Page 39 of Fractured Future

Hands braced on his wide hips, he refuses to budge. “Stubborn, aren’t you?”

“Infamously so.” I yelp at the agony racing up my spine when I try to move. “Shit!”

Hyland taps his thick-soled army boot on the ground. “It’s fine. I’ve got all day to wait for you to pull your head out of your ass.”

Ignoring his intensifying glower, I try to heave myself up again yet fail. The first day after a brutal fight is always the worst. I’ve just never dealt with it around people who notice or care before.

“Dammit!” I curse loudly.

Slumping onto the seat, I’m no closer to lifting myself. My usual routine is to remain horizontal and ignore the world until I can handle my injuries. Not go on the run while barely able to move.

“Just ask, Ember. Fuck’s sake.”

“I don’t want your help!”

“You need it.” He allows a thread of sympathy to enter his voice. “Believe it or not, you can trust me.”

“I don’t trust anybody,” I hiss out.

“It’s my job to help you. Trust that.”

Feeling like a complete fool, I finally crack under the pressure. “Fine.”

Hyland stretches out a meaty paw. “That wasn’t so hard, huh?”

“Speak for yourself.”

“Come on. Nice and slow.”

Accepting the hand, I have to bite down on my tongue hard enough to draw blood to keep a whimper in. It’s bad enough they saw me having a total breakdown when Warner found me.

Once I’m up, my pounding head spins with nausea. I’m forced to lean into Hyland’s muscle-hardened side to stop myself from toppling over. The bottle of water I chugged earlier has done little to steady me.

“Easy,” he murmurs.

“Sorry. Dizzy.”

“Mind if I touch you?”

“Hold your horses. We hardly know each other.”

“Hilarious.” Hyland huffs impatiently. “I’m just gonna help you move a bit, alright?”

“Just… be gentle, please.”

“I will,” he reassures.

Banding an arm around my back, his arm slips beneath my shoulder to lift me. The added strength allows me to put one foot in front of the other, getting blood moving back through my strained muscles.

By the time we reach the deathly silent building up ahead, Warner has emerged from a dim side office with two sets of keys. He gestures towards the farthest two doors.

“Paid in cash, no names. Two rooms.”

“They ask any questions?” Hyland grunts.

“Out here? Hell no. The guy was just happy to have customers.”

“Sweet. Let’s roll.”