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My eyes widened when he shifted. Panic had me reaching out, wrapping a hand around his wrist. “Don’t leave me,” I pleaded. “Not until they’re here. I don’t want to be alone.”

His lips parted but snapped shut, his words cut off by someone bellowing somewhere outside the cabin. The stomp of boots pounding against the porch followed more shouted demands of “Where the fuck is she?” and my name being called repeatedly.

The moment they entered the cabin, relief swamped me like a comforting blanket. They were here, which meant I didn’t have to be strong anymore. Miles’s face appeared over mine, and the tears that had only dripped from my eyes now erupted into massive waterfalls.

“Who hurt you, Aspen?” More tears flowed down my cheeks that he swiped away with gentle strokes. “Who am I hunting for this?”

I was still unable to get words out around the silent sobs. He scanned my face before sliding an angry look to Langston.

“What. The. Fuck. Happened? And why the hell is your shirt off?”

As if he knew it was coming, Langston gently set my arm on my chest right before Miles lunged for him, sending them both crashing to the floor. I twisted my head, too shocked to do or say anything as they rolled around, sending the coffee table flying against the stone fireplace. In a practiced move, Miles flipped around, pinning Langston to the floor with a hand wrapped around his throat.

For as much of an asshole as Langston was, he was apparently well versed in how to not agitate a man on the verge of snapping. Not once did he attempt to break Miles’s choking hold; instead, Langston lay beneath him with both hands up, looking calm and patient.

“Sweetheart.” The utter distress in Aiden’s trembling voice made more tears cascade down my cheeks, dripping onto the couch. “My sweet, sweet Aspen, who hurt you?” His voice cracked as he cradled my cheek, gaze searching my face. “Who do we need to kill for laying hands on our special girl?”

Noise at the front door had every head swiveling in that direction. Miles jumped up, drawing his sidearm in the same movement, only to immediately lower the barrel and holster the gun.

Liam crept into view, his hands up, though one held a red canvas-type bag with a white cross on the side. “Easy there, boys. Just bringing Lang his medic kit to help your girl while we wait for the doc.” Liam eyed Langston, who was still laid out on the floor, before looking at Miles with an arched brow. “You know he didn’t do this, right, Miles?”

Miles gave a confirming grunt before he begrudgingly held out a hand to help Langston off the floor. He started to say something else, but his attention snapped to the across the room. “Jubie.” My heart shattered at the despair in Miles’s voice. I couldn’t see them where I lay, but I heard a noise that sounded like he slumped to the hardwood floor. “Who hurt them in our own home?”

“Liam called Baylee,” Langston said. “She’ll be here to handle Jubie’s medical needs.” Storming over, he took the offered medical bag and leaned in to whisper to Liam, who nodded and took off through the back door. “And call Oliver,” Langston shouted after him. “We need everyone out there looking for her.”

“Her?” Aiden and Miles exclaimed at the same time.

“Yes, her,” Langston snarled while unzipping the bag. “That Jessica woman did this to your dog and girl. Though what I’m gathering is she actually went after Jubie, but Aspen stepped in and got herself knifed.”

Okay, maybe he was back to being an asshole.

“Your girl here saved her life.” He opened his bag and rummaged through it, pulling out a wrap of some kind. “This is special gauze that will help slow the bleeding, but I’ll have to unwrap what I did earlier to get it on.” He waited until I nodded. “As soon as the doc gets here, he can get you some pain meds before taking you to the clinic, where you’ll need a shit ton of stitches to close up the gash.” He looked to Aiden, then Miles. “I’ll make sure they’re with you the entire time. You won’t be alone.”

“Okay.” My hand snapped out and wrapped around his forearm. “Thank you.”

His features softened for a second before he cleared his throat with a clipped nod.

With his full focus on the task at hand, I turned wide eyes to Aiden, who still hovered close. “Please don’t leave me.”

His expression turned fierce. Kneeling beside me, he wiped at my damp cheeks. “Never, sweetheart. We’re here, no matter what.”

Almost completely numb, I didn’t really feel Langston removing the old bandage and wrapping it with the new one. With the guys there, knowing they were safe and someone was on their way to help Jubie, all the fight drained out of me. Body molding against the cushions, I let my heavy lids fall despite the frantic shouts around me.

Quickly, the voices faded into a dull hum. My sluggish heartbeat pounded in my ears.

But I wasn’t scared, not really.

Aiden said they wouldn’t leave me, no matter what.

And if they were here, then everything would be okay.

For me anyway. For Jessica…

I really, really,reallyhoped not.

34

AIDEN