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“Beau?”
Her voice was quivery, and she sounded so weak that it struck terror to the depths of his soul.
“Yes, honey, I’m here,” he said, trying to keep the sheer panic from his voice.
“Are you hurt?” she said in barely a whisper. “Did he shoot you?”
Tears burned like acid in his eyes. She lay there barely conscious and yet her only thought was whether he was okay or not. A thin rivulet slipped down his cheek. And then another.
He smoothed a shaky hand over her hair and then pressed a kiss to her forehead, letting his lips linger there for a long moment as he tried to collect himself. He inhaled deeply, trying to settle his seething emotions. So he could be strong for her. As strong as she was, as strong as she’d been for him. It shamed him to the depths of his soul that she’d been the one to save him. Not the other way around. Never again. He’d protect her with his dying breath for the rest of his days.
“I’m fine,” he choked out. “Swear to God, Ari, if you ever pull this kind of stunt again I’ll lock you in the goddamn bedroom and never let you out.”
Her smile was crooked. And pained. She closed her eyes, her body seeming to fold inward.
“Ari!” he said in a panicked tone. “Don’t go out on me. Stay with me. Please stay with me. Stay awake. Just a little longer and then you can rest. I promise.”
He was begging, pleading with her and he didn’t care. He had no pride when it came to her. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to save her.
Zack was on the radio barking orders to the others, his tone harsh and urgent.
Without taking his anxious gaze from Ari even for a split second he said to Zack, “Blow the damn wall so we can get the fuck out of here. We have to get her to a hospital as soon as possible. I don’t care about anything else. Just get us the hell out.”
“The charges are set. All I have to do is pull the trigger. You got Ari covered?”
Even as Zack asked, he didn’t wait for a response. Instead he moved over so that he and Caleb protectively flanked Ari. Zack took care to cover the parts of Ari Beau couldn’t, and then he set off the explosion, ducking his head to protect his eyes from any debris.
Beau did the same and simply shoved Ari’s face into his chest, his palm covering the back of her head and holding her in place so nothing touched her.
The explosion shook the room, the floor, the walls and the rafters.
“Shit!” Zack said in an urgent voice. “We have to get out now. The entire roof is coming down. Get Ari and go!”
Beau needed no such urging. He was already hoisting Ari more securely into his arms and he rose, keeping her face against his chest so she didn’t inhale any of the smoke or dust that blew through the room like a hurricane.
No sooner had they cleared the gaping hole in the wall than the roof caved, in collapsing like a cascade of dominos. Another cloud of dust and smoke kicked up and surrounded them until both men were coughing.
The air was fresher, cleaner, the farther they got from the building and was a welcome change from the stale, oppressive interior of the compound. Beau inhaled deeply in an effort to clear not only his lungs, but his mind as well. His heart was too heavy with worry and grief, but he needed his senses about him because, until he had Ari well away from there and in a hospital getting the care she required, he needed all the mental acuity he could muster.
“They’re landing the helo here,” Zack said. “No way Ari can make that trek to the rendezvous point. There isn’t room for us all, so you, Ari and her parents will take the chopper. The rest of us will commandeer one of the vehicles here and get there as soon as we can.”
“I want you with us,” Beau said firmly.
Zack was, in Beau’s mind, his right-hand man, just as Dane was Caleb’s. He trusted Zack to watch his and Ari’s six when Beau knew he wouldn’t be as sharp as he normally was.
“Then I’ll go,” Zack said quietly.
Just like that. No questions. No hesitation. Just unwavering loyalty and resolve.
“Thanks,” Beau said softly.
“Never have to ask, man.”
“I know. Appreciate that.”
To Beau’s relief, the chopper appeared, only a slight hum to the air to signal its arrival. Beau was moving toward it before it even landed, waiting as it gently touched down.
Dane, Capshaw and Isaac quickly climbed out while Beau surged forward bearing Ari with him, Zack on his heels.
As soon as Beau climbed into the interior, Ari’s mother cried out in alarm and her father let out a blistering round of curses.
“What the fuck happened to her?” Gavin roared.
Before Beau could respond, Ari stirred in his arms, opening eyes cloudy with pain and confusion. Then they cleared and frost entered the multicolored orbs.
“Beau, wait,” she said, her voice stronger than it had been just moments earlier.
“No we will not wait,” Beau said fiercely. “You have to get to a hospital now. In case you forgot, you’ve been shot!”
Ginger gasped. “What?”
Ari struggled to sit up, Beau’s arm a barrier to her objective. When he realized she wouldn’t rest and would only do herself more harm if he didn’t allow her up, he reluctantly eased her upward, careful to keep a steadying hand at her back and around her waist.
Her eyes glowed as she stared at the building just yards away. Pain wrinkled her face and her concentration was fierce. It was then he realized what she was trying to do.