God, please. Oh, please Lord let her make it out of this. I can’t survive this world without her. She is so strong, give her strength. Let your will run through my woman’s veins and give her the will to survive.
“Konner?” Hearing Bri’s voice brought me out of my desperate haze.
Looking up at her red-rimmed, swollen eyes, I knew she felt guilty for not being able to keep up with Thompson.
“Why you crying, baby-girl? It’s not your fault.” Getting back on my feet was a struggle. I felt the weight of absolute desolation and despair. Gravity was pulling me down and I couldn’t do anything but draw Brianne into my arms and I leaned into her.
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t faster. I feel so horrible.” She rubbed her face against my chest, trying to wipe her fresh set of tears.
“Oh, Brianne Cailín, don’t you worry about my Siddaleigh. She is strong. She’ll probably kick that skeazoid’s ass before it’s all said and done, only leaving me to pick up his carcass. I have the utmost faith in her. So should you.”
Brianne looked into my eyes and I knew all she would see would be my steely resolve.
“I do.”
Nathan clashed the back door opened and yelled out to me.
“Konner, her phone’s on!”
I pulled Brianne away from me and put her into Nate’s arms. If I wasn’t over-preoccupied with Siddaleigh, I’d be slightly concerned with how willingly Nate drew her into his arms.
I ran back inside and unclicked my phone and felt it begin to vibrate and ring out Justin Moore’s ‘Til My Last Day’. Siddaleigh’s text alert sound. Hindrons finally got a bead on her. She was half way to Nacogdoches.
“Dammit. Where’s her exact location Hindrons?”
Hindrons was typing into his little gadget and within a few minutes he pin-pointed they were about two hours from here. Near Kennard, Texas.
“That’s close to the Davy Crockett National Forest. Let’s roll. If you’re coming, stay behind us. We don’t-“
I literally growled and crowded into his face.
“I don’t give a fuck, if I pass you, I pass you. Write me a fucking ticket and take me to jail. Afterwards. I’m going to her.”
I shoved my way passed him, and ran to my car.
46
The First Round
..::Konner::..
Nate said something to Bri, then met me at the front door on the way to my car.
“Fully loaded?” I knew what he meant. I nodded and we ran to my Camaro after passing Nate’s keys over to Bri. We got in, belted, and sped our way to get to Sidda. No way would I let her down. Not again.
♥
..::Siddaleigh::..
With all the self-defense classes I’ve taken, I should be able to find a way out of this mess. Konner would find me, of that I had no doubt. Two hours wasn’t too bad. I just had to get Mikhail to stall. We were surrounded by forests. I didn’t know where we were. But I knew those trees could hide me. Just needed to figure out a way to actually get away. Stalling the jerkasaurous would give Konner the time he needed.
My vibrating pocket let me know I wasn’t completely alone. However, Mikhail’s incessant bickering was starting to grate on my last nerve. I couldn’t contain my irritation any longer.
“Well, Mikhail, you look like utter crap. I must say, years in prison didn’t do you so well, did they?”
That’s all I got to say before Mikhail smacked my unmarred cheek. I felt a metallic taste in my mouth. And with my queasy stomach, that surely didn’t help any. I felt my lip split open and a little blood sliding down my chin.
“You sure got a smartass mouth on you since I saw you last, you little bitch. I thought you knew better.”
The asshole actually bought the crap spewing from his mouth. Well I think I’m going to have to take matters into my own hands. I sent a quick prayer, then thought…Fuck it.
We were still surrounded by woods and trees ten minutes later. There wasn’t that much traffic. Not really in my favor as far as help was concerned, but since I was wearing my trusty purple Chuck Taylor Converse and I was in decent enough shape to, despite my size fourteen body, run.
Mikhail grabbed my wrist, pulled and twisted it until I was half way over the middle console.
“Nothing else to say now, do you, Sidda? I like it when you’re afraid.”
I was scared but not of him. Not anymore. If I had to die trying, I would take him down with me.
I saw my chance when Mikhail was turning a sharp curve. I reached out to the stirring wheel before he could notice, and turned it hard. Turned it the opposite direction. Right into and through the railing. That’s when we hydro-planed and started flipping and rolling.
As my seat belt held me firmly, I felt a slight jerk as it tightened. Then as we spun I felt weightless and the blood started to rush through my body towards my brain. My stomach dropped as if I was spinning on a roller coaster. That’s how it felt flipping and rolling until my head hit the side window and my eye sight began to blur. After the third flip, we rolled to a stop, upside down.
I tried to open my eyes, but my head hurt so badly.
Get up. Don’t stop. Get out. He can’t hurt you if you’re away. NOW!
I jerked my head, which blurred my eyesight more but turned it to the side slowly and looked at Mikhail. He looked unconscious. I could feel the blood in my body begin to go to my head since we were hanging upside down. I managed to unclasp my seat belt after a little jarring. I did my best to protect my head with my shoulder and my stomach with my tied up wrists as I fell to the roof. Some of the side windows had ended up busted open. Which a good chunk of the safety glass got embedded into my already bruised flesh.
I was able to hold in the pain and get passed it. That’s when I heard Mikhail groan.
Holy crapola.
I threw my elbow into the window a few times, broke most of the glass, determined to make enough room for me to squeeze through. Mikhail’s eyes blinked a few times when I did my best to get out the window. I managed to crawl half way out when his hand shot out to manacle my right ankle.
“I’m gonna get you, you fucking little cunt. You’re mine. And before I kill you, I’m gonna tear into every hole on your body until you bleed and beg for mercy.”
I struggled, kicked out with my left leg, and ended up catching his cheek.
Score!
He screeched and I managed to get out of the wrecked vehicle. When I tried standing, I fell back down to the earth. The ankle he gripped must have twisted slightly, because when I looked down at it, I saw it swelling a little. A battle bruise from Operation: KICK ASS. Yeah, that’s the only thing I had going for me. Something to get me through and away from this shitty situation. Yeah, letting my sailor flags fly. Every curse word imaginable was said.
I might be slightly-err, mostly-hurt, but I managed to kick some bad guy ass. Boom BABY! I took his ass to the yard.
I dealt with the pain and shoved myself back up and limped as quickly as limping could get me, into the thickening woods. I could hear Mikhail screaming and hollering after me. There wasn’t time to see if he managed to get out.
Get through the pain. Siddaleigh, get to work girl. Push past the pain and get away. Never again. You can’t let him win. Not this time. Not any time.
If there was a next time Mikhail and I met, I knew one of us would not make it.
After about twenty minutes of fast paced limping, I dug out my phone. Amazingly enough, I had about two bars and a three quarter battery. Thank you God!
I was still walking when I unlocked my phone and saw two missed calls from Detective Hindrons and five texts from Konner, a few from Callie, and one from my mother.
Yeah, I should have waited to see what my mother wrote but sometimes when a girls at her limit and last nerve, she needs some mama-love.
Mom: Are you and Konner still coming this Sunday for the game and dinner?
My eyes began to tear up and I couldn’t help but laugh at the mundane question cuttin
g me to the quick. I almost died and they wouldn’t have even known. None of my family. I never told them about the Mikhail situation. I didn’t want to worry them. So I couldn’t help but answer with a smile.
Me: Most Definitely. I <3 U
Mom: I love you too, girlie!
Lord, love her. I kept walking steadily as I looked through my contacts to Konner’s name. I tapped the contact and called him.
“SIDDALEIGH!? God, baby, please tell me you’re okay?” Konner voice was frantic and it made me giggle.
“Oh, God, Nate she’s laughing. Something’s wrong.”
I heard Nate in the background trying to calm Konner down.
“Sidda, please stop laughing and talk to us. Konner’s not the best of company right now and in a sensitive state.”
I heard what sounded like a growl and smack on the head.
“Dammit, KO, that fuckin’ hurt.”
That sobered me enough.
“I’m here, in some woods. There was a car accident.”
“WHAT! Jesus, banphrionsa, talk to me, love.”
I kept walking deeper into the woods. Mikhail might have gotten out and started looking for me. I prayed not, but I wasn’t about to take any chances.
“Well, when I smarted off-.”
“What the fuck? Siddaleigh Mare, you know better.”
I made to nip that ‘you know better’ bull in the bud.
“Don’t, Konner. Don’t you fucking tell me ‘I know better’. I wasn’t going to go anywhere with him. Not ever again. Now, you shut the hell up and let me finish or I’m hanging up and waiting until you find me. Got it, buster?”
Hearing Konner take a few deep breaths, he sighed. “Yes, babe. I’m sorry. Please tell me.”
“I smarted off. He smacked my face,” I heard Konner literally growl, again, (Good grief, was he part werewolf?) and Nathan’s sharp inhale, “and then when he grabbed my tied up wrist. Which are still tied up btw and hurting like a mother. I got close enough to grab the steering wheel and whipped it the opposite way as we were turning into the sharp curve. We lost control, flipped a few times, rolled ‘til we stopped upside side. I have to say, Operation: KICK ASS is complete. I might have a slight concussion when my head hit the window and my ankle is sprained and hurting like a bitch. But I had to escape. By any means necessary. Got me?”
“Op: Kick Ass! Love it, Sidda.” I heard Nate chuckle when he said that. Lord, love, Nathan too.
“You got away, though. Thank God.” Konner was still breathing erratically but I gave him enough grace to settle down.
“Yes, I got away. But I am in Bum-Fuck-Texas in some woods. Can I be rescued now?” I knew my voice became whiny and whimpery, but I didn’t care.
“Yeah, babe, we’re about forty-five minutes from you. We believe you’re in the Davy Crockett National Forest. We so passed up the cops. Find somewhere to sit tight. Is brae liom tú.”
“Me too, Konner. I love you, too.”
We signed off and I walked about thirty more minutes until I found a thick tree with many limbs that seemed to make a little cavern about ten or fifteen feet up into the air. I might have a concussion, a sprained ankle and tied up hands, but I was going to pull a ‘Katniss’ and climb up this damn tree.
47
With my Life
..::Konner::..
“Thank God, Nate. I might have to kill that sorry-
Nathan interrupted me, “Stop, KO. Your girl got out and is sitting tight. By tonight, she’ll be in your arms nice, tight and right.”
I kept my lead foot to the ground and when we sped around a few sharper curves, we saw the wrecked SUV.
“My God, that truck is totaled.”
We skidded to a stop and climbed out. There wasn’t any sight of anyone, but there was enough blood to make me nauseous.
“Jesus. Nate that could be her blood. We gotta find her.”
There was blood everywhere. The police pulled right behind us with Hindrons in the lead. Checking the car and figuring Thompson turned tail or followed her in the woods.
“Hindrons, you know he could have went in after her.”
“Yeah, give her a call and let’s track it ‘til we get to her.”
Pulling my phone back out, I dialed her number for FaceTime.
“Hello.”
“Sidda-love, are you okay?”
“I’m starting to feel sleepy.”
“Fuck, babe, don’t sleep, we’re going into the woods. I’m coming babe. Do you hear anything?”
“No. Konner?”
I looked straight into her glassy hazel eyes and knew she was about to drop.
“Yeah, baby?”
“When you get me, if I’m out, please take me to Texas Women’s Hospital and ask for Doctor Larsen. Please. Promise me?”
“Yes, I promise. Try to stay awake. I’m coming.”
We traced her phone into an hour into the woods. We didn’t hear or see any sign of Thompson but a small foot size. Sidda. I’m close, my love. I’m coming.
After what seemed like forever but ended up being about ten more minutes, I noticed wrestling limbs above me.
“Konner?”
Looking up, the sight before me was both my salvation and my biggest failure. Knowing the fact that I didn’t protect her. I couldn’t contain the tears that strayed down my eyes.
“Yes, banphrionsa, you’re safe now. Fall into me, love. Let me take you home.”
She smiled sweetly at me and did what I told her to do. She let herself free-fall down. I knew she was at the end of her rope and all the adrenaline that got her to this point, was depleted.
I caught her in my arms. My precious bundle.
“Please, Konner, Doctor Larsen.”
“I promised.”
“Thank you.”
With that, she passed out. We rushed as fast as we could back to the car.
“She told me to take her to Texas Women’s Hospital, that’s in Houston.”
“Yes, we know the doctor she saw there. I’ll call it in and make sure the doctor is there or gets there by the time we reach the destination.” Hindrons made haste as did Nathan and I.
I tossed Nate the keys, “Like a fucking ghost. Fly us, Nate.”
“Heard.”
I sat in the back with Siddaleigh wrapped in my arms.
I did nothing but pray. And touch whatever part of Sidda I could sooth as she twitched and jerked.
“Konner?”
“Yeah, Nate?”
“This isn’t over. He got away. He must be recuperating somewhere until he’s ready. The he’ll come to us. He tried to get to her once. He’ll know now we’ll be watching over her like a hawk. He’ll mess up now that he’s desperate.”
“I know that, Nathan. What happens if we get shipped out before that happens? She won’t live in a bubble. That’s what scares the life right outta me. What if I’m not there to protect her? How could she ever forgive me for letting him hurt her yet again? I failed her. What kind of man does that make me?”
Nathen sat and drove quietly for a few minutes before responding.
“That makes you a flawed man, brother. But one that will give his last breath for her. One that will never give up. No matter what’s at stake. The one that will wait for her as long as you have to, to ensure her happiness comes before yours.”
I knew then that it wasn’t just the girl in my arms that we were talking about.
“Nathan. My sister loves you. Just give her some time. Thank you, for making it about you.”
Nathan chuckled. “Buddy, that was for the both of us. You might think you failed her, but you didn’t. Thompson made a choice. Siddaleigh got herself out of it. With the kind of bravery I’ve never seen before. When she wakes, I’ll hail to the all-knowing, kick-ass goddess that rests within your arms.”
I nodded in silence and just nuzzled into Siddaleigh’s blood stained hair.
I spoke to her in Gaelic. I told her how I sorry I was for failing her. How I would make it up t
o her for the rest of my life. I told her how strong she was. She was such a warrior with her never failing faith. I told her I’d go to church every Sunday, if it so pleased her. How I would make all her dreams come true. Whatever they were, if she had more than the store. I would take care of her and our children. However many we could have. As long as she stayed with me. Whatever I could give her, is hers. I told her to hold on. We’d be at the hospital soon and seeing her to rights. Most of all, I asked her to love me. To never stop loving me. I would never give her reason to ever stop. Then I whispered her my promise. The promise my family had always used to make our fiercest passions known.
“With my life. Siddaleigh. With my life.”
♥
..::Siddaleigh::..
I heard beeping in the background. God, I feel like road kill.
“You practically were, Miss Carrington.”
My eyes flashed open. I guess I said that out loud.
“Yes, you did,” Doctor Larsen chuckled.
That, too.
“Hi.”
God, how scratchy my voice sounded. I felt used and abused. Oh, that’s right. I was. Literally.
“Looks like we’re here yet again. Although this time I’m glad to see the choice in male companionship has improved immensely.
I smirked. “Oh, yeah.”
“Do you know you’re-?
“Yes, yet again. I haven’t told him, yet. I wanted to wait until Christmas. A gift, you know?”
Doctor Larsen came and sat at the edge of my bed.
“That’s fine. You’re only about six weeks. Everything seems to be fine with them.”
Double take. What?
“Whoa, wait a minute. Them? As in plural?”
“Yes,” she laughed and when she saw my face pale she sobered quite quickly. “Your doctor hasn’t told you yet?”
“No, I was supposed to go today or yesterday I guess. God, how long have I been out?”
“Less than a day. Give me your OB/GYN and I’ll give her a call with a detailed report. Even with all the jarring that happened, you and the babies seem to be in good shape. I checked your cervix and there’s no bleeding. We also did a transvaginal ultrasound and stomach ultrasound. They look to be in fine form. Not really more than little ants.”
Love Came Back (a Pyro-Princess Design and Style novel Book 1) Page 26