Page 114 of Like An Animal

“Where is she?” I ask, panic coursing through me from the sight of her blood.

“They brought her into surgery to repair the artery. They said it was just nicked and they’re hopeful she’ll be fine. I also sent Cheryl off to be checked out.”

His face is full of uncertainty and anxiety. “What is it?” There’s something he’s not telling me and I can see it on his face.

“The artery repair isn’t the only thing the doctors have to deal with. She didn’t want you to know until everything at the compound was dealt with.”

“Xavi, tell me.” He needs to stop jumping around the issue.

“As soon as he got her to the compound, Isaac raped her violently. She was still bleeding from it. After they deal with the cut on her neck, they’re going to have to stitch her up down there. The doctors said that she’ll probably need to stay for a week. She’s in bad shape, man.”

I had hoped that they would wait to do anything to her, but I should’ve expected that they would hurt her the moment they had her in their grasp.

Like she said, Isaac wanted Bronwyn but The Fathers wanted Charlotte.

My wife was their key to try to find our daughter.

She knew we were coming to get her so she did what she could to keep anyone from leaving to search out Charlotte. She didn’t give them anything so they took from her.

I’m going to kill that son of a bitch.

CHAPTER 47

THE GHOST

Ifeel so drowsy when I wake up, but I feel a hand on my own, squeezing my fingers. My ass hurts and my neck stings, but I’ll live. At least I think I will.

“Jer?” That’s who I would think is holding my hand.

“No. It’s me, pretty girl.”

I slowly open my eyes and gaze at Xavi’s smiling face. A small grin pulls across my lips. “Hi.”

He chuckles. “How drugged are you?”

“Just a bit. I think the pain meds are starting to wear off.”

“I’ll get a nurse then,” he offers and tries to drop my hand, but I squeeze his fingers.

“No. Not yet.” I let out a loud yawn and his eyes narrow. “Where’s Jeremy?” I ask.

“He waited until you got out of surgery then went to the warehouse with the Bastards to deal with The Fathers…well, with the exception of Isaac. Nikolai, Max’s dad, flew him and the others back to Newark. We’re going to deal with him ourselves once you’re released from the hospital and given the okay for travel.”

I would expect nothing less. Isaac deserves to die as painful of a death as possible and that’s just because of what he did to Massimo. That’s not even factoring in what he did to me.

Tears fill my eyes as my mind focuses on my fallen friend.

“He’s really dead, isn’t he?” My voice cracks as Xavi frowns. “Max is gone?”

Xavi slowly nods, grief across his face. “Yeah, he’s gone. Nikolai is going to start working on the funeral arrangements once Isaac is dealt with. He doesn’t want to put his son in the ground until he has had justice.” Xavi squeezes my hand.

“I’m sorry,” I sob. “I told him to come with me. He wouldn’t have been there if it wasn’t for me.”

“It’s not your fault. Any of us would’ve made the same choices he did and we all want you to feel safe with us there protecting you. Max died knowing that you were just as protective of him as he was of you. You put his life above your safety. He died knowing he wasn’t alone. That’s a sort of peace only you could’ve brought him. No one else.”

A bittersweet smile tugs at my lips. “He knew it was coming. He closed his eyes and scrunched up his face, like he was bracing himself for impact. I just wanted to save him, but I failed.”

“The only ones who could’ve stopped it were Dimitri and Isaac. You had no control in that situation. I can’t say it’s okay because Max being gone will never feel right, but we’ll all adjust, no matter how painful that adjustment will be. The pain of him being gone is something none of us can fix. It willalwayshurt. Anyone who says otherwise is either an idiot or completely heartless.”