Page 82 of Endure the Pain

My eyes dropped, finding him holding the hilt of his hunting knife against my stomach.Where’s the blade?I got my answer when the assassin slowly pulled back on the hilt, revealing a bloody blade extending from where it had been embedded in my lower stomach.

“My baby,” I whimpered, as I brought shaky hands to the stab wound. Blood immediately covered them. I looked back up at Alex. He had taken a step back with his hand pressed above his hip where I had stabbed him with the poker. He looked up and down the hall, making sure we were alone. The strength in my legs disappeared and I fell to my knees. I crumpled the rest of the way to the floor, landing on my side, my hair covering my face. I made myself lie there as still as I could, hoping he’d think he had accomplished what he had come here to do and would leave.

It felt like forever until I finally heard his footsteps retreat back toward my room.Just a little longer, Maura.I waited a few more seconds before rolling onto my back. Tears clouded my vision and poured out of my eyes. My hands were sticky with blood and I couldn’t stop shaking.

Where is everyone?I turned my head to search for a camera and found I was lying in a blind spot. Pushing through the pain, I bent my knees and tried to scoot myself into its view. It took so long, moving inch by strenuous inch. Halfway into the camera's sight, I gave up and sobbed.

I wasn’t going to make it.

My baby wasn’t going to make it.

It pissed me off, that this was it. I’d never been afraid to die, but I didn’t want to lose my Jellybean.

In one last ditch effort, I sucked in as much air as I could, and I screamed. It was piercing, pain riddled, andI didn’t stop until all my air was gone and my throat was raw.

I didn’t know if anyone would hear me in this giant house, but at least I had done everything I could. I put my hand back to my stomach when I felt myself fading. I was chasing the rabbit and he was leading me down a dark hole. Within the vast darkness, a voice whispered that they’d take all my pain away.

“Maura!” I heard in the distance and I felt the floor beneath me vibrate. I hadn’t known I’d closed my eyes, and I forced them open just in time to see my father skid onto the floor by my side.

His wide eyes scanned over me rapidly and he put his hand on my stomach. “No! No! No! You’re going to be alright. It’s going to be okay.” He was frantic. “I want a fucking ambulance here now!” he roared at the goons moving around us.

“Daddy,” I breathed.

He brushed some of my hair out of my face. “I’m here.”

I fought to keep my eyes open.

“Maura?” Stefan said, shaking me.

I couldn’t protect my baby,I tried to say before my eyes slid closed and I fell into a pit of nothing.

CHAPTER 27

I lost my Jellybean.

I survived.

I wished I hadn’t.

I couldn’t look at Jamie or Louie, even though they hadn’t left my side, because it was my fault that she was gone.

I had failed to protect our daughter.

I was shattered beyond repair.

The only thing that pulled me to my feet was my rage…my need for blood.

I was going to fucking bathe in it.

CHAPTER 28

Three months later…

“Remember to breathe,” Asher said from where he lay between Brenna and I. Inhaling, I did my best to ignore the rock that was digging into my rib as I stared down the scope of my sniper rifle at the target one hundred and fifty yards away. It was an alien blob figure I had drawn on a poster and nailed to a tree. I aimed for the center of its head and exhaled just before pulling the trigger. My rifle fired and a moment later Brenna’s fired.

I pulled back from the scope and looked to my right. Like Brenna and I, Asher was lying on his stomach, perched up on his elbows with binoculars held up to his eyes.

“Maura, headshot. Brenna, right in the Adam’s apple,” he said, smiling. Lowering his binoculars, he pushed up from the ground to sit on his knees. He picked up his stopwatch from where it hung around his neck. “Get ready to dismantle in three…two…go.”