in his ear.
“Stats, Conlan? Yes. We made it, and the ship is fired up waiting for all of you. Any casualties so far? No, Ellie’s exhausted but fine. Haul ass, nelo. Out.”
“Are they all okay?” After only a short rest, she was surprised at how even her breaths were.
“Yes. Stryder took a few bullets, but he’ll heal without a problem. So far, everyone else’s been lucky.”
She frowned. She had no doubt that he’d gotten shot while shielding her and Bayden. “Did they get Zaira?”
“No. Trust me though, she’ll be dealt with.”
Ellie was glad she wasn’t in Zaira’s shoes. She certainly wouldn’t want Bayden or any of the other men holding a personal vendetta against her. Her intuition had warned her Zaira was trouble, but she could’ve never imagined just how much trouble.
Bayden’s breathing was still labored and she walked to the side of his chair and looked down. Blood dripped from the side of his chair onto the floor. “You were shot!” She bent and reached for his shirt, wanting to assess the damage.
He pushed at her hands. “I’m fine.”
“Yeah. Your breathing and paleness tell a different story. Now let me see.”
He put his hand up again to block her.
“Move it or lose it,” she said. When he held his hand up, she lifted his shirt. “Where are the medical supplies?”
“Second door down the corridor,” he said.
“Tell Thad to get back here. Now!” She hurried off. Once she reached the room, she was relieved to find an abundant amount of gauze in the first cabinet she opened. She grabbed two rolls and returned to Bayden.
He looked at the gauze. “You don’t need to do this. Thad can take care of this when he gets back.
“Do you know how long that’ll be?” He’d gone paler, if that was possible.
“Few minutes at the most.”
She rolled his shirt up, opened one of the thick packages of gauze, and pressed it against the small hole in his side. She applied pressure in hopes of stopping the bleeding, and he winced. She kissed him on the cheek. “Hang in there.”
“I plan to.”
Within minutes, the rest of the guys shot through the door. Thad, then Sarek. A few moments later, Conlan and Stryder brought up the rear.
“We’re clear. Go!” Stryder shouted.
The ship lifted off, then tipped to the side precariously before leveling out.
“Thad!” Ellie motioned to him. “Bayden’s been shot.”
“Hit? Bayden was hit?” Conlan said.
Thad went to Bayden. “Let me see.”
Ellie gave Thad room to assess Bayden’s condition. He hadn’t stumbled because of her exclamation over seeing the ship. He’d stumbled because he’d been shot. Horror filled her brain. How had he kept running after?
“Help me get him to the infirmary,” Thad said to Conlan. “I have a portable scanner in there. Stryder, take us home, please. Ellie, stay here with Stryder.”
“But I—”
“The infirmary is too small for all of us to be in there and allow me to work properly. I promise I’ll let you know as soon as I know what’s going on.” Thad placed his hand on her arm. “You did a good job stopping the bleeding.”
“I’ll get us home and keep an eye on her.” Stryder fixed his eerie amber stare on Ellie.
When Stryder stepped past her to take Bayden’s chair, she swayed. The back of Stryder’s leather coat was riddled in holes.
“Oh my God! You’re hit too!” She swallowed past the lump in her throat. Several times.”
“I’ll be fine. I heal quickly.” He sat in Bayden’s chair.
She sank into one of the chairs next to Stryder, not sure if she believed him. “Does Bayden heal quickly?”
“He’s had worse. He’ll pull through this. He’s strong, and Thad’s the best patch I’ve seen.”
“He has to be, or all of this was for nothing.” She began shaking so badly she thought she might fall out of the chair.
“No. Not for nothing. Even if Bayden dies”—when she groaned, he gritted his teeth—”which he won’t, all of this was
not
for nothing. We’re family…all of us. We stick together and make sure everyone gets out. I was wrong about your feelings for Bayden, Ellie. Forgive me, nela.”
She looked at him, jaw slackened.
He considers me part of his family?
She closed her mouth before he caught her gaping at him. She sipped at the water now and didn’t try to hold back the tears that slipped down her cheeks. “There’s nothing to forgive, Stryder. You were only trying to protect him. I can’t fault you for that.”
He pursed his lips as if he wanted to say something more, but instead he nodded, and she sat back in the chair, willing her nerves to settle while she anxiously waited for news of Bayden’s condition. He had to be okay.
* * * *
“I can walk on my own for fuck’s sake,” Bayden grumbled on the way to his room. Thad had already tried to act like a crutch three times.
Ellie followed close behind along with Conlan, Sarek, and even Stryder, and Bayden hadn’t missed the paleness of her skin or the concern etched on her face. Was that all for him? Had she been that upset about him getting shot?
Obviously, jerk. She wouldn’t have risked her life if she didn’t care.
His next step sent a wave of searing pain through his side. He clenched his teeth and focused on taking a more gingerly pace.
He’d done some quick but deep soul-searching while Thad had been cleaning, patching, and cauterizing the hole in his side. He’d pushed Ellie away because he didn’t think he was good enough for her and then because she’d made a simple misjudgment about his tattoo. Yet she’d still risked her life for him. She apparently thought he was worth something if she was willing to put herself in danger for him. If she thought that much of him, why couldn’t he think better of himself?
Even if he never believed himself good enough for her, was that really worth losing what he believed they could have together?
Everyone followed him to his room and watched him root through his closet to get some clean clothes. “Seriously. Get out. I’m okay. You said so yourself, Thad. Stop acting like mother dragons.”
“You’ll be all right, but you need to rest,” Thad said. “I’ll watch over him.” Ellie’s mouth was set in a grim line that hinted at frustration and possibly anger.
What the hell did she have to be angry about? He was the one who’d been shot.
“Why don’t you go and see Molly, clean up, and get something to eat?” Thad shooed Ellie toward the door. “By the time you come back, I’ll make sure he’s in bed playing a nice patient.”
Bayden almost smiled at the way she kept craning her neck back to see him. “Go ahead, Ellie. I’ll be here.”
“Everyone out now!” Thad said after Ellie had gone.
Once everyone left, Thad sighed. “Don’t think I didn’t catch what you were implying to Ellie. Don’t split your fucking side open again. “You said I was fine. Quit worrying.” He held his side with one hand while putting his clothes on the end of the bed.