Rising Storm (Westin Force #2) - Julie Trettel Page 0,8

look into her beautiful brown eyes, all that changed. My priorities changed in that instant. I knew my life would never be the same.

“Do you want to shift?” Clara asked.

Her eyes went wide, and she shook her head and then cringed.

“Check her head. She hit it hard.”

“Man, it’s a gorilla. She has to be cautious. I get she’s your mate, but Clara’s mine,” Gage warned.

Sahara’s head whipped in my direction and I saw her eyes go fuzzy and her pupils dilate. She looked like she was in shock. I wasn’t absolutely sure it wasn’t Gage’s admittance that she was my mate, but I chose to go with the theory she had a concussion.

“Her pupils are dilating weird. She’s got a concussion.”

She started to shake her head.

“Don’t deny it. I can see it in your eyes.”

Clara shined a light into her eyes as she cringed back and tried to cover her face.

“I’m afraid you’re right about that. Are you hurt anywhere else?”

Her chin rose up in defiance.

“We don’t have time for games. We need to get you out of here quickly. That’s why we’re here. To rescue you. Do you understand?”

Slowly she nodded.

Emma

Chapter 4

Until the man and the strangers walked in, I was frozen and scared and didn’t know what to do or where to go. I hurt all over and there was a puncture in my side that was bleeding out. Frank had done that. I’d had no choice but to react with violence. It was kill or be killed and he hadn’t stood a chance, not even with the room spinning around me.

Painter, that’s what the lady had said his name was. I had never heard it before, but somehow it just seemed to fit. He was being sweet, and he was determined to protect me, but I could protect myself. You’d think the dead human on the floor would prove that to him.

I couldn’t believe he was my mate, and hearing the other male confirm it was surreal. Part of me wondered just how hard I’d hit my head. Could I be imagining it all?

The woman, Clara, wanted to check me out, but I didn’t want them to know I was injured, weak. They told me they were there to rescue me, but I wasn’t even sure I could move let alone walk out of here. It had taken eight men to get me out of the rink and carry me back to this surgical room. There were only three of them.

“Ten minute warning. Get moving,” I heard someone bark.

Painter reached for an earpiece that was hanging around his neck.

“She’s hurt. We need more time, or at least more hands.”

“We’re on our way,” the voice said.

It vaguely dawned on me that he spoke as if the man on the other line knew exactly who he was talking about—me. I was still in shock over his sudden appearance. How had he managed to tell everyone? Then I remembered the men forcing him to leave and wondered if perhaps it was one of them.

“We’re going to get you out of here, sweetheart, don’t worry.”

I closed my eyes for a minute. The pain was becoming unbearable and I could feel myself getting weaker.

“Let’s see if we can move her,” Gage advised.

“I’ve got it,” Painter insisted.

“You’re not going to be able to carry her out of here alone, at least not in gorilla form.”

He didn’t listen as he wrapped his arms around me and tried to help me up. I grunted in pain and fought not to black out again.

He froze. “She’s bleeding. A lot. Clara, help.”

He sounded scared and upset. It took me a minute to realize he was worried about me. I didn’t even know him, and he was terrified for me. I was struggling to process that. It had been so long since anyone truly cared about me like that. I wasn’t sure how to handle it now.

Four large men ran into the room. I jolted and tried to retreat.

“Help me,” Painter begged them.

Four men. They were never going to get me out of here. I briefly contemplated shifting just so they could move me.

As if reading my mind, Clara said, “That’s a lot of blood. Whatever you do, don’t shift. Your gorilla will heal you faster.”

“It’s bad, isn’t it?” Painter asked.

I needed to know the answer to that, too.

“It’s not good, that’s for sure.”

“Well we’re going to have to deal with that on the plane, because this building is coming down in seven minutes,” one of the newcomers