Without thinking, Landon and I both follow, jumping over the edge and into the water. Icy cold needles stab me all over as I surface, gasping for breath.
“Fuck,” I curse, feeling my muscles tighten.
I tread water, searching for Hayden when I can’t see her. Hayden can swim. I know she can. Yet she’s nowhere to be found.
“Where is she?” I ask a pale-faced Landon, who has just come up for air.
He’s just about to duck back under when something catches his attention. “There!” he yells, pointing a little further down the stream.
I draw in a long breath when I see the sight of her, face down, unmoving in the water and somehow snagged on a fallen tree.
The water slams against my back as I freeze. I can’t lose her. I just got her.
“No,” Landon chokes out before swimming his way over to her.
I push forward, kicking my feet with gusto as I swim over to her. I turn her around as Landon works on freeing her.
“Please, God, no,” I pant, blinking rain out of my eyes.
I rest her head against my shoulder, and a whimper escapes my lips when I see one side of her face is smeared in blood. It’s not even her only injury. Bruises are forming on her neck, clearly outlining the hand that must have wrapped around her throat in a vice-like grip, yet she came crashing through those trees, exhaustion tearing at her with every stride, and still she held her ground when that fucker caught up with her. Her palms are scraped raw, yet dirt and blood are caked beneath her nails, evidence she clawed at someone. I can see she fought back, and she fought well.
“We can’t risk trying to go back upstream to the others. The current is too strong,” Landon explains, helping me keep her head above water when it begins to rise.
“Can you get up there?” I yell, jerking my head towards the wall of rock, mud and roots from bushes and trees.
“Landon,” Liam yells, skidding to a stop above us.
I cover Hayden, protecting her from the stones and dirt that break off, falling over us.
Leaning back, I wipe the hair off her face, giving her a little shake. “Wake up. Please, wake up.”
“She’s not fucking sleeping,” Landon snaps, pulling at some ivy wound around some branches.
“Holy fuck!” Beau curses, coming to a stop next to Liam.
“Help her,” I plead, coughing when a gush water splashes over us and into my face.
“Liam, get down on your stomach and lean over the edge. I’ll hold onto your legs so you can reach down. Grab Landon first,” Beau orders.
“No, get Hayden. I don’t know if she’s breathing,” I argue, kissing her temple.
“Oh God,” Liam moans, staring down at her from his position on his stomach. He looks pale, his chin trembling.
“We need the help to get her up. She’s unconscious,” Beau snaps, gripping Liam’s ankles.
I grip onto a load of ivy and branches, keeping us close to the side as Landon climbs up with Liam’s help. There is no way I’m willing to risk the water sweeping us away. It feels like it’s angry at us, punishing us as it tears its way downstream.
“Hold her up,” Liam strains out, his face red.
I heave her up over my head as much as I can. “You got her?”
“Got her,” Liam wheezes, dragging her up with Landon’s help.
I drop my chin to my chest, inhaling and exhaling deep breaths.
She’s safe.
I’m not going to lose her.
“C’mon, man,” Liam yells, reaching down to me.
I grasp his wrist as he grabs mine. “Thanks.”
“Don’t look so surprised,” he rasps out, heaving me up. “I didn’t want her to skin me alive because I left you to swim with the fishes. And she has a thing for kneeing guys in the balls when they piss her off.”
I fall to my stomach when I reach the top, my heart stopping at the sight of Landon doing compressions.
“Come on, Hayden,” he shouts, pushing his hands down on her chest.
“No, no, no,” I hiss, crawling over to her, running my hand over her hair.
Her body is too small for the force he is using. With each jerk of her body, my heart lurches.
“No,” Max croaks, swaying next to the man responsible for all this, his broken gaze on his daughter.
Fisher splutters out a laugh before spitting blood to the ground. “Got the bitch.”
My heels rise from the ground, ready to tear into the callous human being, but the animalistic sound that tears from Max’s chest, stops me.
I’ve never seen rage like it. Hayden warned me her dad could get mad when one of them were hurt, but nothing could have prepared me for the sight before me. His face morphs into something I don’t recognise as he turns to Fisher, his jaw clenched.
He headbutts him, screaming in his face. “I’m going to tear you apart.”
Hayden flinches beneath me, and I glance down, my heart racing before the most beautiful sound ever reaches me.
She lifts her head, coughing as water spills out of her mouth.
“Thank God. Thank God,” I breathe out, my shoulders shaking as a low groaning sound bubbles from my throat. “Thank you.”
I pepper kisses all over her face, my eyes filling with tears as Landon falls on his arse beside her, his knees drawn to his chest.
“Max, he’s unconscious,” the older Liam drawls, striding over to us.
“I thought I told you to stay with the others,” Beau growls, his brows pinching together.
“The police have them. They’ve called social services to come sit with the boy. Turns out, the brother has custody of him. He’s shook up.”
“Is the ambulance here?”
“No, I’ve called it. I told them to meet us on the road, in case Hayden was hurt. Is she okay?” he asks, stepping closer, his expression drawn tight as he glances down at Hayden.
“She died,” Liam, her brother, croaks. “You all need to stop fucking dying.”
“We should get her to the road. They won’t be able to get here,” he explains.
I run my hands over her hair, tears streaming from my eyes. “Hayden, I’m here. I’m here. It’s okay,” I assure her.
Max skids to his knees next to me, gently running his palm down her cheek. “You’re okay. You’re okay,” he chants, staring down at her.
“Stop being a pussy,” she rasps, her voice husky as she squeezes my hand.
“I told you she doesn’t like sissies,” he reminds me, wiping the tears from his cheeks.
“Dad,” she whispers hoarsely.
“It’s okay. We can toughen him up if you decide to keep him.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I growl, glaring at him.
He arches is eyebrows at me, his lips twitching in amusement. “If I wanted you gone, you’d be gone. The only reason I haven’t is because she can hold a grudge. And as mad as she’ll get at me, she’ll miss me more. No one should be deprived of my company,” he says, his attention returning to Hayden. A few quiet seconds pass before he adds, “She loves me more than she loves you.”
Hayden makes a noise in the back of her throat. “Make him stop,” she croaks.
Gently lifting her badly bruised hand in his, he presses a kiss to the top. “You need to stop doing this to me. Why can’t you get knocked up like normal girls?” he argues, kissing her forehead.
“Dad…”
“Yes, baby?”
“When I get some energy, can you remind me to slap you?”
He bumps his forehead against hers, smiling wide. “There’s my girl.”
Someone approaching snags my attention, and I look up, lips parting when Maverick steps out of the shadows, dragging an unconscious guy by the hand.
“Found this one trying to escape,” he announces, before sucking in a breath at the sight of his niece, his eyes filling with pain.
I help Hayden when she tries to sit up, letting her rest against my chest.
“So you beat him?” Beau asks,
arching an eyebrow. “My paperwork is going to last me weeks.”
He shrugs, letting go of the guy’s wrist. It thumps to the ground. “He pissed me off by going after my niece.” He looks to Max, his expression downcast. “And I had to show someone how sorry I was.”
Max looks over at Hayden, who’s teeth begin to chatter. He takes his coat off, wrapping it around her shoulders.
“Let’s get her to the ambulance,” Max announces. “And Maverick?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry. I was just—I was…”
“Trust me, I get it.”
“I’ll get Fisher,” Beau declares.
“No you fucking won’t,” Max snaps. “As much as I’d love to carry my daughter out of here, I want to make sure that fucker isn’t going anywhere.”
“Max, his hands are tied up,” Beau reminds him. “And handcuffed.”
“Is that ivy?” Landon asks, squinting.
Max puffs his chest out, nodding. “Fucker won’t think of messing with me or mine again.”
“I’ll run back for the car and meet you on the road,” Liam tells us, turning to younger Liam, who still looks lost. “You want to come?”
“I’m not leaving Hayden,” he tells him, his voice low.
I pick Hayden up and cradle her in my arms, and her eyes flutter open. “Yay,” she cheers weakly. “I don’t have to walk.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
HAYDEN
The flashing blue lights from the ambulance are causing my head to spin. I shove the paramedic’s hand away when he goes to shine the light in my eyes again.
“Let me check you over,” he argues, lifting his hand again.
“Get that out of my face,” I snap.
“Miss, please…”
“I’m fine,” I croak, looking over his shoulder. “How is he tied to the tree?”
We had arrived at the road at the same time as the paramedics. Instead of lying back on the gurney, I opted to sit in the doorway, wanting to assess my surroundings. I’m still struggling to relax, my body on high alert.
“Ignore that,” Clayton whispers, wrapping the foiled blanket tighter around me.
“Why does Dad have a stick?”
The paramedic shakily turns to look. “I thought they took that off him,” he whispers.
Clayton shakes his head at me. “I’d say your dad is protecting his cub, but he’s not guarding Fisher to protect him. He’s making sure no other corrupt cop lets him free or mistakes him for a good guy.”
“It was just him,” I announce, resting my head against his shoulder. “He’s the only cop involved, the one in charge. It was all him.”
“It’s okay,” he soothes, rubbing his hand down my arm.
“No, it’s not,” I tell him. People lost their lives or are suffering with PTSD because of his choices. All out of anger and greed.”
“Tonight could have ended differently,” Clayton whispers when the paramedic climbs into the back of the ambulance, mumbling about grabbing a sedative for Dad.
I tilt my head up, narrowing my eyes. “Now is not the time to say I told you so. I’m tired and can’t form appropriate comebacks.”
“I’m not saying that to you,” he assures me, his irises darkening. “I was so fucking scared, Hayden. So fucking scared I had lost you. I had gone outside to apologise to you, and to tell you the good news, and you were gone. I’m a lot of things, Hayden. I can be difficult and moody, but one thing I never considered myself to be is a romantic.” He takes a deep breath while my heart pounds against my ribcage, waiting for him to continue. “I love you. I know it’s too soon, and I know it’s crazy, but that’s how you make me feel. Crazy. In the time I’ve known you, I’ve been a party planner, a homeless guy, a stranger, a charity case, a stripper, and God knows what else,” he tells me, making me grimace.
“I panic when I’m put on the spot like that. And in all fairness, I couldn’t help my cousin’s neighbour believing me about you being a stripper. You are hot,” I rush out.
He kisses me, shutting me up as laughter shines in his eyes for a moment. “Let me finish,” he says, exasperated.
Rolling my eyes sends a wave of dizziness through me, so I close them briefly whilst taking a deep breath.
“You’ve introduced me as a lot of things, but never your boyfriend.”
I blink up at him. “Is this where you pass me the note?”
He groans. “Hayden, I’m trying to tell you that I want to be with you. No secrets. No hiding. No waiting. I love you and want us to be together.”
“Sorry, but I really wanted the note,” I tell him, pouting.
“Then I’ll give you the note. But if you were to have it now, what would your answer be?”
I give him a dopey smile. “I’d totally tick yes.”
“You’re a pain in the arse.”
I lean up, pressing my lips to his, sighing at the warmth coming from him. I never wanted to admit it, but I loved him too. It wasn’t fear that he could break me that held me back, because I knew deep down in my heart, I’d make him hurt worse. My fear had been to love someone who didn’t love me back or couldn’t love me because of who I am.
But Clayton, he had seen me at my whacky worst and my crazy best and still loved me. He never put me down for being who I am. He’s what my mum is to Dad. He didn’t try to change me, he rode along with me.
And someone who could survive four days with my family was worth keeping.
“I love you too. Maybe. Kind of.”
He laughs against my lips, pressing a kiss to them before pulling back. “I’ll take the ‘I love you’.”
“Now, what was this good news?”
“It’s about your job,” he tells me, sitting back a little.
“If you’re going to fire me, do it tomorrow,” I tell him, closing my eyes at the pain shooting through me.
“No. I’m not going to fire you,” he mutters.
“Do you two always argue?” Liam asks, lifting his head up from his knees. “Because I’m exhausted just listening to you.”
“Why didn’t you leave with Uncle Liam?” I ask him.
He arches an eyebrow, giving me an ‘are you serious’ look. “We aren’t leaving you.”
“I’m fine,” I groan, even though I know it’s pointless. And if this was one of them, I wouldn’t leave either.
“Yeah? Wait till you look in a mirror,” he snaps. “You aren’t fine.”
I groan, squeezing Clayton’s hand. “Tell me about my job.”
“I need to confess something first. I’ve never disapproved of your proposal. I actually wanted to kick myself for not coming up with it myself.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” he confirms, giving me a small smirk. “But you know how you’re always calling me a jerk?”
“That’s who ‘Hot Jerk Boss’ is in your phone,” Liam declares, earning a groan from Landon.
“Will you shut up and let him speak. And we will talk about you snooping later,” I snap, narrowing my eyes on him.
He audibly swallows, glancing at Landon, who shakes his head. “She’s totally going to kick your arse. And she’s stabbed someone now. She’ll have the stomach for it.”
I whine. “I’m not a serial killer.”
Liam grins. “It was badass.”
“Anyway,” Clayton interrupts, glaring at Liam. “I already told you how I felt about my dad and how I didn’t want to let him down. I thought that because he said no, he wouldn’t approve.”
“He did?” I guess, groaning at the sharp pain in my ribs when I move.
He wraps the sheet around me tighter. “He did. He was waiting for me to approve it. I came to tell you congratulations and that I was sorry for yelling at you.”
“You fucking yelled at her?” Landon growls.
“I’m sorry,” Clayton declares, lowering his head.
“I’m not made of glass,” I tell him. “It will take more than you getting pissed to hurt me.”
“Police are here for Fisher,” Landon announces, standing up.
I force myself off the back of the ambulance and Clayton tries to pick me back up. “No, I need to go to him.”
“You need to rest,” he stresses. “You’ve still not let the paramedic finish looking you over.”
“That’s because I’m fine.”
“No, you aren’t,” all three tell me.
“Why do you have stones in your pocket?” Clayton murmurs.
“Why are you feeling her arse?” Liam grits out.
“I had to improvise,” I explain, blinking up at him. “Please, there’s something I really need to say to him.”
“Fine,” Clayton agrees, letting me lean against him as I lumber my way over to where Dad is guarding Fisher.
“Hayden,” Dad warns, blocking me from reaching Fisher.
“Dad, I just need to say something.”
He closes his eyes, letting out a breath before leaning in. “Just don’t hit him. The police frown upon it,” he warns me, eyeing the cop trying to cut Fisher free, before stepping back, swinging the branch up to rest on his shoulders.
I give Dad a curt nod and he steps aside. I walk over to Fisher, bending down, a wide smile on my face. Seeing him bruised and bleeding gives me warm fuzzies.
“What the fuck do you want?”
“I’ve been dying to say something to you.”
“What?” he snarls, rearing back.
I grin wider, letting him see how smug I am. “Gotcha!”
He struggles against his binds, screaming. “You little fucking bitch. You’ll regret this. You’ll fucking regret it.”
I laugh, the gesture burning my lungs, but I do it, wanting to show him he hasn’t won. “No. I told you you’d regret this. I warned you. Now you’ll never get a chance to hurt another person again. I. Got. You.”
“I’m innocent,” he states, raising his head.
“And I’m an angel,” I snap.
Dad bends down next to Fisher, his hands resting between his thighs. He grins, patting Fisher’s head, causing him to struggle harder. “You shouldn’t have fucked with a Carter.”
“Because now you’ll be fucked all over,” Landon grits out. “In prison.”
“Who are you?” Fisher shouts at me, his face red.
Hayden (A Next Generation Carter Brother Novel Book 4) Page 30
