Chapter 28
Nolan
“Nolan, wake up,” Ashley’s voice invades my ears. I release a sigh. Warm hands rest on my bare chest, shaking me. “Nolan,” Ashley’s gentle voice is in my head.
I slowly open my eyes and look around. Ashley. I can smell her strawberry essence, but I can’t see her. It’s pitch black all around me. I can’t make out anything. The soft green glow of the dashboard isn’t even there to light up her face. It doesn’t seem like we’re in a car. There’s a cool breeze against my torso, and hard, unforgiving earth digs into my back. What the fuck?
As my eyes focus more, I can finally make out Ashley’s face. I see the concern etched on her features. She wipes away a tear and turns her head away from me. What happened? Why is she crying?
I can’t talk. I can’t move anything but my head from side to side. My hands aren’t moving, my legs are numb like needles stabbing them repeatedly. I have no feeling in my body. I try to speak but my voice still won’t work.
“Hey, don’t try to talk,” Ashley whispers. Her hands are still on my chest, warm and inviting.
“What’s going on?” I finally croak out.
“You were having a nightmare and I couldn’t wake you,” she whispers again.
“Why can’t I move and why are you whispering?” My throat is scratchy when I speak.
“You have to stay quiet,” Ashley whispers again.
My hands are resting across my waist. They're tingling now, like my legs, trying to get blood flow back into them. I can open and close my fists. I repeat the process until the tingles work their way up to my shoulders. I turn my head to look out a window above us, but I hit something cold against my cheek. My breathing picks up and panic is setting in.
“Calm down Nolan. If you make any sudden moves we’re dead,” she whispers.
“What are you talking about?” I ask, whispering like she is.
“I’ll explain later, but you need to stop moving and stop talking,” Ashley’s voice is soft and pleading.
Something is wrong. Something happened while I was sleeping, and I can’t piece it together. I close my eyes, trying to curb the panic attack waiting to happen. The last time I had no control over my movements I ended up almost bleeding to death from these scars marking my body. This feels the same but different. Feeling finally comes back into my body and the same coldness that was against my cheek when I turned my head is against my bare back. Cold, hard and unforgiving.
My brain is finally working properly as I try to move again. Ashley’s body pins me against the hard ground. I can barely make out her face, but I can see the pleading in her eyes to stop moving. I concede my movements and listen to the sounds around me. I use my other senses to access where I am and what’s happening. There's water dripping from somewhere in the distance. Voices are far away, arguing about something. Dust and dirt is surrounding me, choking me.
I flex my hands and feet. Stabbing pain shoot up my legs almost making me pass out. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. My brain triggers a memory of being tied up and useless and I fight to lock it back up in the corner of my mind. Ashley’s warm body pressing against mine grounds me to the here and now. Her soft hands are still resting on my chest, keeping my movements still. I hear footsteps approach us and I stiffen. My muscles are tight as the voices get closer. Ashley’s body tightens against mine and I’d do anything to wrap my arms around her and soothe her, but I still can’t move more than an inch.
“What are we going to do with him?” A deep voice asks from somewhere. I try to pinpoint where they are, but it’s hard to tell.
“Fuck if I know. But Ian wants her alive for now,” another voice says in the darkness, this one full of hate and rage.
Ashley lets out a little whimper when the second voice speaks. She stifles a sob building in her throat and presses herself closer to me. Her body is trembling with fear. Goosebumps break on across my skin and dread fills my stomach. There is only one person who can make this strong, sexy woman tremble with fear and I’ll be damned if I let anything happen to her. Finally, able to move my arms, I wrap one around Ashley, pulling her closer, trying to soothe the fear radiating from her body. The voices stop talking and their footsteps fade away into the distance. Ashley relaxes a little against me. She’s still trembling, but not as bad as before.
When I hear nothing else for a few moments, I try moving again. White hot pain shoots up my left leg again, starting at my ankle and stops at my thigh. Beads of sweat break out across my forehead and I almost pass out from the pain.
“Please stop moving. I think your leg is broken,” Ashley whispers in my ear.
“Ash, what happened?” I whisper back, wishing I could see her face and wipe away her tears that are falling against my chest.
“You fell asleep and in the middle of a nightmare while I was driving up to the meeting spot. A pickup appeared behind me out of nowhere, blinding me with their high beams. I tried to outrun them and almost got away when another pickup blindsided me from the entrance ramp. He hit your side of the car, slamming us off the road and into the median. When I finally came to, they were at the car. I couldn’t see their faces, they had on black hoodies. Two men dragged your unconscious body out of the car and started kicking you. I was screaming at them to stop, but I was pinned inside. Then I felt something poke my skin, and I blacked out. Next thing I realize I wake up in this room. I have no idea how we got here. I do know that was Shaun’s voice that spoke. This is bad, Nolan. Really, really bad.” Ashley whispers.
“How do you know I was having a nightmare?” I whisper.
“Before the pickup blinded me you were talking in your sleep, mumbling about Marcus and Switch finally finding you and finishing what they started. You were restless and wouldn’t stop thrashing around. I’m so sorry I dragged you into this.” I can hear the pain lacing Ashley’s voice.
“It’s not your fault. I knew my past would catch up with me, eventually. We need to get out of here though.”
“It is my fault. If you never met me, you’d still be safe. If my life choices didn’t leave me where I am now, you’d still be safe.” Ashley’s sad voice penetrates my heart, taking my breath away.
“No, Ash, this isn’t your fault. I wouldn’t change meeting you for anything. You crashed through my walls. I fell in love with you and after everything that happened in my past, I never dreamed that was possible. You gave me a reason to fight, to live, to love.” I whisper against her soft lips.
“I love you too,” Ashley whispers.
I kiss her gently, finally able to feel something. Her warm breath fans against my lips, her soft body pressed against mine. I break the kiss and memories of what she told me come flooding back. I fell asleep and woke up to white lights blinding me as someone smashed into the car. Ashley screaming as two men drag me from the car, kicking me over and over. The pain making me pass out. Coming to again and a sharp needle piercing my skin, then everything goes black. It’s all clear as day as the fog lifts and the drug they injected me with leaves my system. We need to get out of here.
I slowly sit up with the help of Ashley. We stop and listen. The only thing I can hear is Ashley’s heavy breathing and the dripping of water from somewhere. I access the damage done to my body. The pain in my leg has calmed to a dull thud. Thankfully, not broken. My other leg is fine. I roll my ankles, making the blood circulate to them. The pins and needles feeling has subsided through my arms and shoulders. My ribs are bruised, but not cracked. I move my arms and roll my head. No damage there. Something wet trickle from the side of my head down my neck. I wipe it away and smell cooper. I must have hit my head at some point, but no harm there either. I’ve been through enough broken bones and fractures to know when there’s severe damage. The two men tried to inflict suffering, but they didn’t succeed. I stop moving when a wave of dizziness takes over.
“Slow down, you’ll pass out,” Ashley whispers.
She kneels so her chest is in my face. She lifts the bottom edge of her tank top and dabs it on the cut. I hiss at the contact.
“Sorry,” Ashley whispers. She continues to wipe away the blood from my head gently. When she’s satisfied she leans back on her heels.
“Are you hurt?” I ask her. She shakes her head no, but I need to check for myself.
I still can’t see her clearly, but my eyes are adjusting to the darkness. I look her over the best I can. The bruise on her face is still there from earlier. She has dried blood on the side of her forehead. Her hair is messy around her face. I move some hair back from her forehead, so I can study the cut better. It’s just at her hairline and if we don’t get it taken care of soon, it will leave a scar on her beautiful forehead. Ashley’s brown eyes are etched with worry and she has dried blood on her split lips.
Done with the assessment of her face I check the rest of her body. I touch each spot gently, starting at her ankles and moving my way up. Ashley lets out a hiss when I reach her left shoulder. She’s cradling her arm against her chest trying to hold back a cry. Her shoulder is dislocated. I can correct it, but it’ll make her scream when I pop it back into place and that will alert anyone around.
“Your shoulder is dislocated. I can fix it, but it’s going to be painful. Do you want me to do it now or wait?” I ask.
“Let’s wait. We need to find a way out of here."
She stands up and helps me stand too. Another wave of dizziness invades my vision and spots form behind my eyes. I brace myself against the concrete wall until the dizziness passes. I roll my head on my neck, forcing it to pop. When my vision clears, I shuffle around the small room, feeling along the walls. My hands skim over something solid. I discover a doorknob and twist it. It gives away under my hands and slowly creaks open, revealing a dirt road shinning in the moonlight. The fresh air filling my lungs is a reprieve from the dirt and dust smell of the hut.
“Stay close, keep your hand in my back pocket,” I whisper to Ashley.
She grabs ahold of my jeans and gives them a tug, telling me she heard me. We quietly make progress down the side of the little hut. My senses are on high alert when we round a corner. The moonlight shines brightly down upon us and I feel like a sitting duck out in the open. There are woods all around us and a single road from the other side of the small hut, leading in and out. It appears we were in a hunting cabin of some sort. I spot the same van that was in front of the house Ashley was in when I first arrived in L.A., next to the road. There’s a man sitting in the driver’s seat. There should be three of them total from what Ashley recalls, but I only notice one. I search around the fields and see no one else. I can take this guy out and steal the van, but with the condition I’m in, that isn’t an option. He could overpower me easily.
I move back to the door of the hut, sticking close to the walls. The only choice we have is the woods. I turn towards Ashley, really being able to look at her for the first time since I woke up. The moonlight is glowing on her and she still takes my breath away, even with the bruises and blood. I run my fingertips down her cheek and lean in to give her a reassuring kiss. She grips my waist with her good arm and inhales a gasp of relief. I pull away and turn towards the woods. It’s about one hundred yards from here to there, through an open field. My gut is informing me we need to move now. I crouch down and Ashley does the same, still holding onto my back pocket. We gradually make our path through the field, keeping low, until we get to the woods. Once we reach the edge, we stay quiet, being careful to avoid any twigs.
Once we're far enough away, deep in the woods, I turn towards Ashley. It’s dark in here, the moonlight can’t shine through the towering trees. I hold her close, her heart beating hard against my chest and she’s trying to stifle a sob. Trying to remain strong.
“Ash, we’re far enough away. We need to figure out our next step. We can continue through the woods or we can hunker down for the rest of the night.” I advise.
“We need to keep moving. These woods can’t be very big. Also, I need my shoulder reset. It’s starting to make my fingers numb and I need to find my crew.” Ashley says. Her face is expressing vulnerability, but her voice is strong and determined.
“Let’s set your shoulder here and then find the road. We’ll remain in the woods but keep the road in sight. I’m going to give you my belt and I want you to bite down on it when the pain is too extreme, so you don’t bite your tongue. It’s going to hurt like a mother fucker but will feel better once I’m done.”
“Let’s do it.” The determination in her big brown eyes is a huge turn on. I shake my head from the erotic thoughts invading my mind as I remove my belt and hand it to her. She braces her good arm against a massive oak tree and rests her head on it. I grab her left arm and pull it back a little, bracing my other hand on her left shoulder. Ashley takes my belt and places it in her mouth to bite down on. When she’s ready, I yank her arm away from her body with all my strength until I hear a popping noise. She lets out a muffled scream of pain, making my heart break, and bites down hard on the belt. Instant relief crosses her face when her shoulder goes back into place. Her forehead is beaded with sweat as she leans against the tree, breathing hard. I remove the belt out of her mouth and make it into a sling. I drape it across her good shoulder and tighten it to prevent movement until I can get her the medical attention she needs.
“Thank you,” Ashley whispers, looking into my eyes.
I pull her against my bare chest and her body quivers under my touch. Her good arm wraps around my waist, holding on tight. A breeze blows across us, drying the sweat sticking to my body, producing a shiver. I kiss her on the head. She stares up at me, our eyes colliding. Ashley licks her lips and a rush of lust invades my veins. Good God, I can’t get enough of this woman. I bring my head down and gently kiss her on the lips. She opens her mouth, allowing me access. Our tongues battle back and forth, teasing and taunting each other. She lets out a whimper from the back of her throat turning me on even more.
I break the kiss and lean my forehead against hers, breathing hard. With as much as I want to take her right here, right now, I can’t. We need to keep moving. Maybe once all of this is over, we can take a vacation somewhere. See where this goes between us once all the drama and people trying to kill her are done with.
“Come on, we need to keep moving,” I grumble against her lips. She nods her head in agreement.
We make our way through the woods, watching for low hanging branches and wildlife. I reflect back to the way we met and how she captured my heart the moment our eyes collided. Her beautiful, sun-kissed skin glowing in the sunlight. Her blonde hair shimmering in the light reminded me of an angel sent to help fight the demons of my past. I tighten my hand wrapped around Ashley’s small one and she squeezes back as we try to find our way out of this mess.