Silently, Jake made his way toward them, his mouth twisted in a feral smile as he heard the other man mention his name.
“Where is your hero now, hmm? Where is your precious Jake, just when you need him most of all?”
In a voice he barely recognized, Jake growled the last words Javier Cetro would ever hear. “I’m right here, you sick fuck!”
The man’s intake of air was sharp and sudden, but Jake gave him no time for further reaction. Swiftly securing the hand with the knife, he bent it back until he heard a snap, forcing the bastard to release the weapon. Cetro howled with pain.
Before the blade even hit the ground, Jake moved both hands up—one below Cetro’s chin, the other grabbing the top of the bastard’s head.
In one quick, sharp movement, Jake pushed up on Cetro’s chin and twisted his head to the side. The satisfying crunch of bones was music to Jake’s ears.
Jake let the asshole’s lifeless body fall to the ground.
“I’m here, Liv! Please hold on, baby!”
Pulling his K-Bar from its sheath, he began sawing the thick ropes binding Olivia’s raw wrists. “Ah, God, baby. I’m here, now.”
Her head hung low against her chest, and she wasn’t moving. Jake hadn’t heard her make a sound since he’d slipped into the barn. Blood covered her back. The sight of those wounds alone was enough to bring him to his knees.
Jake had to work harder than ever before to remain focused on the task at hand. If he didn’t, if he thought about what that monster had done to her, he’d go fucking insane. Allowing that to happen wouldn’t help Liv, so with trembling hands, he continued working to free her.
“Jesus,” he heard Trevor say as he entered the barn from the front, gun drawn. “Ah, Christ, Jake.”
The agony in his friend’s voice nearly tore him apart. “Help me get her down!” The panic in Jake’s voice pushing Trevor’s shocked form into gear.
The two men worked together to get her free. Trevor gently wrapped his arms around Olivia’s hips and hoisted her up higher, making it easier for Jake to cut through the final strands of rope.
Olivia’s arms fell limply to her sides, and her body dropped toward Trevor. He started to lay her down, but Jake shook his head in protest.
“Her back,” he said, his voice cracking. “Let’s take her outside.”
Carefully, they transferred her into Jake’s arms. He held on to his precious cargo and ran out of the barn as fast as he could, past the video camera he couldn’t think about just then.
Trevor ran past him, sprinting to Derek’s truck as he updated the team through his com. Jake didn’t hear much of what was said, focusing instead on the precious cargo in his arms. Trev returned a minute later with a blanket in his hands.
He spread it out hastily, and Jake fell to his knees before gently laying Olivia down. He was unable to avoid the injuries on her back, but at least the blanket was clean, unlike the ground.
Jake reached over to check for a pulse, but when he saw the nick from Cetro’s knife on her throat and realized just how close to death she had come, his hands began to shake too fiercely to try.
“Let me,” Trevor said beside him.
Jake pulled his hand back and held his breath, praying she was still alive. He thought he’d seen her chest move to draw air, but his head was so fucked up right now, he didn’t know if it she had actually taken a breath, or if his mind was only seeing what it wanted to.
“She’s got a pulse,” Trevor said excitedly.
Jake’s relief was so staggering, he’d have fallen to his knees if he weren’t already on them.
“Chopper’s on its way,” Mac hollered as she and Coop ran toward them from the south. “Ryker’s medics are on hand. ETA four minutes.”
Jake looked down at Liv. She was too still, and what little skin not covered in bruises or blood was too pale. Four minutes was too fucking long.
“How is she?” Hill asked gruffly as he came up from behind Jake.
“Her pulse is weak and thready,” Trevor answered, his voice thick with emotion. “She’s lost a lot of blood. Even with the chopper coming...”
He shook his head, his face contorted as he fought against the reality of the situation.
Trevor didn’t finish what he’d been about to say. He didn’t have to. Even with the chopper just minutes away, Olivia still may not make it.
Chapter 15
No. Fuck that. Liv was a fighter, and Jake would not let her give up, now.
“Olivia!” Jake’s raised voice was gravelly, and he didn’t even bother to hide the tears falling down his face. “Open your eyes.” Jake gently shook her bare shoulders.
No response.
“Olivia!”
He didn’t care how desperate he sounded. His entire world was bleeding out on the ground before him. He could practically see the life draining out of her, one agonizing heartbeat at a time.
Jake couldn’t lose her. Not now. Not after all they’d been through. She would make it through this. He refused to entertain any other outcome.
While Jake kept trying to wake her, Trevor verbally assessed her injuries. “From what I can actually see, the cut on her arm is the worst. My guess is, her brachial artery’s been nicked. She obviously has severe bruising, and, of course, multiple lacerations on her back.” He clenched his jaw, pausing to reign in his anger.
“It looks like a bullet grazed her left shoulder, but the wound is superficial. Her knees are scraped up, too. We won’t know about internal injuries until we get her to the hospital.” Trevor leaned over toward the side Jake was sitting on. “Ah, shit, Jake. The bastard broke her wrist.”
Jake’s eyes flew down to the wrist closest to him. He’d been so worried about getting her cut down and making sure she was breathing, he hadn’t noticed how swollen and misshapen it was.
A tortured sound escaped his throat as he thought
