Page 14 of Forever Found
“And Addy?” I asked, unable to wait any longer.
“She won’t let the doctors check her over. She’s really shaken up now it’s over. She has a head injury and she’s moving like she’s in pain. Her wrists are messed up too, but I didn’t want to push her. She was barely holding on. I…I was unconscious for the first fewhours. I don’t know…I don’t know what they did to her in that time. She was trying to be so strong and she did fucking amazing but I…they could have hurt her. I just don’t know,” Eli explained, the words clearly hard for him to get out. We all knew what he was implying – that she had been raped. Just the thought of it had me so filled with rage I wanted to tear down the whole fucking building around me.
“What happened? Who took you?” Asher asked after several moments of us all silently trying to take in what it could mean for Addy – whatever those fuckers had done to her.
“Addy said it was Max - the attorney from Vegas. She said he was working with dad on the trafficking and whatever else they were up to.”
“Max Kline?” I questioned. It was as we’d thought when we got the names from Zara. Maxwell Kline had been Joseph’s business partner. I hadn’t ever met the man, but I had heard Addy mention him and knew she had spoken with him a few times, just because she liked him. I had thought they were friends. He was the guy she’d called the night Asher and Eli didn’t return from being questioned by the cops. She had trusted the bastard. All I knew now was that if I ever got my hands on the fucker, he was a dead man.
“We thought as much. Zara gave us his name along with some others. I knew it had to be him,” Asher explained.
“But why now? Why do this now? We had no idea he was even involved. It likely would have stayed that way if he hadn’t taken the both of you?” I asked. It made no sense. Kline had already almost gotten away. Why bring so much attention to himself by Taking Eli and Addy?
The discussion was halted as Addy started to keen as though she was in pain, then she was moving, writhing around as if she were trying to fight.
“Addy, it’s okay, shortcake,” Eli tried to soothe her as he fought to hold on to her. I hurried around the bed to grab her, seeing how much it was hurting Eli to do just that.
“I’ve got her,” I told him as I wrapped my hands around Addy’s waist and lifted her to my chest, moving one of my hands to cradle her under her ass, as I ran the other over her wild hair. She felt like ice in my arms and she was shaking way too hard, her entire body vibrating against mine. She tried to fight me, but I held her tightly against me and used my hand to press her face to my chest, praying it would ease her panic as it usually did.
“Try not to touch her back. I think she has some bruises or wounds there. She flinched earlier when I touched the middle of it,” Eli warned me.
“She needs to be checked by a doctor,” Asher sighed, his eyes locked on his sister and filled with concern.
“Angel. It’s just me. I’ve got you now,” I whispered close to her ear. I could see a nasty lump on the back of her head and there was blood dried in her hair. “You’re safe, pretty girl,” I added. Finally she stopped fighting against me and just seemed to go limp in my arms.
“Kane?” she uttered, the word barely coming out, but I heard it.
“I’m here, Addy. Asher too. I’ve got you.”
I was relieved when she lifted her arms and wrapped them around my neck. She clung on so tightly I could scarcely breathe, but I didn’t care, I was just so relieved to have her in my armsI almost allowed tears to slip free. She pressed her head against my shoulder and I could feel tears running down my neck.
“Here brother, sit,” Asher said as he dragged a chair closer to me. I nodded gratefully and sank back into the seat, careful not to jostle Addy too much, not knowing how hurt she was, or where her injuries were.
“I n-never thought I…I’d see you again,” Addy said shakily after several minutes of sobs. Her voice was hoarse and sounded strained, and still she wouldn’t lift her head and look at me. “Adam w-as shot…then Eli. I w-was so sc….scared.”
“I know. Me too,” I told her softly. “But you’re here now, and Adam’s fighting to get back to us. Jordan’s watching over him. Eli’s safe. We’re all gonna get through this, Addy. Everything’s gonna be just fine.”
“Eli?” Addy’s head shot up and she started to look around frantically.
“Right where you left me,” Eli said with a gentle smile as her eyes locked on his. She slumped back against me as though the small movement of searching the room had exhausted her.
“Asher,” she sighed when she saw him too, now at the foot of the bed only a few feet from where we sat. “You’re here.”
“I am,” Ash nodded.
“You look tired,” she pointed out.
“I suppose I probably do. It’s been a long forty-eight hours. I was terrified I was going to lose the two of you. Adam too.”
“He’s still stable, isn’t he? Tell m-me he’s okay, please Asher,” Addy pleaded as her lip trembled with the threat of more tears.
“He is, Addy. I spoke to Jordan just before we arrived at the hospital. He said Adam’s doing good. They might even reduce the painkillers he’s on later today and try to wake him up,” I assured her.
“And Jordan? He must have been so sc-scared he’d lose Adam.”
“He’s had a rough forty-eight hours too, sweetheart, but he’s keeping it together,” Asher assured her.
“We’ll call him later so you can speak to him, yeah?” I added, and she nodded tiredly in response.