Page 125 of Beautiful Trauma

When I rushed inside, the metallic smell of blood assaulted my nose. Kellan lay on his side with his hands in cuffs. As I walked through the blood to him, I skidded to a stop at the sight of his back. His skin was raw and flayed open.

“Oh God,” I murmured.

Dropping down beside him, I brushed the blood-stained strands of his hair out of his face. “Kellan? Can you hear me?”

He groaned as he blinked his eyes furiously. “Mila?”

“Yes, my love, it’s me.”

As he stared up at me, he shook his head. “Are you an angel? Am I dead?”

A laugh tumbled from my lips. “You must be delirious if you’re thinking I’m an angel.”

“They said I would never see you again on this side.”

Tears streamed down my cheeks. “I’m so sorry.”

“I told Dima I’d die for you.”

I sucked in a harsh breath. “Dima did this to you?”

“He oversaw it.”

My fists clenched at my side at the thought that my brother could’ve been the one to allow so much suffering.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m rescuing you.”

“Seriously?”

I hiccuped a laugh. “Yes, it’s my time to play hero to you like you always do to me.”

His cracked lips curved into a smile. “My beautiful hero.”

As I gazed at the chains, I wondered where in the hell the keys could be. At the thought of the guard, I said, “One second.”

After I raced back out the door, I grabbed the keys off his belt. With shaky hands, I brought a small key to the lock on his wrists.“Fuck,” I muttered when it didn’t work. I tried the next one, and the same thing. I went through five before it finally opened. I whirled around and went to the other lock. After unlocking it, Kellan pitched forward onto his face on the concrete.”

“Kellan!” I cried before dropping down beside him.

With an agonized groan that would haunt me for days to come, he tried moving his arms from the position they’d been stretched into. My heart broke watching the muscles tremble, and his body spasm.

“I have a shot of adrenaline to give you and some morphine.”

“I don’t know if it will work. I’m so fucking gone.”

“You just have to get to the car, and I’ll do the rest.”

“I’ll try.” He smiled up at me. “I’ll do anything for you.”

“I know you would.” I dipped my head to gently kiss his lips. Even though he tasted of sweat and blood, I had to try to give him some strength through my feelings.

After pulling back, I dug the needle out of my sweater. “I wish I could give you morphine for the pain, but I’m afraid it will knock you out.”

“It’s okay.”

I quickly administered the adrenaline. A shudder went through Kellan. “Let’s do this.”